RPLE LLP Partner John M. Rice, K.C. talks to Canadian Lawyer about why the Tumbler Ridge families are pursuing their OpenAI lawsuits in California rather than at home in BC — and what that says about the gaps in Canadian damages law.
As lead counsel representing families affected by the tragedy, John breaks down the significant gaps between BC and California law — from capped pain and suffering damages to the limited scope of wrongful death claims for the loss of a child under BC’s Family Compensation Act.
“The damages that we can recover for folks in Canada… are massively dwarfed by the opportunity for damages available in California,” John says.
That’s why we made the decision — alongside our clients and our colleagues at Edelson PC — to bring these claims in the Northern District of California, where OpenAI is headquartered and where the remedies available actually match the scale of the harm caused.
Read the full interview with John at Canadian Lawyer: Broader remedies, no caps on damages: Why the Tumbler Ridge lawsuits are being fought in California https://www.canadianlawyermag.com/news/general/broader-remedies-no-caps-on-damages-why-the-tumbler-ridge-lawsuits-are-being-fought-in-california/394400
