State Rail Authority of NSW v Schadel [2001] NSWCA 394

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : State Rail Authority of NSW v Schadel [2001] NSWCA 394 FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 40753/00 HEARING DATE(S) : 15 & 16 August 2001 JUDGMENT DATE : 9 November 2001

PARTIES : State Rail Authority - Appellant Michael Raymond Schadel - Respondent JUDGMENT OF : Sheller JA at 1; Beazley JA at 2; Giles JA at 3

LOWER COURT JURISDICTION : District Court LOWER COURT 9442/98 FILE NUMBER(S) : LOWER COURT Herron DCJ JUDICIAL OFFICER :

COUNSEL : M J Neil QC & R B Page - Appellant D F Jackson QC & T J Clarke - Respondent SOLICITORS : Dexter Healey - Appellant Keddies - Respondent CATCHWORDS : NEGLIGENCE - intoxicated passenger on railway platform - apparently leaving platform - train allowed to depart - passenger came in contact with train and was injured - whether breach by railway of duty of care owed to passenger - on facts, no breach. ND Astley v Austrust Ltd (1999) 197 CLR 1; Brooks v London Passenger Transport Board (1947) 1 All ER 506; Calin v Greater Union Organisation Pty Ltd (1991) 173 CLR 3; Cincinnati, N O & T P Rly Co v Marrs 119 Ky 954; 85 SW 188 (1905); The Council of the Shire of Wyong v Shirt (1980) 146 CLR 40; Derek v Cheung [2001] HCA 48 at [13]; Dunn v Dominion Atlantic Railway (1920) 52 DLR 149; CASES CITED: Jones v Atlanta-Charlotte Air Line Railway Co 218 SC 537; 63 SE 2d 476; 26 ALR 2d 297 (1951); Moloney v Commissioner for Railways (1978) 18 ALR 147; Morgan v Sherton Pty Ltd (1999) 46 NSWLR 141; Public Transport Commission of New South Wales v Perry (1977) 137 CLR 107; Romeo v Conservation Commission of the Northern Territory (1998) 192 CLR 431; Rosenberg v Percival (2001) 75 ALJR 734; St Louis-San Francisco Railway Co v Simons 176 F 2d 654 (1949); Warren v Coombes (1979) 142 CLR 531; Watson v George (1953) 89 CLR 409. DECISION : (1) Appeal allowed; (2) Set aside the verdict and judgment for the plaitniff and in lieu thereof verdict and judgemnt for the defendant; (3) Respondent pay the appellant's costs of the appeal and of the trial, and have a certificate under the Suitors Fund Act if qualified.