Insurance Australia Ltd t/as NRMA Insurance v Kirkpinar [2025] NSWSC 162

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Insurance Australia Ltd t/as NRMA Insurance v Kirkpinar [2025] NSWSC 162 Hearing dates: 19 November 2024 Date of orders: 10 March 2025 Decision date: 10 March 2025 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Mitchelmore J Decision: (1) Amend the name of the second defendant by deleting the words "S7.26 of the Motor Accidents Injuries Act 2017" and replacing them with "section 63 of the Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999 (NSW)". (2) Order in the nature of certiorari moving into this Court and quashing the certificate of determination of the second defendant dated 26 April 2024 purportedly issued pursuant to s 63(3) of the Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999 (NSW). (3) Order that the plaintiff's application for review of the certificate of Medical Assessor Home dated 12 April 2023 is remitted to the third defendant for referral to a differently constituted review panel for determination according to law. (4) Order that the first defendant is to pay the plaintiff's costs. Catchwords: Administrative law – judicial review – review panel under the Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999 (NSW) – approach to causation under s 58(1)(d) of the Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999 (NSW) – adequacy of reasons – whether review panel failed to respond to substantial and clearly articulated arguments – whether review panel failed to consider and evaluate evidence before it and intellectually engage with the case before it Legislation Cited: Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999 (NSW), ss 44, 57, 58, 60, 61, 62, 63, 122, 123, 131, 133 Motor Accident Injuries Act 2017 (NSW), s 1.8 Cases Cited: AAI Ltd t/as AAMI v Phillips [2018] NSWSC 1710; 87 MVR 20 Allianz Australia Insurance Ltd v Mackenzie [2014] NSWSC 67; 66 MVR 124 Allianz Australia Insurance Ltd v Salucci [2023] NSWSC 1593; 106 MVR 154 DNM Mining Pty Ltd v Barwick [2004] NSWCA 137 Dranichnikov v Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (2003) 77 ALJR 1088; [2003] HCA 26 Frost v Kourouche (2014) 86 NSWLR 214; [2014] NSWCA 39 Insurance Australia Group Ltd t/as NRMA Insurance v Keen (2021) 399 ALR 765; [2021] NSWCA 287 Jarvis v Allianz Australia Insurance Ltd [2022] NSWCA 232; 102 MVR 476 Jobling v Associated Dairies Ltd [1982] AC 794 K'Mart Australia Ltd v McCann [2004] NSWCA 283 LPDT v Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs (2024) 98 ALJR 610; [2024] HCA 12 Owen v Motor Accidents Authority of NSW [2012] NSWSC 650; 61 MVR 245 Rodger v De Gelder [2015] NSWCA 211; 71 MVR 514 Sadsad v NRMA Insurance Ltd [2014] NSWSC 1216; 67 MVR 601 Slade v Insurance Australia Ltd t/as NRMA [2020] NSWSC 1031; 93 MVR 378 Value Constructions Pty Ltd v Badra [2024] NSWCA 181 Wingfoot Australia Partners Pty Ltd v Kocak (2013) 252 CLR 480; [2013] HCA 43 Texts Cited: American Medical Association, Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment (Fourth Edition), third printing, 1995 State Insurance Regulatory Authority, Motor Accident Permanent Impairment Guidelines (version 1), effective 1 June 2018 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Insurance Australia Ltd t/as NRMA Insurance (Plaintiff) Musa Kirkpinar (First Defendant) Hugh Macken, Michael Couch and Drew Dixon as a review panel constituted under section 63 of the Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999 (NSW) (Second Defendant) President of the Personal Injury Commission of New South Wales (Third Defendant) Representation: Counsel: J Gumbert (Plaintiff) D Hooke SC / DL Del Monte (First Defendant)