Peterson v South Eastern Sydney Illawarra Area Health Service & Elliott [2010] NSWDC 114

New South Wales District Court

CITATION: Peterson v South Eastern Sydney Illawarra Area Health Service & Elliott [2010] NSWDC 114

HEARING DATE(S): 11, 12, 13, 14, 22 May, 1 July 2009

JUDGMENT DATE: 24 June 2010

JURISDICTION: Civil

JUDGMENT OF: Levy SC DCJ

1. Verdict and judgment for the defendants; DECISION: 2. Plaintiff to pay the defendants' 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: TORTS – professional negligence – medical – orthopaedic out-patient management of complex Type 3 Pilon tibial fracture following initial operative repair – whether unreasonable delay in arranging further orthopaedic surgery for non-union or delayed union of fracture – whether breach of duty of care by hospital – whether breach of duty of care by consultant visiting medical officer – whether defendants proved cigarette smoking by plaintiff constituted contributory negligence – whether legal test for causation of harm satisfied – considerations of Civil Liability Act 2002, s 5O - s 5E - DAMAGES – assessment of multiple heads of damage

Civil Liability Act 2002 LEGISLATION CITED: District Court Act 1973 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005

Adelaide Stevedoring Co Ltd v Forst [1940] HCA 45; (1940) 64 CLR 538 Chappell v Hart [1998] HCA 55; 195 CLR 232 Daw v Toyworld (NSW) Pty Ltd [2001] NSWCA 25 Dobler v Halvorsen [2004] NSWCA 391 Erwin v Iveco Trucks Australia Ltd [2010] NSWCA 113 Evans v Lindsay [2006] NSWCA 354 Gett v Tabet [2009] NSWCA 76 Halvorsen v Dobler [2006] NSWSC 1307 Joslyn v Berryman [2003] HCA 34; (2003) 214 CLR 552 Luxton v Vines [1952] HCA 19; (1952) 85 CLR 352 CASES CITED: Makita (Australia) Pty Ltd v Sprowles [2001] NSWCA 305; (2001) 52 NSWLR 705 Pennington v Norris [1956] HCA 26; (1956) 96 CLR 10 Podrebersek v Australian Iron & Steel Pty Ltd [1985] HCA 34 Purkess v Crittenden [1965] HCA 34; (1965) 114 CLR 164 Roads and Traffic Authority (NSW) v Refrigerated Roadways Pty Ltd [2009] NSWCA 263 Rogers v Whitaker [1992] HCA 58; (1992) 175 CLR 479 Rosenberg v Percival [2001] HCA 18; 205 CLR 434 Sretenovic v Reed [2009] NSWCA 280 Strinic v Singh [2009] NSWCA 15 Tabet v Gett [2010] HCA 12 Vairy v Wyong Shire Council [2005] HCA 62; (2005) 223 CLR 442 Watts v Rake [1960] HCA 58; (1960) 108 CLR 158