Insurance Australia Group Limited t/as NRMA Insurance v Saraceni [2020] NSWSC 1045

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Insurance Australia Group Limited t/as NRMA Insurance v Saraceni [2020] NSWSC 1045 Hearing dates: 31 July 2019 Date of orders: 10 August 2020 Decision date: 10 August 2020 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Walton J Decision: The plaintiff shall bring in short minutes of order reflecting this judgment within 7 days of the publication of this judgment. Catchwords: ADMINISTRATIVE LAW – judicial review – Motor Accidents Compensation Act – motor vehicle accident – medical review panel – medical assessments – review panel decision – Motor Accident Permanent Impairment Guidelines – legal consequences non-adherence to guidelines – findings of inconsistencies – inconsistencies not brought to first defendant's attention – inconsistencies contemplated by guidelines – duty to provide procedural fairness – materiality – reasons for determination – whether review panel failed to set out lawful reasons – whether decision was vitiated by legal unreasonableness – errors of law – whether jurisdictional error – whether constructive failure to exercise jurisdiction – appeal upheld – costs follow the event – orders COSTS – Suitors' Fund Act 1951 – eligibility to be granted indemnity certificate – indemnity certificate – certificate granted Legislation Cited: Interpretation Act 1987 (NSW) Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999 (NSW) State Insurance and Care Governance Act 2015 Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW) Workplace Injury Management and Workers Compensation Act 1998 (NSW) Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW) Cases Cited: AB v Judicial Commission of New South Wales (Conduct Division) (2018) 365 ALR 163; [2018] NSWCA 264 Ali v AAI Ltd (2016) 757 MVR 502; [2016] NSWCA 110 Allianz Australia Insurance Ltd v Rutland (2015) 73 MVR 211; [2015] NSWCA 328 Boyce v Allianz Australia Insurance Ltd (2018) 96 NSWLR 356; [2018] NSWCA 22 Campbelltown City Council v Vegan (2006) 67 NSWLR 372; [2006] NSWCA 284 Dominice v Allianz Australia Insurance Ltd (2017) 81 MVR 249; [2017] NSWCA 171 Frost v Kourouche (2014) 86 NSWLR 214; [2014] NSWCA 39 Garcia v MAA (2009) 54 MVR 102; [2009] NSWSC 1056 Hossain v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection (2018) 264 CLR 123; [2018] HCA 34 IAG Limited v Sleiman (2017) 82 MVR 1; [2017] NSWSC 1346 Kirk v Industrial Court of New South Wales (2010) 239 CLR 531; [2010] HCA 1 Minister for Immigration and Border Protection v SZMTA (2019) 264 CLR 421; [2019] HCA 3 Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs v Liang (1996) 185 CLR 259; [1996] HCA 6 Minister for Immigration v Li (2013) 249 CLR 332; [2013] HCA 18 NRMA Insurance Ltd v Motor Accidents Authority NSW (2004) 61 NSWLR 264; [2004] NSWSC 56 Partridge v IAG Limited t/as NRMA Insurance (2019) 89 MVR 36; [2019] NSWSC 127 Pham v NRMA Insurance Ltd (2014) 66 MVR 152; [2014] NSWCA 22 Project Blue Sky Inc v Australian Broadcasting Authority (1998) 194 CLR 355; [1998] HCA 28 Rodger v De Gelder (2015) 71 MVR 514 Wei v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection (2015) 257 CLR 22; [2015] HCA 51 Wingfoot Australia Partners Pty Ltd v Kocak (2013) 252 CLR 480; [2013] HCA 43 Zurich Australia Insurance Limited v Drca (2018) 87 MVR 100; [2018] NSWSC 1945 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Insurance Australia Group Limited t/as NRMA Insurance (Plaintiff)