Insurance Australia Limited trading as NRMA Insurance v Trkulja [2023] NSWSC 956

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Insurance Australia Limited trading as NRMA Insurance v Trkulja [2023] NSWSC 956 Hearing dates: 2 August 2023 Date of orders: 15 August 2023 Decision date: 15 August 2023 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Chen J Decision: (1) Order in the nature of certiorari moving into this Court and quashing the certificate issued by the third defendants, constituting a Review Panel of the second defendant, dated 9 December 2022. (2) Order that proceedings PIC matter number R-M10503873/22 is remitted to the second defendant to be referred, under s 63 of the Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999 (NSW), to a differently constituted review panel to be determined according to law. (3) Order that the first defendant pay the plaintiff's costs of the proceedings in this Court. Catchwords: ADMINISTRATIVE LAW – judicial review – decision of medical assessor referred to review panel – where review panel excluded the insurer's medico-legal reports for alleged want of procedural fairness - whether the review panel misconstrued the Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999 (NSW) – error of law made out ADMINISTRATIVE LAW – judicial review – whether review panel applied proper test for review panel – where review panel confined its consideration of evidence on causation – where review panel reversed onus of proof on causation – error of law on the face of the record Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW) Migration Act 1958 (Cth) Motor Accident Injuries Act 2017 (NSW) Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999 (NSW) Personal Injury Commission Rules 2021 (NSW) Workplace Injury Management and Workers Compensation Act 1998 (NSW) Cases Cited: AAI Ltd trading as GIO as agent for the Nominal Defendant v McGiffen (2016) 77 MVR 348; [2016] NSWCA 229 Ackling v QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited (2009) 75 NSWLR 482; [2009] NSWSC 881 Ali v AAI Limited [2016] NSWCA 110 Allianz Australia Insurance Limited v MacKenzie & Ors (2014) 66 MVR 124; [2014] NSWSC 67 Allianz Australia Insurance Ltd v Rutland (2015) 73 MVR 211; [2015] NSWCA 328 BCS v NSW Civil & Administrative Tribunal [2015] NSWSC 126 Briggs v IAG Limited t/a NRMA Insurance (2022) 100 MVR 232; [2022] NSWSC 372 Collector of Customs v Pozzolanic Enterprises Pty Ltd; Collector of Customs v Pressure Tankers Pty Ltd (1993) 43 FCR 280; [1993] FCA 456 Communications, Electrical, Electronic, Energy, Information, Postal, Plumbing and Allied Services Union of Australia v Qantas Airways Limited (2020) 282 FCR 130; [2020] FCAFC 205 Disorganized Developments Pty Ltd v South Australia [2023] HCA 22 Dominice v Allianz Australia Insurance Ltd (2017) 81 MVR 249; [2017] NSWCA 171 Electricity Commission (NSW) v Yates (1991) 30 NSWLR 351 IAG Limited t/as NRMA Insurance v Chahoud (2019) 89 MVR 87; [2019] NSWSC 767 Jarvis v Allianz Australia Insurance Limited (2022) 102 MVR 476; [2022] NSWCA 232 JL v Secretary, Department of Family and Community Services [2015] NSWCA 88 Klein v Minister for Education (2007) 81 ALJR 582; [2007] HCA 2 Mine Subsidence Board v Wambo Coal Pty Ltd (2007) 154 LGERA 60; [2007] NSWCA 137 Minister for Immigration and Citizenship v Li (2013) 249 CLR 332; [2013] HCA 18 Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs v Wu Shan Liang (1996) 185 CLR 259; [1996] HCA 6 Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs v Eshetu (1999) 197 CLR 611; [1999] HCA 21 Motor Accidents Authority of New South Wales v Mills (2010) 78 NSWLR 125; [2010] NSWCA 82 Nufarm Australia Ltd v Dow AgroSciences Australia Ltd (No 2) (2011) 282 ALR 24; [2011] FCA 757 O'Connell v Nixon (2007) 16 VR 440; [2007] VSCA 131 Qantas Airways Ltd v Gubbins (1992) 28 NSWLR 26 Raina v CIC Allianz Insurance Limited (2021) 95 MVR 73; [2021] NSWSC 13 Redbro Investments Pty Ltd v Ceva Logistics (Australia) Pty Ltd (2015) 89 NSWLR 104; [2015] NSWCA 73 Rodger v De Gelder (2015) 71 MVR 514; [2015] NSWCA 211 RTA v McGuinness (2003) Aust Torts Reports 81–688; [2002] NSWCA 210 Seltsam Pty Ltd v Ghaleb (2005) 3 DDCR 1; [2005] NSWCA 208 South Western Sydney Area Health Service v Edmonds (2007) 4 DDCR 421; [2007] NSWCA 16 Wingfoot Australia Partners Pty Ltd v Kocak (2013) 252 CLR 480; [2013] HCA 43 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Insurance Australia Limited trading as NRMA Insurance (plaintiff) Bojan Trkulja (first defendant) The President of the Personal Injury Commission of New South Wales (second defendant) Drew Dixon and Geoffrey Curtin in their capacities as Medical Assessors, Robert Foggo in their capacity as a Member, comprising the Review Panel of the Personal Injury Commission (third defendant) Representation: Counsel: J Gumbert with J Isackson (plaintiff) F Curran (first defendant)