Molnar .v. Stack & Others [2002] NSWSC 554

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Molnar .v. Stack & Others [2002] NSWSC 554 FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 20939/97 HEARING DATE(S) : 5 February 2002, 6 February 2002, 7 February 2002, 11 February 2002, 12 February 2002 & 22 March 2002 JUDGMENT DATE : 25 June 2002

Julie Anne MOLNAR - Plaintiff David Maurice STACK - First Defendant Raymond Thomas STACK - Second Defendant PARTIES : Timothy John STACK - Third Defendant Thomas GOUDKAMP - Fourth Defendant Julie MAHONY - Fifth Defendant John BESTON - Sixth Defendant JUDGMENT OF : Barr J at 1

Mr F.V. Fletcher for the Plaintiff COUNSEL : Mr W.G. Muddle for the First to Fifth Defendants Mr J.E. Sexton QC with Mr J.B. Turnbull for the Sixth Defendant Taylor & Scott for the Plaintiff SOLICITORS : Yeldham & Associates for the First to Fifth Defendants PricewaterhouseCoopers Legal for the Sixth Defendant CATCHWORDS : Legal practitioner - failure to inform injured client of time limit for commencement of common law proceedings without leave - whether breach of duty - whether plaintiff's loss causally related - Legal practitioner - commencement of common law proceedings after expiry of statutory time limit and without leave, extinguishing rights under Workers' Compensation Act - whether breach of duty - Legal practitioner - delay in commencing application for leave to commence common law proceedings - whether breach of duty - Legal practitioner - failure to explain delay in filing application for leave to commence common law proceedings - whether breach of duty - Legal practitioner - manner of preparation of application for leave to commence common law proceedings - whether breach of duty LEGISLATION CITED : ss 66, 67, 151D Workers' Compensation Act 1987 DECISION : See Judgment at Paragraph 93