Dean v Pope [2022] NSWCA 260

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Dean v Pope [2022] NSWCA 260 Hearing dates: 30 August 2022 Date of orders: 14 December 2022 Decision date: 14 December 2022 Before: Ward P at [1]; Macfarlan JA at [254]; Meagher JA at [258]; White JA at [259]; Brereton JA at [270] Decision: 1. Time for filing the Notice of Appeal be extended until 14 March 2022. 2. Appeal dismissed. 3. Cross-appeal be dismissed. 4. The appellant/cross-respondent to pay the cross-appellant/respondent's costs of the appeal and cross-appeal. Catchwords: NEGLIGENCE — Breach — Standard of care — Professional negligence — Where respondent neurosurgeon performed lumbar surgery on the appellant on the basis that MRI scans showed nerve root compression in the lumbar spine — Where appellant's lumbar disc herniation caused leakage of the nucleus pulposis and associated irritation — Where appellant suffered from an undiagnosed lesion in the thoracic spine — Whether preoperative diagnostic assessment inadequate — Whether lumbar surgery unnecessary — Whether respondent breached duty of care owed to the appellant — Whether respondent acted in a manner widely supported by peer professional opinion as competent professional practice NEGLIGENCE — General principles — Professional negligence — Section 5O of the Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW) — Whether the interpretation of s 5O in McKenna v Hunter and New England Local Health District [2013] NSWCA 476 ought to be overturned Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW), ss 5B, 5D, 5O, 5P, 13 Wrongs Act 1958 (Vic), s 59 Cases Cited: Australian Securities Commission v Marlborough Gold Mines Ltd (1993) 177 CLR 485; [1993] HCA 15 Babaniaris v Lutony Fashions Pty Ltd (1987) 163 CLR 1; [1987] HCA 19 Belknap v Meakes (1989) 64 DLR (4th) 452 Bolam v Friern Hospital Management Committee [1957] 2 All ER 118; [1957] 1 WLR 582 Boxell v Peninsula Health [2019] VSC 830 Commissioner of Taxation (Cth) v St Helens Farm (ACT) Pty Ltd (1981) 146 CLR 336; [1981] HCA 4 Dobler v Halverson (2007) 70 NSWLR 151; [2007] NSWCA 335 Dunne v National Maternity Hospital [1989] IR 91 Ellis v Wallsend (1989) 17 NSWLR 553 Fox v Percy (2003) 214 CLR 118; [2003] HCA 22 Frangie v South Western Sydney Local Health District trading as Liverpool Hospital (2019) 29 DCLR(NSW) 346; [2019] NSWDC 42 Garcia v National Australia Bank Ltd (1998) 194 CLR 395; [1998] HCA 48 Gett v Tabet (2009) 254 ALR 504; [2009] NSWCA 76 Gover v South Australia (1985) 39 SASR 543 Grinham v Tabro Meats Pty Ltd; Victorian WorkCover Authority v Murray [2012] VSC 491 Heyman v Board of Management of Royal Perth Hospital (1995) 14 SR (WA) 14 Hunter and New England Local Health District v McKenna (2014) 253 CLR 270; [2014] HCA 44 Jones v Braund (No 2) [2020] NSWDC 54 Kaban v Sett [1994] 1 WWR 476 Liprini v McIntyre [2019] NSWSC 355 Lowns v Woods (1996) Aust Tort Reports 81-376 Makaroff v Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District [2021] NSWCA 107 March v E & M H Stramare Pty Ltd (1991) 171 CLR 506; [1991] HCA 12 Maynard v West Midlands Regional Health Authority [1985] 1 All ER 635 McKenna v Hunter & New England Local Health District; Simon v Hunter & New England Local Health District [2013] NSWCA 476 McNamara (McGrath) v Consumer Trader and Tenancy Tribunal (2005) 221 CLR 646; [2005] HCA 55 Nationwide News Pty Ltd v Rush (2020) 380 ALR 432; [2020] FCAFC 115 Nguyen v Nguyen (1990) 169 CLR 245; [1990] HCA 9 Old v Miniter [2021] NSWCA 92 Penrith City Council v Parks [2004] NSWCA 201 Ratty v Haringey Health Authority [1994] 5 Med LR 413 Roads and Traffic Authority of New South Wales v Dederer (2007) 234 CLR 330; [2007] HCA 42 Rogers v Whitaker (1992) 175 CLR 479; [1992] HCA 58 Seymour Whyte Constructions Pty Ltd v Ostwald Bros Pty Ltd (in liq) (2019) 99 NSWLR 317; [2019] NSWCA 11 Sidaway v Board of Governors of the Bethlem Royal Hospital [1984] 1 QB 493 Smit v Brisbane South Regional Health Authority [2002] QSC 312 South Western Sydney Local Health District v Gould (2018) 97 NSWLR 513; [2018] NSWCA 69 Sparks v Hobson; Gray v Hobson (2018) 361 ALR 115; [2018] NSWCA 29 Sutherland Re; French Caledonia Travel Service Pty Ltd (In Liq) (2003) 59 NSWLR 361; NSWSC 1008 Texts Cited: D A Ipp (Chairman), Review of the Law of Negligence Report (Ipp Report), 2 October 2002 D Villa, Annotated Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW) (3rd ed, 2018, Thomson Reuters) R Cross, Precedent in English Law (3rd ed, 1977, Clarendon Press) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Paul Dean (Appellant) Raoul Pope (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: S Prince SC with AD Campbell (Appellant) R Cheney SC with A Quinlivan (Respondent)