Chopra v NSW Health Service - South Western Sydney Local Health District [2024] NSWDC 76

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Chopra v NSW Health Service - South Western Sydney Local Health District [2024] NSWDC 76 Hearing dates: 4-6 March 2024 Date of orders: 22 March 2024 Decision date: 22 March 2024 Jurisdiction: Civil Before: Gibson DCJ Decision: (1) Judgment for the plaintiff. (2) Liberty to the parties to bring in Short Minutes of Order reflecting the mathematically agreed sum for the damages awarded. (3) Defendant pay plaintiff's costs. (4) Liberty to apply concerning orders 1 and 2 and any application under s 151M of the Act. (5) Exhibits retained until further order. Catchwords: TORT – workplace injury – system of work – "special" nurse allocated to dementia patient and other staff leave Emergency Department ward nurse by herself while the patient is agitated – nurse assaulted by dementia patient - breach of duty of care - damages Legislation Cited: Evidence Act 1995 (NSW), ss 69, 135 Mental Health Act 2007 (NSW), ss 19, 27(1)(b) Workers Compensation Act 1987 (NSW), ss 151E(1), 151F, 151M Workplace Injury Management and Workers Compensation Act 1998 (NSW), ss 318, 318I Cases Cited: Al Ammash v Australian Wide Transport and Logistics Pty Ltd [2018] NSWDC 505 Angel v Hawkesbury City Council [2008] NSWCA 130 Australian Winch and Haulage Company Pty Ltd v Collins [2013] NSWCA 327 Benecke v National Australia Bank (1993) 35 NSWLR 110 Chopra v State of NSW (South Western Sydney Local Health District) [2023] NSWCA 142 Czatyrko v Edith Cowan University [2005] HCA 14; (2005) 214 ALR 349 du Maurier v du Maurier [2021] NSWSC 83 Fox v Wood (1981) 148 CLR 438; [1981] HCA 41 Goodrich Aerospace Pty Ltd v Arsic (2006) 66 NSWLR 186; [2006] NSWCA 187 Hamilton v State of New South Wales [2013] NSWSC 1437 Jafari v Khoury and McDonalds Australia Ltd [2019] NSWDC 394 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298 Kubovic v HMS Management Pty Ltd [2015] NSWCA 315 Maaz v Fullerton Property Pty Ltd [2021] NSWCA 79 Malec v JC Hutton Pty Ltd (1990) 169 CLR 638; [1990] HCA 20 March v E & M H Stramare Pty Ltd (1991) 171 CLR 506 Milios v Austress Freyssinet Pty Ltd [2016] NSWDC 348 Skinner v The State of New South Wales [2021] NSWDC 36 Strasburger Enterprises Pty Ltd trading as Quix Foodstores v Serna [2008] NSWCA 354 White v Logen Pty Ltd as Trustee for the Byrn Family Trust [2014] NSWCA 159 Wilkinson v Perisher Blue Pty Ltd [2012] NSWCA 250 Texts Cited: Nil Category: Principal judgment Parties: Livleen Chopra (Plaintiff) NSW Health Service - South Western Sydney Local Health District (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Mr M Cranitch SC with Mr N Ghabar (Plaintiff) Mr M Best (Defendant)