Skinner v The State of New South Wales (No 2) [2021] NSWDC 49

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Skinner v The State of New South Wales (No 2) [2021] NSWDC 49 Hearing dates: 8-10, 12, 15-19 February 2021 Date of orders: 05 March 2021 Decision date: 05 March 2021 Jurisdiction: Civil Before: Abadee DCJ Decision: See paragraph 685 Catchwords: WORK ACCIDENT - work injury damages - former police officer's claim for damages for psychiatric injuries arising from exposure to traumatic incidents and workplace conflict - content of scope of admitted duty of care - whether breach of duty - whether causal link established between breach of duty and asserted psychiatric injuries established - assessment of damages - whether and to what extent events and circumstances in respect to which the State is not legally responsible contributed to plaintiff's psychiatric injuries - whether and to what extent contributory negligence defence made out to reduce damages TORTS - intentional tort - claim for damages for psychiatric injuries partly based upon alleged harassment and bullying - mental element required to sustain the tort PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE - application for leave to commence proceeding nunc pro tunc - proceeding commenced in March 2017 - leave application adjourned separately in 2018 and 2019 following absence of legal representation for the plaintiff - appropriateness of leave application being heard concurrently with trial in the circumstances – obligations upon parties and legal representatives to assist with dispatch of leave applications Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW) ss s3B, 5B, 5C Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW) ss 56, 57, 58, 60 District Court Act 1973 (NSW), s 44(d1) Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) s 140 Police Force Act 1990 (NSW) Workers Compensation Act 1987 (NSW) ss 151D, 151M Workplace Injury Management and Workers Compensation Act 1998 (NSW) s 318 Cases Cited: ASB-Tech Services Pty Ltd (in liq) v Doeland [2003] NSWCA 167 Bunyan v Jordan (1937) 57 CLR 1 Carangelo v State of New South Wales [2016] NSWCA 126 Coal & Allied Operations Pty Ltd trading as Hunter Valley Operations (Howick Mine) v Stringer [2003] NSWCA 271 Coote v Kelly [2013] NSWCA 357 DC v State of New South Wales [2016] NSWCA 198 Doherty v State of New South Wales [2010] NSWSC 450 Feldman n Nationwide News Pty Ltd [2020] NSWSC 26 GIO General Limited v Love [2009] NSWCA 269 Gower v State of New South Wales [2018] NSWCA 132 Hegarty v Queensland Ambulance Service (2007) Aust Torts Rep 81-919 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298 Jones v Murrumbidgee Irrigation Ltd (No. 2) [2020] NSWSC 613 Koehler v Cerebos (Australia) Ltd (2005) 222 CLR 44 Malec v JC Hutton Pty Ltd (1990) 169 CLR 638 Nationwide News Pty Ltd v Naidu (2007) 71 NSWLR 471 Northern Territory v Mengel (1995) 185 CLR 307 Prince Alfred College Incorporated v ADC (2016) 258 CLR 134 Purkess v Crittenden (1965) 114 CLR 164 Seltsam Pty Ltd v Ghaleb [2005] NSWCA 208 Sills v State of New South Wales [2019] NSWCA 4 Skinner v New South Wales [2021] NSWDC 36 State of New South Wales v Briggs (2016) 95 NSWLR 467 State of New South Wales v Burton [2006] NSWCA 12 State of New South Wales v Fahy (2007) 232 CLR 486 State of NSW v Burton [2006] NSWCA 12 State of NSW v Donnelley [2004] NSWCA 133 Tabet v Gett (2010) 240 CLR 537 The Council of Trinity Grammar School v Anderson (2019) 101 NSWLR 762 The State of NSW v Donnelley [2004] NSWCA 133 Watts v Rake (1960) 108 CLR 158 Wilkinson v Downton [1897] 2 QB 57 Wilson v Peisley (1975) 7 ALR 571 Wyong Shire Council v Shirt (1980) 146 CLR 40 Texts Cited: H Luntz, Assessment of Damages for Personal Injury and Death (revised 4th edition, 2016, LexisNexis Butterworths) J G Fleming, The Law of Torts (7th edition, 1987 Sydney Law Book Company) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Ms K Skinner (plaintiff) The State of New South Wales (defendant) Representation: Counsel: Mr C Hart and Mr G Schipp for the plaintiff Mr D Stanton for the defendant