BORAL TRANSPORT LTD v WHITEHEAD & ORS [2001] NSWCA 395

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : BORAL TRANSPORT LTD v WHITEHEAD & ORS [2001] NSWCA 395 FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 41060/00 HEARING DATE(S) : 22 October 2001 JUDGMENT DATE : 13 November 2001

Boral Transport Limited - Appellant PARTIES : Terry John Whitehead - First Respondent Muswellbrook Coal Co Limited - Second Respondent AMP General Insurance Limited - Third Respondent JUDGMENT OF : Sheller JA at 1; Stein JA at 69; Heydon JA at 70

LOWER COURT JURISDICTION : District Court LOWER COURT 791/98 FILE NUMBER(S) : LOWER COURT Sidis DCJ JUDICIAL OFFICER :

J E Maconachie QC/H J Halligan - Appellant COUNSEL : J E Sexton SC/R J Cheney - First Respondent I G Harrison SC/R H Weinstein - Second Respondent N/A - Third Respondent Abbott Tout - Appellant SOLICITORS : Bale Boshev & Associates - First Respondent McCabe Terrill - Second Respondent Sparke Helmore - Third Respondent CATCHWORDS : TORT - Negligence - breach - causation - damages - truck driver injured when truck turned over while transporting coal - standard of duty owed by employer. LEGISLATION CITED : Workers Compensation Act 1987 Motor Traffic Act 1909 Bankstown Foundry Pty Limited v Braistina (1986) 160 CLR 301 Betts v Whittingslowe (1945) 71 CLR 637 Electric Power Transmission Pty Limited v Cuiuli (1961) 104 CLR 177 Hamilton v Nu Roof (WA) Pty Ltd (1956) 96 CLR 18 CASES CITED: Liftronic Pty Limited v Unver (2001) 75 ALJR 867 O'Connor v Commissioner for Government Transport (1954) 100 CLR 225 Oxley County Council v MacDonald & Ors (unreported) [1999] NSWCA 126 Podrebersek v Australian Iron & Steel Pty Limited (1985) 59 ALJR 492 Smith v Austin Lifts Ltd [1959] 1 WLR 100 Smith v The Broken Hill Proprietary Company Limited (1957) 97 CLR 337 DECISION : 1. Appellant's appeal dismissed with costs to be assessed on an indemnity basis; 2. Second respondent's cross-appeal dismissed with costs; 3. First respondent's cross-appeal allowed; 4. The verdict, judgment and orders of 14 December 2000 set aside other than the order for costs; 5. In lieu thereof ; (a) verdict and judgment for the plaintiff against the first defendant for $587,511.28; (b) verdict and judgment for the plaintiff against the second defendant for $556,264.99; (c) verdict and judgment for the first defendant on its cross-claim against the second defendant for $389,385.89; (d) verdict and judgment for the second defendant on its cross-claim against the first defendant for $198,125.79; 6. No order as to the costs of the first respondent's cross-appeal.