EDWARDS v ALLMEN ENGINEERING PTY LTD and ANOR [1995] NSWCA 138

EDWARDS v ALLMEN ENGINEERING PTY LTD and ANOR SUPREME COURT OF NEW SOUTH WALES COURT OF APPEAL

KIRBY P, SHELLER and POWELL JJA 11 September 1995, 17 October 1995

[1995] NSWCA 138

EVIDENCE — estoppel — issue estoppel — whether available as between same parties from determinations in Compensation Court — held: It is. Egri and Anor v DRG Australia Ltd (1988) 19 NSWLR 600 (CA) appld.

WORKERS' COMPENSATION estoppel — prior determination — whether binding — held: Subject to statutory reconsideration, it is.

WORKERS' COMPENSATION — Partial incapacity — whether proved — held: Not proved.

WORKERS' COMPENSATION — issue estoppel — availability of in Compensation Court — prior determination of issues between the same parties — whether such determination provides issue estoppel to prevent party from relitigating same issues — whether issue estoppel is available in Compensation Court — held: It is. Egri and Anor v DRG Australia Ltd (1988) 19 NSWLR 600 (CA) applied; Lambidis v Commissioner of Police, Court of Appeal (NSW), unreported, 1 September 1995; [1995] NSWJB 94 considered.

EVIDENCE — estoppel — issue estoppel — judgment estoppel — Anshun estoppel — whether available in Compensation Court in respect of earlier determination of relevant issues between same parties — held: Subject to statutory provisions permitting reopening of awards and reconsideration of matters determined by that Court, issue estoppels are available from judicial determinations of the Compensation Court. Egri and Anor v DRG Australia Ltd (1988) 19 NSWLR 600 (CA) applied.

WORKERS' COMPENSATION — incapacity — partial incapacity — claim for weekly compensation — previous medical certificates — previous judicial determinations — absence of clear medical evidence supporting incapacity — absence of contemporaneous complaints of injuries — primary Judge (Burke CCJ) dismisses claims — held: No error shown — awards for respondents confirmed.