Gomez v Woolworths Group Limited [2023] NSWDC 221

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Gomez v Woolworths Group Limited [2023] NSWDC 221 Hearing dates: 12-13 April 2023; 18 May 2023 Date of orders: 21 June 2023 Decision date: 21 June 2023 Jurisdiction: Civil Before: Dicker SC DCJ Decision: 1. The proceedings against the defendant are dismissed. 2. Verdict and judgment for the defendant against the plaintiff. 3. The plaintiff is to pay the defendant's costs of the proceedings as agreed or assessed. 4. Leave is granted to either party to apply within 14 days to vary the costs order in (3) above. Catchwords: TORTS – negligence – slip and fall – Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW) claim – alleged breach of duty of care by the defendant relating to the inspection and cleaning of the defendant's supermarket store – whether breach of duty of care – whether any breach caused the plaintiff's injuries – current disabilities of the plaintiff - damages Legislation Cited: Civil Liability (Non-Economic loss) Amendment Order 2022 (NSW) Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW) Cases Cited: Alat v Franklins Pty Ltd [2012] NSWDC 104 Argo Managing Agenc y Limited v Al Kammessy [2018] NSWCA 176 Avopiling Pty Ltd v Bosevski [2018] NSWCA 146 Buljat v Coles Supermarkets Australia Pty Ltd [2022] ACTCA 71 Chen by her tutor Huang v Kmart Australia Ltd [2023] NSWCA 96 Jackson v McDonald's Australia Ltd [2014] NSWCA 162 Kocis v S E Dickens Pty Ltd [1998] 3 VR 408 Lloyd v Thornbury [2019] NSWCA 154 New South Wales v Moss [2000] NSWCA 133 Patrick Stevedores Operations (No 2) Pty Ltd v Hennessey [2015] NSWCA 253 Penrith City Council v Parks [2004] NSWCA 201 Strong v Woolworths Limited [2012] HCA 5; (2012) 246 CLR 182 Wallace v Kam [2013] HCA 19; (2013) 250 CLR 375 Woolworths Ltd v McQuillan [2017] NSWCA 202 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Martha Cecil Chacon Gomez (Plaintiff) Woolworths Group Limited (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: H Marshall SC and J Tryon (Plaintiff) B Wilson (Defendant)