Muller v Lalic [2000] NSWCA 50

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : Muller v Lalic [2000] NSWCA 50 FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 40552/98 HEARING DATE(S) : 18 and 22 February 2000 JUDGMENT DATE : 22 March 2000

PARTIES : Garth Simon Muller (Appellant) Nikola Lalic (Respondent) JUDGMENT OF : Handley JA at 1; Powell JA at 2; Stein JA at 3

LOWER COURT JURISDICTION : District Court LOWER COURT DC 1690/96 FILE NUMBER(S) : LOWER COURT Patten DCJ JUDICIAL OFFICER :

COUNSEL : J D Hislop QC/ R I Goodridge (Appellant) M Anstee (Respondent) SOLICITORS : Firths The Compensation Lawyers (Appellant) In Person (Respondent) CATCHWORDS : NEGLIGENCE - whether storage of loaded rifle was unsafe - whether storage of loaded rifle was breach of duty of care - inherently dangerous chattel CAUSATION - whether son discharging rifle was novus actus interveniens - Firearms Act 1989 s 12. D LEGISLATION CITED : Firearms Act 1989; s 12 Bendix Mintex Pty Limited v Barnes (1997) 42 NSWLR 307 Burfitt v A and E Kille [1939] 2 QB 743 Chappel v Hart (1998) 195 CLR 232 Curmi v McLennan [1994] 1 VR 513 Dominion Natural Gas Co Ltd v Collins [1909] AC 640 CASES CITED: Donoghue v Stevensen [1932] AC 562 Kavanagh v Akhtar (1998) 45 NSWLR 588 March v E & M H Stramare Pty Limited (1991) 171 CLR 506 Medlin v SGIC (1995) 182 CLR 1 Smith v Leurs (1945) 70 CLR 256 Sullivan v Gordon (1999) Aust Torts Reports 81 - 524 DECISION : 1. Appeal allowed with costs; 2. The respondent, Nikola Lalic, to have a certificate under the Suitors' Fund Act, if otherwise entitled; 3. The verdict in favour of Nikola Lalic set aside; 4. Verdict and judgment entered in favour of Appellant against Respondent Nikola Lalic in the sum of $201,589.07; 5. The order that the plaintiff pay defendant's costs of the trial set aside and order that defendant Nikola Lalic pay plaintiff's costs of the trial be substituted; 6. Orders of Patten DCJ not otherwise to be disturbed.