JAMES HARDIE & COY PTY LIMITED v ROBERTS & ANOR [1999] NSWCA 314

Reported Decision : 47 NSWLR 425 (1999) Aust Torts Reports 81-527

New South Wales Court of Appeal CITATION : JAMES HARDIE & COY PTY LIMITED v ROBERTS & ANOR [1999] NSWCA 314 FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 40594/97 HEARING DATE(S) : 13 July 1999 JUDGMENT DATE : 13 September 1999

James Hardie & Coy Pty Limited - Appellant PARTIES : Gary Roberts as Executor of the Estate of the late Guy Edward Roberts - First Respondent Seltsam Pty Limited - Second Respondent JUDGMENT OF : Spigelman CJ at 1; Meagher JA at 2; Sheller JA at 39; Stein JA at 104; Giles JA at 105

LOWER COURT JURISDICTION : Dust Diseases Tribunal LOWER COURT FILE NUMBER(S) : DDT 15/97 LOWER COURT JUDICIAL OFFICER : Judge Curtis

C G Gee QC/G M Watson - Appellant COUNSEL : D F Jackson QC/F Toscano - First Respondent J D Hislop QC/JJE Fernon - Second Respondent Allen Allen & Hemsley - Appellant SOLICITORS : McLaughlin & Riordan - First Respondent Toomey Pegg & Drevikorsky - Second Respondent CATCHWORDS : NEGLIGENCE - dust diseases - damages - measure of - plaintiff's estate may recover damages for destruction of earning capacity of deceased during remainder of what would have been the plaintiff's working life had he not died; NEGLIGENCE - dust diseases - multiple defendants - no issue as to causation - apportionment of damages Compensation to Relatives Act 1897 ACTS CITED : Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1944 Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1946 Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1965 Arthur Robinson (Grafton) Pty Limited v Carter (1968) 122 CLR 649 Benham v Gambling [1941] AC 157 Commonwealth of Australia v McLean (partly reported in 41 NSWLR at 389 and partly unreported) 31 December 1996 EM Baldwin & Son Pty Ltd; Jsekarb Pty Limited v Plane (1999) AustTortsR 81-499 Fitch v Hyde-Cates [1980] 2 NSWLR 757 Fitch v Hyde-Cates (1982) 150 CLR 482 Gammell v Wilson [1982] AC 27 Harris v Empress Motors Limited [1984] 1 WLR 212 Jackson v Stothard [1973] 1 NSWLR 292 Macquarie Pathology Service Pty Limited v Sullivan (NSWCA unreported, 28 March 1995) CASES CITED: Medlin v State Government Insurance Commission (1995) 182 CLR 1 O'Brien v McKean (1968) 118 CLR 540 Oliver v Ashman [1962] 2 QB 210 Pickett v British Rail Engineering Limited [1980] AC 136 Podrebersek v Australian Iron & Steel Pty Limited (1985) 59 ALJR 492 R v Hunt; Ex parte Sean Investments Pty Limited (1979) 180 CLR 322 Rose v Ford [1937] AC 826 Sharman v Evans (1976) 138 CLR 563 Skelton v Collins (1966) 115 CLR 94 Teubner v Humble (1963) 108 CLR 491 Todorovic v Waller (1981) 150 CLR 402 Wynbergen v Hoyts Corporation Pty Limited (1997) 72 ALJR 65 DECISION : Appeal and cross-appeal dismissed with costs