Health Care Corporation Pty Ltd t/as Wollongong Private Hospital v Cleary [2024] NSWCA 57

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Health Care Corporation Pty Ltd t/as Wollongong Private Hospital v Cleary [2024] NSWCA 57 Hearing dates: 16 February 2024 Date of orders: 15 March 2024 Decision date: 15 March 2024 Before: Mitchelmore JA at [1]; Stern JA at [114]; Harrison CJ at CL at [115] Decision: (1) Appeal allowed in part. (2) Set aside order 1 of the orders made by the District Court on 11 August 2023 and in lieu thereof, order judgment for the plaintiff in the sum of $350,187.60. (3) With respect to the costs of the appeal and the costs order made below, the parties are to provide within 14 days of the date of these orders either: (a) short minutes of agreed orders, or (b) any evidence and written submissions of no more than 5 pages, each party having a further 7 days to reply, with costs to be determined on the papers. Catchwords: NEGLIGENCE — personal injury — patient conveyed in hospital bed impacting with a wall — challenges to factual findings — foreseeability of risk NEGLIGENCE — causation — whether impact caused patient's symptoms — conflicting expert evidence on causation NEGLIGENCE — assessment of damages — past economic loss — assessment of earnings of respondent but for negligence NEGLIGENCE — assessment of damages — future economic loss — damages by way of buffer — Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW), s 13 Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW) Workers Compensation Act 1978 (NSW) Cases Cited: Black Head Bowling Club Ltd v Harrower [2023] NSWCA 267 Bondi Beach Foods Pty Ltd v Chadwick [2023] NSWCA 265 Clancy v Plaintiffs A, B, C and D; Bird v Plaintiffs A, B, C and D [2022] NSWCA 119 ET-China.com International Holdings Ltd v Cheung [2021] NSWCA 24 Fox v Percy (2003) 214 CLR 118; [2003] HCA 22 Lee v Lee (2019) 266 CLR 129; [2019] HCA 28 Malec v JC Hutton Pty Ltd (1990) 169 CLR 638; [1990] HCA 20 Miller v Galderisi [2009] NSWCA 353 Penrith City Council v Parks [2004] NSWCA 201 You, Jae Bok v R [2020] NSWCCA 71 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Health Care Corporation Pty Ltd t/as Wollongong Private Hospital (Appellant) Graham Cleary (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: M Windsor SC / S Kettle (Appellant) A Sullivan KC / A Campbell (Respondent)