MENZIES WAGGA WESTERN PTY LTD v BRIGGS; BRIGGS v MENZIES WAGGA WESTERN PTY LTD [2003] NSWCA 218

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : MENZIES WAGGA WESTERN PTY LTD v BRIGGS; BRIGGS v MENZIES WAGGA WESTERN PTY LTD [2003] NSWCA 218 revised - 18/08/2003 HEARING DATE(S) : 28 July 2003 JUDGMENT DATE : 28 July 2003

JUDGMENT OF : Sheller JA at 1; Santow JA at 17; Young CJ in Eq at 18 DECISION : 1 On the defendant's application leave is granted to the defendant to appeal; 2 Order that the appeal be upheld and the verdict for the plaintiff set aside together with the order that the defendant pay the plaintiff's costs. In lieu thereof substitute; Verdict for the defendant; Plaintiff to pay the defendant's costs; 3 The plaintiff to pay the defendant's costs of the plaintiff's unsuccessful application and also the costs of the defendant's application.

CATCHWORDS : Practice and Procedure - Appeals - Damages - Non-economic loss - Statutory Threshold - s 151G(2) Workers Compensation Act 1987 - Reasons for Decision. - Negligence - No recoverable damages due to statutory threshold - Verdict for defendant - Liability found - Costs - Whether costs should be awarded to plaintiff because liability found even though statutory threshold of damages not reached. LEGISLATION CITED : Workers Compensation Act 1987 CASES CITED : Milne v Attorney General for Tasmania (1956) 95 CLR 460 PARTIES : Menzies Wagga Western Pty Ltd - Claimant/Opponent Lois Theresa Briggs - Opponent/Claimant FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 40818/02; 40864/02 COUNSEL : W P Kearns SC/J Fernan - Plaintiff CRR Hoeben SC - Defendant SOLICITORS : Steve Masselos & Co - Plaintiff P W Turk & Associates -Defendant

LOWER COURT District Court JURISDICTION : LOWER COURT 242/01 FILE NUMBER(S) : LOWER COURT Goldring DCJ JUDICIAL OFFICER :