Commercial Minerals v Harris Auqal v Harris [1999] NSWCA 94

New South Wales Court of Appeal CITATION : Commercial Minerals v Harris Auqal v Harris [1999] NSWCA 94 FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 40626/96; 40842/98 HEARING DATE(S) : 4 November 1998 JUDGMENT DATE : 13 April 1999

PARTIES : COMMERCIAL MINERALS LIMITED v HARRIS (as Administratrix of the Estate of Denis Paul Hollins) & Anor AUQAL PTY LTD v HARRIS (as Administratrix of the Estate of Denis Paul Hollins) & Anor JUDGMENT OF : Meagher JA at 1; Handley JA at 1; Sheller JA at 1

LOWER COURT JURISDICTION : Dust Diseases Tribunal LOWER COURT FILE NUMBER(S) : DDT 30/91 LOWER COURT JUDICIAL OFFICER : Johns J

B M J Toomey QC/G F Little (Appellant Commercial Minerals) COUNSEL : C R R Hoeben SC (Appellant Auqal) D F Jackson QC/G A Farmer (Respondents) A O Ellison & Co (Appellant) SOLICITORS : Turner Freeman (Respondent 1) P V McCulloch & Buggy (Respondent 2) CATCHWORDS : TORT - personal injury - silicosis - progressive massive fibrosis - consecutive tortfeasors; DAMAGES - assessment of damages - whether finding open that progressive massive fibrosis a separate injury - whether separate awards for silicosis within discretion - whether award for future medical expenses should be allowed - whether additional allowance for future pension payments should be deducted Workers Compensation (Dust Diseases) Act 1942 ACTS CITED : Dust Diseases Tribunal Act 1989 Workers Compensation Legislation Amendment (Dust Diseases and Other Matters) Act 1998 Harris v Commercial Minerals Ltd (1996) 186 CLR 1 James Hardie & Co Pty Ltd v Newton (1997) 42 NSWLR 729, 737, 741 Roe v R A Naylor Ltd (1918) 87 LJKB 958 CA, 963 Butler v Butler (1894) P 25 CA, 29 CASES CITED: Blair v Curran (1939) 62 CLR 464, 532 Katidis v Meggitt (Overseas) Ltd [No 2] (1995) 11 NSWCCR 147 Paris v Stepney Borough Council [1951] AC 367 The Macgregor [1943] AC 197, 201 Wing Lee v Lew [1925] AC 819 DECISION : Appeals allowed