BLACKBURN v ALLIANZ AUSTRALIA INSURANCE LTD [2004] NSWCA 385

Reported Decision : 61 NSWLR 632

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : BLACKBURN v ALLIANZ AUSTRALIA INSURANCE LTD [2004] NSWCA 385 HEARING DATE(S) : 15 October 2004 JUDGMENT DATE : 22 November 2004

JUDGMENT OF : Mason P at 1; Sheller JA at 5; Hodgson JA at 51 DECISION : 1 Grant leave to appeal; 2 Appeal allowed; 3 Set aside the order of Judge Goldring; 4 Grant leave to the claimant by her tutor to commence proceedings in respect of this claim within twenty-eight days of the making of this order; 5 The opponent to pay the claimant's costs of the hearing before Judge Goldring and of this application and appeal but in respect of the application and the appeal to have a certificate under the Suitors' Fund Act 1951 if so entitled.

CATCHWORDS : MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT - limitation period applicable to infants - mistake by solicitor led to proceeding being commenced out of time - meaning of a 'full and satisfactory explanation' within s40(2) Motor Vehicle Accidents Act 1988 - Diaz v Truong - whether explanation satisfactory when claimant had no knowledge of time limit LEGISLATION CITED : Limitation Act 1969 Motor Accidents Act 1988 Buller v Black (2003) 56 NSWLR 425 Diaz v Truong (2002) 37 MVR 158 Guest v Southern (unreported, SC (NSW), Studdert J, No 19154 of 1993, 22 September 1995, BC9505406) House v The King (1936) 55 CLR 499 James v Commissioner for Railways (1963) 63 SR (NSW) 373 Laidlaw v Touma [2002] 36 MVR 388 Mancini v Thompson [2002] NSWCA 38 CASES CITED : Manderson v Ellis (2002) 37 MVR 214 Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs v Wu Shan Liang (1996) 185 CLR 259 Moran v McMahon (1985) 3 NSWLR 700 O'Brien v O'Brien (1995) 35 NSWLR 664 Repco Corp Ltd v Scardamaglia (1996) 1 VR 7 Riverstone Meat Co Pty Ltd v Lancashire Shipping Co Ltd (1960) 1 All ER 193 Russo v Aiello (2003) 77 ALJR 1775 Salido v Nominal Defendant (1993) 32 NSWLR 524 PARTIES : Kate Blackburn by her tutor Felicity Blackburn - Appellant Allianz Australia Insurance Ltd - Respondent FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 40121/04 COUNSEL : L King SC/B Ingram - Appellant R R Stitt QC/N J Owens - Respondent SOLICITORS : Turner Freeman, Wollongong - Appellant Sparke Helmore, Newcastle - Respondent