Stoker v Adecco Gemvale Constructions P/L & Anor [2004] NSWCA 449

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : Stoker v Adecco Gemvale Constructions P/L & Anor [2004] NSWCA 449 HEARING DATE(S) : 30 July 2004 JUDGMENT DATE : 6 December 2004

JUDGMENT OF : Mason P at 1; Sheller JA at 2; Santow JA at 3 DECISION : Appeal dismissed. Appellant to pay costs of the appeal of both respondents.

CATCHWORDS : NEGLIGENCE - the appellant claimed damages for back injuries allegedly suffered in two separate incidents with successive employers - extent of duty of employer to provide a safe system of work and equipment - extent of duty of employer to make inquiries as to employee's health - extent of duty of employer which knows or ought to know of particular susceptibility of employee - breach of duty - whether system of work unreasonably exposed appellant to a reasonably foreseeable risk of injury - whether system of work inherently unsafe. - EVIDENCE - burden of proof - proof of negligence - sufficiency of evidence - whether common sense requires a finding of negligence - findings of fact based on credibility of appellant. - PROCEDURE - Appeal and new trial - Adequacy of reasons - extent of duty of trial judge to give reasons - circumstances in which new trial required. LEGISLATION CITED : Workers Compensation Act 1987 s151G-H Abalos v Australian Postal Commission (1990) 171 CLR 167 Bailey (by his next friend Bergin) v Baltoro Holdings Pty Ltd (WASC Full Court, 25 September 1998, unreported) Bankstown Foundry Ltd v Braistina (1986) 160 CLR 301 Beale v Government Insurance Office of New South Wales (1997) 48 NSWLR 430 Blackman v Commonwealth (1978) 20 ACTR 33 Devries v Australian National Railways Commission (1993) 177 CLR 472 Finn v The Roman Catholic Trust Corporation for the Diocese of Townsville [1997] 1 Qd R 29 Fox v Percy (2003) 214 CLR 118 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298 Mifsud v Campbell (1991) 21 NSWLR 725 Neill v NSW Fresh Food and Ice Pty Ltd (1962) 108 CLR 362 CASES CITED : NSW Land & Housing Corporation v Watkins (2002) Aust Torts R 81-641 Paris v Stepney Borough Council [1951] AC 367 Pettit v Dunkley [1971] 1 NSWLR 376 Pitsiavas v John Lysaght (Aust) Pty Ltd [1962] NSWR 1500 Purkess v Crittenden (1965) 114 CLR 164 Shorey v PT Ltd (2003) 77 ALJR 1104 Soulemezis v Dudley (Holdings) Pty Ltd (1987) 10 NSWLR 247 Watts v Rake (1960) 108 CLR 158 Withers v Perry Chain Co Ltd [1961] 1 WLR 1314 Uehlin v Standard Telephones & Cables Pty Ltd (1963) 80 WN (NSW) 1600 Wyong Shire Council v Shirt (1980) 146 CLR 40 Zhang v Andrew Pine Furniture Pty Ltd [2004] NSWCA 250 Paul STOKER (Appellant) PARTIES : ADECCO GEMVALE CONSTRUCTIONS PTY LTD (First Respondent) ALLMEN INDUSTRIES PTY LIMITED (Second Respondent) FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 41175/03 D T KENNEDY, SC/ D E ANDREWS (Appellant) COUNSEL : D P M O'DOWD (First Respondent) D G T NOCK, SC/ W P Y AUSTRON (Second Respondent) Rishworth Dodd & Co (Appellant) SOLICITORS : Gillis, Delaney, Brown (First Respondent) Leigh Virtue & Associates (Second Respondent)