Liddell Coal Operations Pty Limited v Hector [2021] NSWCA 47

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Liddell Coal Operations Pty Limited v Hector [2021] NSWCA 47 Hearing dates: 16 March 2021 Date of orders: 26 March 2021 Decision date: 26 March 2021 Before: Basten JA at [1] Gleeson JA at [2] McCallum JA at [57] Decision: (1) Appeal dismissed. (2) Appellant to pay the respondent's costs. Catchwords: WORKERS COMPENSATION – coal miners – whether employment was a contributing factor to aggravation, acceleration, exacerbation or deterioration of a disease – where worker suffered from a degenerative condition of osteoarthritis to his right knee – whether primary judge erred in point of law in finding work injury – Workers Compensation Act 1987 (NSW), s 4(b)(ii) Legislation Cited: District Court Act 1973 (NSW), s 142N Workers Compensation Act 1987 (NSW), ss 4, 60, 66, 67 Cases Cited: Ambulance Service of New South Wales v Daniel (2000) 19 NSWCCR 697; [2000] NSWCA 116 Azzopardi v Tasman UEB Industries Ltd (1985) 4 NSWLR 139 Dranichnikov v Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs [2003] HCA 26; (2003) 77 ALJR 1088 Goodwin v Commissioner of Police [2010] NSWCA 239 Kostas v HIA Insurance Services Pty Ltd (2010) 241 CLR 390; [2010] HCA 32 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Liddell Coal Operations Pty Limited (Appellant) Andrew Clifton Hector (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: L King SC / S McMahon (Appellant) B Dooley SC / P O'Rourke (Respondent)