Gomez v Woolworths Group Limited [2024] NSWCA 121

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Gomez v Woolworths Group Limited [2024] NSWCA 121 Hearing dates: 21 March 2024 Date of orders: 21 May 2024 Decision date: 21 May 2024 Before: Bell CJ at [1] Gleeson JA at [2] Adamson JA at [97] Decision: (1) Appeal dismissed. (2) Appellant to pay the respondent's costs. Catchwords: NEGLIGENCE — Breach — Slip and fall injury in supermarket — Whether systems of periodic inspection and cleaning adequate — Whether employees failed to implement systems — Whether reasonable precautions required additional system of hourly inspection and cleaning of front of store area — Whether breaches of duty additional to those found by trial judge NEGLIGENCE — Causation — Whether plaintiff proved factual causation under Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW) — Whether injury would have occurred if there had been no negligent act or omission TORTS — Whether liability of occupier for breach of duty of care owed to invitee analogous to employer's vicarious liability for employee's tortious conduct or other wrongful act of employee in the course or scope of employment APPEALS — From findings of fact — Inferences to be drawn from CCTV footage — Whether appeal court in same position as trial judge to draw inferences from CCTV footage Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW), ss 5B, 5D, 5E Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), r 42.1 Cases Cited: Adeels Palace Pty Ltd v Moubarak (2009) 239 CLR 420; [2009] HCA 48 Argo Managing Agency Ltd v Al Kammessy [2018] NSWCA 176 Australian Safeway Stores Pty Ltd v Zaluzna (1987) 162 CLR 479; [1987] HCA 7 Badenach v Calvert (2016) 257 CLR 440; [2016] HCA 18 Brady v Girvan Bros Pty Ltd t/as Minto Mall (1986) 7 NSWLR 241 Buljat v Coles Supermarkets Australia Pty Ltd [2022] ACTCA 71 CCIG Investments Pty Ltd v Schokman [2023] HCA 21; (2023) 410 ALR 479 Chappel v Hart (1998) 195 CLR 232; [1998] HCA 55 Goode v Angland (2017) 96 NSWLR 503; [2017] NSWCA 311 Henville v Walker (2001) 206 CLR 459; [2001] HCA 52 Jackson v McDonald's Australia Ltd [2014] NSWCA 162 Mannall v Howard (No 2) [2019] ACTSC 113; (2019) 89 MVR 50 QBE Insurance Australia Limited v Orcher [2013] NSWCA 478 State of New South Wales v Lepore (2003) 212 CLR 511; [2003] HCA 4 Strong v Woolworths Limited (2012) 246 CLR 182; [2012] HCA 5 Wallace v Kam (2013) 250 CLR 375; [2013] HCA 19 Warren v Coombes (1979) 142 CLR 531; [1979] HCA 9 Williams v Fraser [2022] NSWCA 200 Woolworths Ltd v McQuillan [2017] NSWCA 202 Texts Cited: Fleming's The Law of Torts (11th ed, 2024, Thomson Reuters) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Martha Cecil Chacon Gomez (Appellant) Woolworths Group Limited (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: D Hooke SC / J Tryon (Appellant) J E Sexton SC / B R Wilson (Respondent)