Old v Miniter [2020] NSWDC 401

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Old v Miniter [2020] NSWDC 401 Hearing dates: 28, 29, 30, 31 October; 25, 28 November 2019; 6 February, 3 April, 7 July 2020 Date of orders: 31 July 2020 Decision date: 31 July 2020 Jurisdiction: Civil Before: Judge Levy SC Decision: 1. Verdict and judgment for the defendant; 2. I will hear the parties on the appropriate order for costs; 3. The exhibits may be returned; 4. Liberty to apply on 7 days' notice if further or other orders are required. Catchwords: TORTS – negligence – medical treatment – orthopaedic surgery – intra-operative decision not to remove indwelling elements of redundant ankle fixation hardware due to presence of osteomyelitis infection – failure to arrange for removal at a later time after treatment for osteomyelitis – finding of breach of duty of care – plaintiff developed further osteomyelitis infection 7 years later – failure of plaintiff to establish a causal connection between that subsequent osteomyelitis and the earlier breach of duty of care owed; PRACTICE & PROCEDURE – lex loci delicti – application of the civil liability law of the ACT – Civil Liability Wrongs Act 2002 (ACT) Legislation Cited: Australian Consumer Law, s 60 Civil Law (Wrongs) Act 2002 (ACT), s 42, s 43, s 44, s 45, s 46 Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW), Pt 1A, s 5B, s 5O, s 15, s 16, Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), s 98 Evidence Act 1995 (NSW), s 56 Evidence Act 2011 (ACT), s 56 Limitation Act 1969 (NSW), s 50C Limitation Act 1985 (ACT), 16B UCPR r 31.27(1)(c) and Sch 7 cl 3(e) Cases Cited: Adeels Palace Pty Ltd v Moubarak; Adeels Palace Pty Ltd v Bou Najem (2009) 238 CLR 420; [2009] HCA 48 Adelaide Stevedoring Co Ltd v Forst (1940) 64 CLR 538; [1940] HCA 45 Amaca Pty Ltd v Ellis [2010] HCA 5 Bradshaw v McEwans Pty Ltd (1951) 217 ALR 1 Browne v Dunn (1893) 6 R 67 Caltex Refineries (Qld) Pty Limited v Stavar (2009) 75 NSWLR 649; [2009] NSWCA 258 Chappel v Hart [1998] HCA 55; 195 CLR 232 Commissioner of Police v Rea [2008] NSWCA 199 Elayoubi v Zipser [2008] NSWCA 335 Glen v Sullivan [2015] NSWCA 191 Goodrich Aerospace Pty Ltd v Arsic [2006] NSWCA 187 Griffiths v Kerkemeyer [1977] HCA 45 Indigo Mist Pty Limited v Palmer [2012] NSWCA 239 John Pfeiffer Pty Ltd v Rogerson [2000] HCA 36 Leotta v Public Transport Commission of NSW (1976) 50 ALJR 666 Luxton v Vines (1952) 85 CLR 352; [1952] HCA 19 Naxakis v Western General Hospital (1999) 197 CLR 162; [1999] HCA 22 Perisher Blue Pty Ltd v Nair-Smith (2015) NSWLR 1; [2015] NSWCA 90 Pollard v RRR Corporation Pty Ltd [2009] NSWCA 110 Purkess v Crittenden (1965) 114 CLR 164; [1965] HCA 34 Roads and Traffic Authority (NSW) v Dederer (2007) 234 CLR 330; [2007] HCA 42 Roads and Traffic Authority of NSW v Dederer (2007) 234 CLR 330; [2007] HCA 42 Rogers v Whitaker (1992) 175 CLR 479; [1992] HCA 58 Rosenberg v Percival (2001) 205 CLR 434; [2001] HCA 18 Seltsam Pty Ltd v Guinness [2000] NSWCA 29; (2000) 49 NSWLR 262 Shaw v Thomas [2010] NSWCA 169 Strong v Woolworths Ltd (2012) 246 CLR 182; [2012] HCA 5 Tabet v Gett (2010) 240 CLR 537; [2010] HCA 12 The Commonwealth v Amann Aviation Pty Ltd (1991) 174 CLR 64; [1991] HCA 54 Uniting Church in Australia Property Trust (NSW) v Miller; Miller v Lithgow City Council [2015] NSWCA 320 Vaccaro v MLC Limited [2016] NSWDC 85 Vairy v Wyong Shire Council [2005] HCA 62; (2005) 223 CLR 442 Wallace v Kam (2013) 250 CLR 375; [2013] HCA 19 Water Board v Moustakas (1988) 180 CLR 491; [1988] HCA 12 Watts v Rake (1960) 108 CLR 158; [1960] HCA 58 Waverley Council v Ferreira [2005] NSWCA 418 Whisprun v Dixon [2003] HCA 48; 200 ALR 447 Wyong Shire Council v Shirt (1980) 146 CLR 40; [1980] HCA 12 Texts Cited: Dorland Illustrated Medical Dictionary, 29th Ed, 2000, WB Saunders & Co Stedman's Medical Dictionary, 26th Ed, 1995, Williams and Wilkinson Category: Principal judgment Parties: Brian Old (Plaintiff) Associate Professor Miniter (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Mr A Campbell with Ms K Kumar (Plaintiff) Ms A Horvath (Defendant)