Shaw v Insurance Australia Group Limited t/as NRMA Insurance [2023] NSWSC 1273

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Shaw v Insurance Australia Group Limited t/as NRMA Insurance [2023] NSWSC 1273 Hearing dates: 1 March 2023 Decision date: 27 October 2023 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Rothman J Decision: (1) Judgment for the plaintiff. (2) An order in the nature of certiorari quashing the decision of the delegate of the President on 25 August 2022 in the application for review lodged by the first defendant in relation to the medical assessment of Dr Rosenthal of 17 June 2022. (3) Remit the aforesaid application for review to the second defendant to deal with in accordance with law. (4) The first defendant shall pay the plaintiff's costs of and incidental to these proceedings. (5) The first defendant shall, to the extent otherwise eligible, have a certificate under s 6 of the Suitors' Fund Act 1951 (NSW). Catchwords: ADMINISTRATIVE LAW – certiorari – medical assessment – gatekeeper – reasonably suspect material error – agreement between parties as to compression of disc – according with only evidence – methodology error not, without more, reasonable basis for error in assessment – delegate to President answered wrong question. Legislation Cited: Motor Accident Injuries Act 2017 (NSW), Sch 2, s 2 Motor Accidents Injuries Act 2017 (NSW), ss 4.11, 7.17, 7.20, 7.20(1), 7.20(2), 7.20(3), 7.20(4), 7.22(1), 7.25, 7.26(1), 7.26(2), 7.26(5), 7.26(6) Motor Accident Guidelines Suitors' Fund Act 1951 (NSW), s 6 Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW) Cases Cited: Attorney-General (NSW) v Quin (1990) 170 CLR 1; [1990] HCA 21 Australian Insurance Staffs' Federation Claimant; and Accident Underwriters' Association (1923) 33 CLR 517; [1923] HCA 61 Australian Insurance Staffs' Federation v Atlas Assurance Company Limited (1931) 45 CLR 409; [1931] HCA 35 Coldham; ex parte Brideson (1989) 166 CLR; [1989] HCA 2 Commonwealth v Verwayen (1990) 170 CLR 394; [1990] HCA 39 Craig v South Australia (1995) 184 CLR 163; [1995] HCA 58 De Gelder v Rodger [2014] NSWSC 872 Federated Municipal and Shire Council Employees' Union of Australia v Melbourne Corporation (1919) 26 CLR 508; [1919] HCA 73 Freeman v South Western Sydney Local Health District [2022] NSWSC 1642 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298; [1959] HCA 8 Meeuwissen v Boden (2010) 78 NSWLR 143; (2010) 56 MVR 453; [2010] NSWCA 253 Minister for Aboriginal Affairs v Peko-Wallsend Ltd (1986) 162 CLR 24; [1986] HCA 40 Port of Melbourne Authority v Anshun Pty Ltd (1981) 147 CLR 589; (1981) HCA 45 Rodger v De Gelder (2011) 80 NSWLR 594; [2011] NSWCA 97 Sullivan v Department of Transport (1978) 20 ALR 323; [1978] FCA 323 Wood v Insurance Australia Ltd t/as NRMA Insurance [2022] NSWSC 1290 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Anthony Victor Shaw (Plaintiff) Insurance Australia Group Limited t/as NRMA Insurance (First Defendant) The President of the Personal Injury Commission of New South Wales (Second Defendant) Representation: Counsel: A Canceri (Plaintiff) Submitting Appearance (First Defendant) Submitting Appearance (Second Defendant)