Grincelis v House [1998] FCA 797

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

PERSONAL INJURY - appeal from award of damages - nature of assessment - discretion - whether standards ought be derived from other awards

GRATUITOUS CARE - past and future - assessment of need

INTEREST - on award for past care - no statute governing - principles to be applied - evidence necessary - rate to be applied in absence of evidence. Australian Capital Territory Supreme Court Act 1933 (Cth) - s 53A(2) Supreme Court Act 1935 (SA) - s 30(c) Motor Accidents Act 1988 (NSW) - ss 73, 80 Hodges v Frost (1984) 53 ALR 373 - disapproved Settree v Roberts [1982] 1 NSWLR 649 - not followed Marsland v Andjelic [No 2] (1993) 32 NSWLR 649 - not followed Arvind & Anor v Greco (1995) Aust Torts Reports ¶81-357 - not followed Griffiths v Kerkemeyer (1977) 139 CLR 161 - applied M.B.P. (S.A.) Pty Limited v Gogic (1991) 171 CLR 657 - applied Wheeler v Page (1982) 31 SASR 1 - discussed Cullen v Trappell (1980) 146 CLR 1 - discussed Gogic v M.B.P. (S.A.) Pty Limited (1990) 53 SASR 394 - discussed Miller v Jennings (1954) 92 CLR 190 - applied Gamser v The Nominal Defendant (1976) 136 CLR 145 - referred to Davies v Powell Duffryn Associated Collieries Ltd [1942] AC 601 - referred to Planet Fisheries Pty Ltd v La Rosa (1968) 119 CLR 118 - referred to and doubted Project Developments Pty Ltd v Mitchell (1996) 1 VR 213 - referred to NSW Insurance Ministerial Corporation v Hay (1993) 18 MVR(NSW) 375 - referred to Carson v John Fairfax & Sons Ltd (1993) 178 CLR 44 - referred to Van Gervan v Fenton (1992) 175 CLR 327 - approved Kars v Kars (1996) 187 CLR 354 - cited Edwards v Australian Capital Territory Schools Authority (Master Hogan, Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory, 18 March 1993, unreported) - not followed Burnicle v Cutelli [1982] 2 NSWLR 26 - not followed Kelly v John Fairfax & Sons Ltd [1985] 1 NSWLR 462 - not followed Knight v Smith (NSW Court of Appeal, 9 July 1981, unreported) - not followed Donnelly v Patrick Operations Pty Ltd (White J, Supreme Court of Queensland, 29 September 1993, unreported) -not followed G O Tully v G J Coles & Co (White J, Supreme Court of Queensland, 13 October 1993, unreported) - not followed Bowen v Tutte (1990) Aust Torts Reports ¶81-043 - not followed Veselinovic v Thorley [1988] 1 Qd R 191 - referred to Odgaard v Stone [1994] 1 Qd R 408 - referred to Patorniti v Carter (1997) 25 MVR 429 - referred to Camm v Salter [1992] 2 Qd R 342 - referred to Richardson v Ramset Fasteners (Aust) Pty Ltd (Demack J, Supreme Court of Queensland, 11 April 1997, unreported) - referred to Simpson v Thiess Contractors (Ambrose J, Supreme Court of Queensland, 20 June 1997, unreported) - referred to Richardson v Schultz (1980) 25 SASR 1 - referred to Pacini v Cooper (1982) 101 LSJS 166 - referred to Masinovic v Motor Vehicle Insurance Trust (1986) 42 SASR 161 - referred to Ruby v Marsh (1975) 132 CLR 642 - referred to Medlin v State Government Insurance Commission (1995) 182 CLR 1 - referred to Hines v Commonwealth of Australia (1995) Aust Torts Reports ¶81-338 - not followed Brown v Hale (1996) 1 Qd R 234 - referred to Whitaker v Commissioner of Taxation (1998) 153 ALR 334 - referred to Black v Lipovac (Miles, Heerey & Madgwick JJ, Federal Court of Australia, 4 June 1998, unreported) - explained Arthur Robinson (Grafton) Pty Ltd v Carter (1968) 122 CLR 649 - discussed Sharman v Evans (1977) 138 CLR 563 - discussed Assessment of Damages for Personal Injury and Death, Professor Harold Luntz, 3rd ed, Butterworths (1990)