Alderson v Gause; Alderson (Compensation to Relatives) v Gause; Heafey v Gause; Heafey v Gause; Heafey v Gause; Heafey v Gause [2024] NSWDC 152

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Alderson v Gause; Alderson (Compensation to Relatives) v Gause; Heafey v Gause; Heafey v Gause; Heafey v Gause; Heafey v Gause [2024] NSWDC 152 Hearing dates: 20 March 2023 21 March 2023 24 March 2023 19 July 2023 20 July 2023 21 July 2023 25 October 2023 27 November 2023 28 November 2023 29 November 2023 1 May 2024 Date of orders: 06 May 2024 Decision date: 06 May 2024 Jurisdiction: Civil Before: Montgomery DCJ Decision: (1) Judgment for the Plaintiff, Tamara Alderson, against the Defendant in proceedings no. (2021/00080424) in the sum of $143,063.55. (2) Judgment for the Plaintiff, Narelle Heafey, against the Defendant in proceedings no. (2021/00080450) in the sum of $59,520.64. (3) Judgment for the Plaintiff, John Heafey, against the Defendant in proceedings no. (2021/00174019) in the sum of $52,500.00. (4) Standover proceedings brought by Tamara Alderson no. (2021/00309993) on behalf of herself and Elijah Heafey and Kruz Heafey for the purpose of infant approval determination. (5) Standover proceedings for damages brought by Elijah Heafey no. (2021/00080437) for the purpose of infant approval determination. (6) Standover proceedings for damages brought by Kruz Heafey no. (2021/00080442) for the purpose of infant approval determination. (7) The matter is listed for directions in regard to Orders 4, 5 and 6 on 10 May 2024 at 9:45am, with leave for the parties to appear by AVL. Catchwords: Negligence – personal injury – defence requiring specific pleading – landlord's duty of care for smoke alarms – s 5B CLA breach – onus of proof – inference – s 5D causation – s 50 CLA intoxication – s 5R CLA contributory negligence – pure mental harm damages – s 31 CLA whether suffered recognised psychiatric illness – s 16 CLA assessment of non-economic loss damages. Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW) ss 5B, 5D, 5E, 5R, 16, 31, 32, 50 Compensation to Relatives Act 1897 (NSW) ss 3, 5, 7 Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) s 140 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) r 14.14 Cases Cited: Australian Safeway Stores Pty Ltd v Zaluzna (1987) 162 CLR 479 Betts v Whittingslowe (1945) 71 CLR 637 Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336; [1938] HCA 34 Chappel v Hart (1998) 195 CLR 232 Ciprijanovic v Schindler Lifts Australia Pty Ltd [2013] NSWSC 431 Day v Rogers [2011] NSWCA 124 Effem Foods Pty Ltd t/as Uncle Ben's of Australia v Lake Cumberline Pty Ltd (1999) 161 ALR 599; [1999] HCA 15 Environment Agency (formerly National Rivers Authority) v Empress Car Co (Abertillery) Ltd [1999] 2 AC 22 Jones v Bartlett (2000) 205 CLR 166; [2000] HCA 56 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298 Kuhl v Zurich Financial Services Australia Ltd (2011) 243 CLR 361; [2011] HCA 11 Luxton v Vines (1952) 85 CLR 352; [1952] HCA 19 Nowlan v Marson Transport Pty Ltd (2001) 53 NSWLR 116; [2001] NSWCA 346 Payne t/as Sussex Inlet Pontoons v Liccardy [2023] NSWCA 73 Russell v Edwards (2006) 65 NSWLR 373 Strong v Woolworths Ltd t/as Big W (2012) 246 CLR 182; [2012] HCA 5 Thorby v Goldberg (1964) 112 CLR 597 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Tamara Alderson, Elijah Heafey, Kruz Heafey, Narelle Heafey, John Heafey (Plaintiffs) James Gause (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Mr A Campbell (Plaintiffs) Mr J Turnbull SC and Ms M Hamdan (Defendant)