Ryan v Pledge [2001] NSWSC 259

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Ryan v Pledge [2001] NSWSC 259 CURRENT JURISDICTION: Common Law Division FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 20099/95 HEARING DATE(S) : 29 January - 13 February 2001 JUDGMENT DATE : 10 April 2001

Nadia Catherine Ryan by her tutor Heather Ryan (Plaintiff) PARTIES : Jack Pledge (First Defendant) Blue Mountains City Council (Second Defendant) Roads and Traffic Authority (Third Defendant) JUDGMENT OF : Dunford J

A Morrison SC / S Torrington / J Walsh (Plaintiff) COUNSEL : PR Garling SC / JM Morris (First Defendant) M Windsor / G Gemmell (Second Defendant) D Davies SC / S Woods (Third Defendant) Stacks - The Law Firm (Plaintiff) SOLICITORS : Abbott Tout (First Defendant) Phillips Fox (Second Defendant) IV Knight, Crown Solicitor (Third Defendant) CATCHWORDS : NEGLIGENCE - pedestrian struck by motor vehicle - liability of driver - liability of highway authorities - misfeasance/non-feasance rule - contributory negligence of 9 year old pedestrian - CONTRIBUTION BETWEEN TORTFEASORS - damages against one tortfeasor capped by Motor Accidents Act 1988 - damages against other defendants uncapped - how contributions apportioned. Motor Accidents Act 1988 Damages (Infants and Persons of Unsound Mind) Act 1929 Roads Act 1993 LEGISLATION CITED : Workers Compensation Act 1987 Railways Acts 1914 to 1955 (Q) Law Reform (Tortfeasors Contribution, Contributory Negligence and Division of Chattels) Act 1952 (Q) Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1946 Buckle v Bayswater Road Board (1936) 57 CLR 259, Gorringe v Transport Commission (Tas.) (1950) 80 CLR 357, Webb v State of South Australia (1982) 56 ALJR 912, Hughes v Hunters Hill Municipal Council (1992) 29 NSWLR 232, Lake Macquarie City Council v Bottomley [1999] NSWCA 28, Donaldson v Municipal Council of Sydney (1924) 24 SR 408, Turner v Ku-ring-gai Municipal Council (1990) 12 MVR 321, 72 LGRA 60, Gloucester Shire Council v McLenaghan [2000] NSWCA 208, Perre v Apand Pty Ltd (1999) 198 CLR 180, Crimmins v Stevedoring Industry Finance Committee (1999) 200 CLR 1, Sutherland Shire Council v Heyman (1985) 157 CLR 424, CASES CITED : Pyrenees Shire Council v Day (1998) 192 CLR 330, Romeo v Conservation Commission of the Northern Territory (1998) 192 CLR 431, Stovin v Wise [1996] AC 923, McHale v Watson (1964) 111 CLR 384, Figueroa v NSW Insurance Ministerial Corporation (unreported - Simpson J - 18 March 1998), Roads and Traffic Authority v Scroop (1998) 28 MVR 233, Rouse v Shepherd (1994) 35 NSWLR 250, Bitupave Ltd v Bollington (1998) 28 MVR 223, Lanza v Codemo [2001] NSWSC 72, Unsworth v Commissioner of Railways (1958) 101 CLR 73, Commonwealth of Australia v Flaviano (1996) 40 NSWLR 199, O'Sullivan v Thai Airways International Ltd (1998) 28 MVR 469. DECISION : Judgment for plaintiff against each defendant. Proposed orders for contribution indicated.