Recent cases
Appeal – error?
Elskaf v GIO General Limited [2019] NSWCA 23 Appeal from a decision of the District Court. The primary Judge (Wass SC DCJ) dismissed the appellant’s claim against the respondent (GIO) under a Motor Vehicle Insurance Policy (Policy) for the agreed value of a Ferrari 360 Modena vehicle (Vehicle). [1] The appellant’s case was that the Vehicle was…
Read MoreAeroplane colliding with kangaroo on rural landing field
Police powers and duties: incoherence and incompatibility; Summary dismissal
CIVIL PROCEDURE – summary disposal – dismissal of proceedings – primary judge summarily dismissed proceedings on basis that defendant did not owe plaintiffs a duty of care – where weight of current authority against existence of duty of care – where argument available that common law should be extended to recognise duty of care –…
Read MoreTip fire: representative proceedings
TORTS – representative proceedings – negligence – plaintiff suffered injury through fire – determination of liability – no claim for pure economic loss – ignition of fire – origins – causation – spread or escape of fire – common law principles – existence and scope of duty of care – novelty of duty –salient features…
Read MoreAdministrative law
ADMINISTRATIVE LAW – judicial review – reviewable decisions and conduct – motor accident – proper construction of s 63 of the Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999 (NSW) and the Medical Assessment and Permanent Impairment Guidelines – whether review panel conducted its new assessment in accordance with requirements of s 63 and the applicable Guidelines –…
Read MoreAmbulance law
Logar v Ambulance Service of New South Wales Sydney Region [2017] NSWCA 274 Schmidt J (Macfarlan JA and Emmett AJA agreeing) held that the primary judge did not err in failing to make a finding as to the actual speed at which the ambulance proceeded through the intersection. Nor did the primary judge err in…
Read MoreMotor accident v. work injury damages
Steven George Villanti v Coles Group Supply Chain Pty Limited; Steven George Villanti v All Staff Australia NSW Pty Ltd t/as Allstaff Australia [2017] NSWSC 1231 NEGLIGENCE – breach of duty – workplace accident – whether employer is vicariously liable for driver – contributory negligence of driver – whether motor vehicle owner is negligent under…
Read MoreRoad authority
Wells v Council of the City of Orange (No 2) [2017] NSWSC 510 TORTS – negligence – motor vehicle accident – motorcycle colliding with water-filled barrier at night – duty of care – breach of duty – standard of liability – whether using water-filled barrier manifestly unreasonable – expert evidence – whether failure to comply…
Read MoreOz standards not dispositive
Harrington Estates (NSW) Pty Ltd t/as Harrington Grove Country Club v Turner [2016] NSWCA 369 NEGLIGENCE – liability of occupier – liability of landscape architect – patron injured as stepped into garden bed in Club car park – true depth of garden bed obscured by vegetation – primary judge found Club liable but architect not…
Read MoreAdministrative law: The role of a medical assessor
AAI Limited v State Insurance Regulatory Authority of New South Wales (formerly the Motor Accidents Authority of New South Wales) [2016] NSWCA 368 On its proper construction the MAC Act does not require a medical assessor to make a determination as to what elements of an incident involving a motor vehicle during which a person…
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