Bloodworth v The South Coast Regional Health Authority t/a Gold Coast Hospital and Anor [2004] NSWSC 234

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Bloodworth v The South Coast Regional Health Authority t/a Gold Coast Hospital and Anor [2004] NSWSC 234 revised - 23/04/2004 HEARING DATE(S) : 3.11.03, 4.11.03, 5.11.03, 6.11.03. 7.11.03, 10.11.03, 11.11.03, 12.11.03, 14.11.03, 17.11.03, 18.11.03, 19.11.03, 20-.11.03, 21.11.03, 24.11.03, 25.11.03, 27.11.03, 28.11.03, 1.12.03, 2.12.03, 9.12.03, 10.12.03, 11.12.03, 12.12.03, 6.04.04, 14.04,04 JUDGMENT DATE : 14 April 2004 JURISDICTION: Common Law - Professional Negligence JUDGMENT OF : Mathews AJ DECISION : I enter verdict and judgment for the plaintiff in the sum of $1,769,391.65. Costs (para 402). I order that execution of the judgment be stayed until judgment is given by the Court of Appeal, or an appeal to that Court be withdrawn, whichever be the earliest, upon the following conditions: first, that payment be made to the plaintiff of $100,000 within 28 days of today, and secondly, that a notice of appeal with appointment be lodged within 28 days of today.

CATCHWORDS : Medical negligence - laparoscopic cholecystecomy - anoxic brain damage - whether surgery negligently performed - adequacy of warnings given before surgery - whether plaintiff suffered psychiatric injury - whether plaintiff had pre-existing disorder - epilepsy LEGISLATION CITED : Whitehouse v Jordan WLR 246 at 263 Ainsworth v Levi (unreported) NSWCA 30 August 1995 CASES CITED : Rogers v Whittaker (1992) 175 CLR @ 479 Rosenberg v Percival (2001) 205 CLR 434 Chappel v Hart (1998) 195 CLR 232 PARTIES : Charles Bloodworth - Plaintiff The South Coast Regional Health Authority t/a Gold Coast Hospital & Anor - Defendants FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 20052/95 COUNSEL : A S Morrison SC and D W Elliott - Plaintiff J L Glissan Q C and J A McDougall - Defendants SOLICITORS : Gerard Malouf & Partners - Plaintiff Tress Cox and Maddox - Defendants