MacPherson v Proprietors of Strata Plan 10857 & Anor [2003] NSWCA 96

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : MacPherson v Proprietors of Strata Plan 10857 & Anor [2003] NSWCA 96 HEARING DATE(S) : 24/04/03 JUDGMENT DATE : 24 April 2003

JUDGMENT OF : Sheller JA; Hodgson JA; Gzell J DECISION : Appeal dismissed with costs

CATCHWORDS : TORTS - Negligence - General Matters - Appellant struck when a steel arm attached to a steel mesh garage door broke free - Door attended to from time to time by second defendant - Whether the principle in Wyong Shire Council v Shirt was applied - Whether insufficient weight was given to earlier occasion when chain detached from the door and struck a motor vehicle - Whether defect in chain rendered it unnecessary to establish foreseeability of a risk of injury from a porous weld on the steel arm - Whether the respondent should have sought a second expert opinion - Whether the respondent should have entered into a maintenance agreement with respect to the garage door. Wyong Shire Council v Shirt (1979-1980) 146 CLR 40 Australian Safeway Stores Pty Ltd v Zaluzna (1986-1987) 162 CLR 479 Papantonakis v Australian Telecommunications Commission (1984-85) 156 CLR 7 Northern Sandblasting Pty Ltd v Harris (1996-97) 188 CLR 313 Jones v Bartlett (2000) 205 CLR 166 CASES CITED : NSW Land & Housing Corporation v Watkins (2002) Aust Torts Reports 81-641 Huges v Lord Advocate [1963] AC 837 Chapman v Hearst (1961) 106 CLR 112 Haynes v G Harwood & Son [1935] 1 KB 146 Commonwealth v McLean (1996) 41 NSWLR 389 Mount Isa Mines Ltd v Pusey (1970) 125 CLR 383 Tame v New South Wales (2002) 191 ALR 449 PARTIES : John William MacPherson - Appellant Proprietors of Strata Plan 10857 - Respondent FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 40474/02 COUNSEL : Mr Andrew Scotting/Mr Charles Carroll - For the Appellant Mr a G Jamieson - For the Respondent SOLICITORS : Stewart Green Mijovich, Solicitors Moray & Agnew, Solicitors