Allianz Australia Insurance Limited v Susak [2024] NSWSC 1359

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Allianz Australia Insurance Limited v Susak [2024] NSWSC 1359 Hearing dates: 18 October 2024 Date of orders: 29 October 2024 Decision date: 29 October 2024 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Griffiths AJA Decision: (1) The summons filed on 30 April 2024 is dismissed. (2) The plaintiff is to pay the first defendant's costs. Catchwords: ADMINISTRATIVE LAW — judicial review — summons seeking judicial review for error of law on the face of the record or a constructive failure to exercise jurisdiction — whether a review panel of the Personal Injury Commission constituted under the Motor Accident Injuries Act 2017 (NSW) fell into jurisdictional error, failed to exercise its statutory powers or failed to give adequate reasons TRAFFIC LAW AND TRANSPORT — traffic law — Motor Accident Injuries Act 2017 (NSW) — meaning of "threshold injury" under s 1.6 — whether claimant's radiculopathy caused by motor accident — where Medical Assessor found radiculopathy present after motor vehicle accident Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW), ss 5D, 5E Motor Accident Guidelines (version 9.2), Pts 5, 6 Motor Accident Injuries Act 2017 (NSW), s 1.6; Pt 7, Div 7.5; Sch 2, cl 2(e) Motor Accident Injuries Regulation 2017 (NSW), reg 4(1) Cases Cited: AAI Limited v Fitzpatrick [2015] NSWSC 1108 Abdel Naser Qushair v Naji Raffoul [2009] NSWCA 329 Allianz Australia Insurance Limited v The Estate of the Late Summer Abawi [2024] NSWSC 1245 Allianz Australia Insurance Ltd v Salucci [2023] NSWSC 1593 Australian Broadcasting Tribunal v Bond (1990) 170 CLR 321; [1990] HCA 33 Berejiklian v Independent Commission Against Corruption [2024] NSWCA 177 Briggs v IAG Limited t/a NRMA Insurance [2022] NSWSC 372 Communications, Electrical, Electronic, Energy, Information, Postal, Plumbing and Allied Services Union v Abigroup Contractors Pty Ltd [2013] FCAFC 148 David v Allianz Australia Insurance Ltd [2021] NSWPICMP 227 Dranichnikov v Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs [2003] HCA 26; (2003) 77 ALJR 1088 Frost v Kourouche (2014) 86 NSWLR 214; [2014] NSWCA 39 Insurance Australia Group Ltd t/as NRMA Insurance v Keen [2021] NSWCA 287; (2021) 399 ALR 765 Jarvis v Allianz Australia Insurance Limited [2022] NSWCA 232 Lederer v Insurance Australia Limited trading as NRMA Insurance [2022] NSWSC 322 Mandoukos v Allianz Australia Insurance Limited [2024] NSWCA 71 Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs v Wu Shan Liang (1996) 185 CLR 259; [1996] HCA 6 New South Wales Land and Housing Corporation v Orr (2019) 100 NSWLR 578; [2019] NSWCA 231 Re Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs; Ex parte Miah (2001) 206 CLR 57; [2001] HCA 22 Rodger v De Gelder [2015] NSWCA 211 Slade v Insurance Australia Ltd t/as NRMA [2020] NSWSC 1031 Western NSW Local Health District v Roberts [2023] NSWSC 452 Wingfoot Australia Partners Pty Ltd v Kocak (2013) 252 CLR 480; [2013] HCA 43 Zahed v IAG Limited t/as NRMA Insurance [2016] NSWCA 55 Texts Cited: American Medical Association's Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment (4th ed, 1995) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Allianz Australia Insurance Limited (Plaintiff) Zoran Susak (First Defendant) Cameron Thompson, Ian Cameron and Mohammed Assem as a Review Panel constituted under s7.26 of the Motor Accident Injuries Act 2017 (Second Defendant) (Submitting appearance) President of the Personal Injury Commission of New South Wales (Third Defendant) (Submitting appearance) Representation: Counsel: J Gumbert (Plaintiff) M Robinson SC / J Isackson (First Defendant)