Babbage v Dungog Shire Council [2003] NSWSC 536

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Babbage v Dungog Shire Council [2003] NSWSC 536 HEARING DATE(S) : 25-29 November 2002 2-4, 16 & 17 December 2002 JUDGMENT DATE : 20 June 2003 JURISDICTION: Common Law JUDGMENT OF : Burchett AJ at 1 DECISION : That the Plaintiff bring in, on a date to be fixed, short minutes of orders including entry of verdict for the Plaintiff.

CATCHWORDS : Negligence - action against Council as highway authority for non-feasance - sick tree not removed from edge of road on which it was liable to fall in storm - Council in control of road including edge where tree was growing - duty of Council to take steps to remove obvious danger - duty to institute system for detection and removal of such dangers - whether in circumstances plaintiff was contributorily negligent in driving into the tree during a storm - measure of damages in case of very serious injuries - Griffiths v Kerkemeyer claim for extra attention in intensive care LEGISLATION CITED : Supreme Court Act 1970, s94 Supreme Court Rules, Schedule J, Practice Note 92 Baldwin v Lisicic (Unreported, Court of Appeal, 20 April 1993) Bresatz v Przibilla (1962) 108 CLR 541 Brodie v Singleton Shire Council (2001) 206 CLR 512 Graham Barclay Oysters Pty Ltd v Ryan (2002) 77 ALJR 183 Griffiths v Kerkemeyer (1977) 139 CLR 161 Grincelis v House (2000) 201 CLR 321 CASES CITED : Henderson v Campbell [2002] NSWSC 1202 Hill v Commissioner for Main Roads (1989) 68 LGRA 173 Kars v Kars (1996) 187 CLR 354 Nagle v Rottnest Island Authority (1993) 177 CLR 423 Schiller v Council of the Shire of Mulgrave (1972) 129 CLR 116 Sharman v Evans (1977) 138 CLR 563 South Sydney Council v Walsh [2003] NSWCA 102 Van Gervan v Fenton (1992) 175 CLR 327 PARTIES : Erin Jane Scott Babbage Dungog Shire Council FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 20559/01 COUNSEL : Mr JP Gormly SC with Mr AC Scotting for the Plaintiff Mr MT McCulloch with Mr SPW Glascott for the Defendant SOLICITORS : Enrights Solicitors for the Plaintiff Phillips Fox for the Defendant