MARINKO v MASRI [1999] NSWCA 364

Reported Decision : (1999) Aust Torts Reports 81-581

New South Wales Court of Appeal CITATION : MARINKO v MASRI [1999] NSWCA 364 FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 40460/98 HEARING DATE(S) : 24 March 1999 JUDGMENT DATE : 5 October 1999

PARTIES : NEVILLE MARINKO & ANOR v ISSAM MASRI JUDGMENT OF : Priestley JA at 1; Handley JA at 4; Sheppard AJA at 60

LOWER COURT JURISDICTION : Supreme Court - Common Law Division LOWER COURT FILE NUMBER(S) : CLD 12383/93 LOWER COURT JUDICIAL OFFICER : Rolfe J

COUNSEL : A J Sullivan QC (appellants) A J Leslie QC (respondent) SOLICITORS : Blake Dawson Waldron (appellants) Paul A Curtis & Co (respondent) CATCHWORDS : DAMAGES - wife suffers permanent brain injury during abortion - nervous shock of husband - wife's "estate" managed by Protective Commissioner under Protected Estates Act 1983 - wife awarded amounts for past gratuitous care and future care and management - husband principal carer - whether husband should claim payment from Protective Commissioner for amount awarded to wife for past voluntary services provided by the husband - whether failure to mitigate - whether "double dipping" in awards for past gratuitous care to wife and past economic loss to husband; DAMAGES - apportionment of past and future economic loss for nervous shock consequent on serious injury to wife - whether should have been made to reflect husband's non compensable grief and depression; DAMAGES - whether carer's benefit under Social Security Act and maintenance payments by Protective Commissioner should have been deducted from award for economic loss Protected Estates Act 1983 ACTS CITED : Compensation to Relatives Act 1897 Mental Health Act 1958 Social Security Act 1991 TCN Channel 9 v Hayden Enterprises Pty Limited (1989) 16 NSWLR 130 Driver v War Services Home Commissioner (1923) 44 ALT 130, 134 Re DJR & The Mental Health Act 1958 [1983] 1 NSWLR 557 CSR Limited v D'Arcy (1995) 40 NSWLR 721 Fazlic v Milingimbi Community Inc (1982) 150 CLR 345, 350 Rogers v Whittaker (1992) 175 CLR 479, 487, 488 The Liverpool [No 2] [1963] P 64, 82-3 Hodges v Frost (1984) 53 ALR 373 Griffiths v Kerkemeyer (1977) 139 CLR 161 O'Brien v Komesaroff (1982) 150 CLR 310, 319 CASES CITED: The National Insurance Co of New Zealand v Espagne (1961) 105 CLR 569 Redding v Lee (1983) 151 CLR 117 Manser v Spry (1994) 181 CLR 428 Harris v Commercial Minerals Ltd (1996) 186 CLR 1 Commonwealth v McLean (1996) 41 NSWLR 389, 408-11 Schneider v Eisovitch [1960] 2 QB 430, 442 Hinz v Berry [1970] 2 QB 40 CA , 42-3, 44-5 Swan v Williams (Demoliton) Pty Ltd (1987) 9 NSWLR 172, 193-4 De Francheschi v Storrier (1998) 90 FLR 95, 101-2 Alcock v Chief Constable of South Yorkshire [1992] 1 AC 310, 413, 416 Pham v Lawson (1997) 68 SASR 124, 152-3 Malec v J C Hutton Pty Ltd (1990) 169 CLR 638 DECISION : Appeal allowed in part - cross-appeal dismissed