Mount Arthur Coal Pty Ltd v Duffin [2021] NSWCA 49

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Mount Arthur Coal Pty Ltd v Duffin [2021] NSWCA 49 Hearing dates: 8 February 2021 Date of orders: 30 March 2021 Decision date: 30 March 2021 Before: Meagher JA at [1] Gleeson JA at [2] Payne JA at [3] Decision: (1) Appeal allowed in part; (2) Set aside order 1 made on 20 May 2020 and in lieu thereof order that the defendant pay to the plaintiff the sum of $2,487,891.10; (3) Set aside order 1 made on 23 June 2020 and confirm that the defendant is ordered pay the plaintiff's costs of the trial on an ordinary basis; (4) Appeal otherwise dismissed; (5) Order the appellant pay 90% of the respondent's costs of the appeal. Catchwords: TORTS – general principles – contributory negligence – where respondent injured while driving a grader on a coal mine haul road after rain event at night – where respondent hit a lamination in the road – where other employees using the area had failed to notice hole in the road – whether respondent guilty of contributory negligence NEGLIGENCE – damages – personal injury damages – future attendant care – future economic loss – out of pocket expenses – where primary judge did not make deduction for vicissitudes for future medical expenses or future attendant care – whether appropriate to account for respondent's pre-existing conditions when awarding future out of pocket expenses and costs of future attendant care NEGLIGENCE – damages – non-economic loss – s 151G Workers Compensation Act 1987 (NSW) – whether primary judge was required to determine extent to which respondent would have developed pain and disability due to underlying conditions COSTS – party/party – bases of quantification – indemnity basis – where offer purported to be made pursuant to UCPR r 20.26 – whether offer complied with requirements of r 20.26 – whether primary judge erred in ordering indemnity costs in reliance on offer Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), s 98 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), rr 20.26, 42.1, 42.14 Workers Compensation Act 1987 (NSW), s 151G, Sch 6 Pt 18 cl 3(1) Workers Compensation Legislation Amendment Act 2001 (NSW) Workers Compensation Legislation Further Amendment Act 2001 (NSW), Schs 1, 2, 3, 8 Cases Cited: Bankstown Foundry Pty Ltd v Braistina (1986) 160 CLR 301; [1986] HCA 20 Bostik Australia Pty Ltd v Liddiard (No 2) [2009] NSWCA 304 Calderbank v Calderbank [1976] Fam 93 Doppstadt Australia Pty Ltd v Lovick & Sons Developments Pty Ltd (No 2) [2014] NSWCA 219 Duffin v Mount Arthur Coal Pty Ltd [2020] NSWSC 229 Duffin v Mount Arthur Coal Pty Ltd (No 2) [2020] NSWSC 790 Dungan v Chan [2013] NSWCA 182; (2013) 64 MVR 249 Fexuto Pty Ltd v Bosnjak Holdings Pty Ltd (No 3) (1998) 30 ACSR 20 Fox v Wood (1981) 148 CLR 438; [1981] HCA 41 Ghunaim v Bart [2004] NSWCA 28; (2004) Aust Torts Reports 81-731 James v Surf Road Nominees Pty Ltd (No 2) [2005] NSWCA 296 Joslyn v Berryman (2003) 214 CLR 552; [2003] HCA 34 Leach v The Nominal Defendant (QBE Insurance (Australia) Ltd) (No 2) [2014] NSWCA 391 Liftronic Pty Ltd v Unver [2001] HCA 24; (2001) 75 ALJR 867 Malec v JC Hutton Pty Ltd (1990) 169 CLR 638; [1990] HCA 20 Podrebersek v Australian Iron & Steel Pty Ltd [1985] HCA 34; (1985) 59 ALJR 492 Purkess v Crittenden (1965) 114 CLR 164; [1965] HCA 34 Seltsam Pty Ltd v Ghaleb [2005] NSWCA 208 Sharman v Evans (1977) 138 CLR 563; [1977] HCA 8 Watts v Rake (1960) 108 CLR 158; [1960] HCA 58 Whitney v Dream Developments Pty Ltd (2013) 84 NSWLR 311; [2013] NSWCA 188 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Mount Arthur Coal Pty Ltd (Appellant) Gemma Ann Duffin (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: M McCulloch SC with D Stanton (Appellant) N Polin SC with M Best (Respondent)