Chandrasekaran v Western Sydney Local Health District (t/as Westmead Hospital) (No 2) [2024] NSWCA 21

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Chandrasekaran v Western Sydney Local Health District (t/as Westmead Hospital) (No 2) [2024] NSWCA 21 Hearing dates: On the papers Date of orders: 12 February 2024 Decision date: 12 February 2024 Before: Gleeson JA; Leeming JA; Adamson JA Decision: (1) Refuse the appellant's application to vary the costs order made in favour of the first respondent on 1 December 2023. (2) Appellant to pay the first respondent's costs of the application to vary the costs order. Catchwords: COSTS — Court of Appeal — party/party costs orders — application to vary costs order in favour of respondent — general rule that costs follow the event — where appeal allowed in part and only nominal damages awarded – where appellant failed on all other grounds of appeal — where costs awarded to respondent to reflect practical outcome of appeal — whether award of nominal damages justify a costs order in favour of appellant Legislation Cited: Health Services Act 1997 (NSW), s 105 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), rr 42.1, 42.15, 51.49 Cases Cited: Alltrans Express Ltd v CVA Holdings Ltd [1984] 1 All ER 685; 1 WLR 395 Carter v Mehmet (No 3) [2022] NSWCA 64 Commonwealth Bank of Australia v Gretton [2008] NSWCA 117 Doppstadt Australia Pty Ltd v Lovick & Son Developments Pty Ltd (No 2) [2014] NSWCA 219 Mid-City Skin Cancer & Laser Centre v Zahedi-Anarak [2006] NSWSC 1149 Nexus Minerals NL v Brutus Constructions Pty Ltd [1997] FCA 926 Rockcote Enterprises Pty Ltd v FS Architects Pty Ltd [2008] NSWCA 39 State of New South Wales v Stevens (2012) 82 NSWLR 106; [2012] NSWCA 415 Category: Costs Parties: Sujatha Chandrasekaran (Appellant) Western Sydney Local Health District (t/as Westmead Hospital) (First respondent) Charterhouse Medical Pty Ltd (Second respondent) Representation: Counsel: S Chandrasekaran (Self-represented) (Appellant) R J Pietriche (First respondent)