MERCANTILE MUTUAL INSURANCE (NSW WORKERS COMPENSATION) LTD v MURRAY [2004] NSWCA 151

Reported Decision : (2004) 13 ANZ Insurance Cases 61-612

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : MERCANTILE MUTUAL INSURANCE (NSW WORKERS COMPENSATION) LTD v MURRAY [2004] NSWCA 151 HEARING DATE(S) : 18 December 2003 JUDGMENT DATE : 11 June 2004

JUDGMENT OF : Mason P at 1; Handley JA at 72; Brownie AJA at 73 DECISION : 1. Appeal allowed; 2. Order of the District Court is set aside. Documents produced to the Court to be returned to the appellant; 3. Liberty to apply within six weeks in relation to the costs orders concerning the abortive hearing in the District Court in November 2002; 4. Respondent to pay appellant's costs of the appeal and to have a certificate under the Suitors Fund Act if qualified.

CATCHWORDS : Insurance - legal professional privilege - joint privilege - common interest privilege - fiduciary duties - whether solicitor-client relationship formed between insured and insurer-appointed lawyer - whether privilege could operate between insured and insurer - claims assessor's report - whether privileged and whether privilege belonged to insurer and/or insured. (D) Workers Compensation Act 1987 LEGISLATION CITED : Evidence Act 1995 (NSW), ss118, 119, 122(5), 138 District Court Rules, Pt 28 r18(2)). ACN 007 838 584 Pty Ltd v Zurich Australian Insurance Ltd (1997) 69 SASR 374 Brown v Guardian Royal Exchange Assurance plc [1994] 2 Lloyd's Rep 325 Bulk Materials (Coal Handling) Services Pty Ltd v Coal and Allied Operations Pty Ltd (1988) 13 NSWLR 689 C I & D Industries Pty Ltd v Keeling, NSWSC, unreported, Abadee J, 26 March 1997 Esso Australian Resources Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation of the Commonwealth of Australia (1999) 201 CLR 49 FAI General Insurance Co Ltd v ACN 010 087 573 Pty Ltd [2000] 11 ANZ Ins Cas 61-464 Farrow Mortgage Services Pty Ltd (in liq) v Webb (1996) 39 NSWLR 601 CASES CITED : Garry F S Boyce t/as Hunt and Hunt Lawyers v Goodyear Australia Ltd, NSWCA unreported, 16 September 1996 Groom v Crocker [1939] 1 KB 194 Kennedy v Cynstock Pty Ltd (1993) 3 NTLR 108 Marshall v Adamson [1936] 4 DLR 383 Nicholson & Ors v Icepak Coolstores Ltd [1999] 3 NZLR 475 Re Konigsberg (a bankrupt), ex parte the Trustee v Konigsberg [1989] 3 All ER 289 State Government Insurance Commission (SA) v Paneros (1988) 48 SASR 349. TSB Bank plc v Robert Irving & Burns (a firm) (Colonial Baltica Insurance Ltd, third party) [2000] 2 All ER 826 Verson Cleaning International v Ward (1996) 9 ANZ Ins Cas 61-352 PARTIES : Mercantile Mutual Insurance (NSW Workers Compensation) Ltd (Appellant) Phillip Reginald Murray (Respondent) FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 40111/03 COUNSEL : J D Hislop QC/N A Confos (Appellant) M J Joseph/D Stanton (Respondent) SOLICITORS : Moray & Agnew (Appellant) Gells (Respondent)