Transportation Law

David Varty has worked as counsel for Transport Canada and the Canadian Transport Commission.  With a Masters in Air and Space Law from McGill University, he has handled a wide range of cases, including aviation accidents, air crashes, death and injury aboard aircraft, missing cargo claims, passenger rights infringements, and matters before the Transportation Appeal Tribunal. He has brought numerous transport injury claims, including claims for stress, trauma, disability and loss of employment.  David has been a member of the Air Law Section of the Canadian Bar Association since 1979.

David obtained an Anton Piller order in Supreme Court to recover aircraft parts for inspection and testing.  Prism Helicopters.

David also brought a precedent-setting aviation accident case, Wettlaufer v. Air Transat, in the BC Supreme Court. In this case, the court awarded compensation for psychological injury under the Montreal Convention for the first time in Canada.

David has significant experience in Marine Law matters, including claims for damaged cargo and passenger injury.  David was co-counsel in the class action case Kotai v. BC Ferries, which provided damages for the surviving passengers in the Queen of the North ferry disaster.

David brought a trust claim against the 2-billion-dollar estate of Torben Karlshoej, the owner of the world’s largest fleet of Aframax ships.