McLennan v The Nominal Defendant [2010] NSWDC 28

New South Wales District Court

CITATION: McLennan v The Nominal Defendant [2010] NSWDC 28

HEARING DATE(S): 30, 31 March; 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9 April; 15, 22, 25 May and 11 June 2009

JUDGMENT DATE: 8 June 2010

JURISDICTION: Civil

JUDGMENT OF: Levy SC DCJ

1. Verdict and judgment for the plaintiff in the sum of $643,607; DECISION: 2. The defendant is to pay the plaintiff's costs on the ordinary basis unless otherwise ordered; 3. The exhibits may be returned; 4. Liberty to apply on 7 days notice if further orders are required.

CATCHWORDS: TORT – negligence – collision between unidentified motor vehicle and pedestrian in a railway car park – no witnesses – all issues contested by Nominal Defendant - EVIDENCE – credibility of testimony – extensive credit challenges by defendant – consideration of expert medical evidence concerning genuineness of plaintiff's claim - DAMAGES – assessment of damages pursuant to Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999 – considerations for proof of claim for damages for domestic care and assistance pursuant to s 128

Civil Procedure Act 2005 Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999 LEGISLATION CITED: Motor Accidents Act 1988 Motor Vehicles (Third Party Insurance) Act 1942 Workers' Compensation Act 1987 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005

Angel v Hawkesbury City Council [2008] NSWCA 130 Container Terminals Australia Ltd v Huseyin [2008] NSWCA 320 Donoghue v St Luke's Hospital Ltd [1969] 2 NSWR 647 Flounders v Millar [2007] NSWCA 238 Harrison v Nominal Defendant (1975) ALR 680 Luxton v Vines [1952] HCA 19 CASES CITED: Malco Engineering Pty Ltd v Ferreira [1994] NSWCCA 117 Mason v Demasi [2009] NSWCA 227 Nominal Defendant v Smith (1998) 28 MVR 165 Nominal Defendant v Swift [2007] NSWCA 56 Oztan v Nominal Defendant (1995) 23 MVR 259 Sretenovic v Reed [2009] NSWCA 280 Strinic v Singh [2009] NSWCA 15