Woolage v The State of New South Wales [2001] NSWCA 256

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : Woolage v The State of New South Wales [2001] NSWCA 256 FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 40736/00 HEARING DATE(S) : 30 July 2001 JUDGMENT DATE : 15 August 2001

PARTIES : Robert Henry Woolage The State of New South Wales JUDGMENT OF : Handley JA at 1; Beazley JA at 2; Stein JA at 54

LOWER COURT JURISDICTION : District Court LOWER COURT 91/99 FILE NUMBER(S) : LOWER COURT Goldring DCJ JUDICIAL OFFICER :

COUNSEL : Appellant: L King SC/G Waugh Respondent: D Nock SC/W Auston SOLICITORS : Appellant: Lough & Wells Respondent: Hunt & Hunt CATCHWORDS : Negligence - Employer duty of care - Assessment of damages for workers compensation - Vicissitudes LEGISLATION CITED : Workers Compensation Act 1987 (NSW), ss151(G) and (H) Watts v Rake (1960) 108 CLR 158 Purkess v Crittenden (1965) 114 CLR 164 CASES CITED: Wynn v NSW Insurance Ministerial Corporation (1995) 184 CLR 485 Nestle v McDougall (unreported, New South Wales Court of Appeal, 24 June 1998) Sullivan v Gordon (1999) 47 NSWLR 319 DECISION : Appeal allowed; Respondent to pay the appellant's costs

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF NEW SOUTH WALES COURT OF APPEAL CA 40736/00 HANDLEY JA BEAZLEY JA STEIN JA

Wednesday, 15 August 2001 WOOLAGE v THE STATE OF NEW SOUTH WALES

FACTS The appellant sustained injury in two separate but identical incidents when a desk chair mounted on castors moved away from him as he was about to sit down and he fell on the floor.