Tzaidas v Child & 3 Ors [2004] NSWCA 252

Reported Decision : 61 NSWLR 18 (2004) 13 ANZ Insurance Cases 61-617

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : Tzaidas v Child & 3 Ors [2004] NSWCA 252 HEARING DATE(S) : 30 April 2004 JUDGMENT DATE : 27 July 2004

JUDGMENT OF : Giles JA at 1; Santow JA at 62; Campbell AJA at 145 DECISION : Leave to appeal granted. Appeal allowed.

CATCHWORDS : NEGLIGENCE - negligence claim in respect of injuries sustained during and after birth at hospital - whether arguable case that the hospital, though a community hospital, was equipped to deal with anticipatable consequences of mother being carrier of haemophilia B - PROCEDURE - Whether denial of leave required under proviso s6(4) of the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act (NSW) ("the Act") to enforce a charge against insurance monies under policy covering negligence should stand - contractual terms of insurance did permit insurer to disclaim liability - effect of s54 of Insurance Contracts Act 1984 (C'th) on contractual right to disclaim - no proceedings extant that s54 did not preclude disclaimer - can FAI General Insurance Co Ltd v Jarvis be distinguished or followed - Consideration of whether Jarvis correctly decided - whether appellate court should be reconstituted as five judge court - Court's discretion to grant leave - leave granted under s6(4) of the Act De facto Relationships Act 1984 s20 LEGISLATION CITED : Insurance Contracts Act 1984 (C'th). s28; s54 Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1946 s6 Supreme Court Act 1970 s101(2)(e) Andjelkovic v AFG Insurance Ltd (1980) 47 FLR 34 Antico v Fielding Australia Pty Ltd (1997) 146 ALR 385 Bailey v New South Wales Medical Defence Union Ltd (1995) 184 CLR 399 Bennett & Wood Ltd v Orange City Council; Board of Fire Commissioners (Third Party) (1967) 67 SR(NSW) 476 Bridges v Bridges (1944) 45 SR 164 Campbell v Mutual Life and Citizens Fire and General Insurance Co (NZ) Ltd (1971) NZLR 240 Dixon v Royal Insurance Australia Ltd (1998) 90 FLR 390 Dwyer v Kaljo (1992) 27 NSWLR 728 East End Real Estate Pty Ltd v C E Heath General Insurance Ltd (1991) 25 NSWLR 400 Evans v Marmont (1997) 42 NSWLR 70 FAI General Insurance Co Ltd v Australian Hospital Care Pty Ltd (2001) 204 CLR 641 FAI General Insurance Co Ltd v Jarvis (1999) 46 NSWLR 1 Fishwives Pty Ltd v FAI General Insurance Co Ltd (2002) ANZ Ins Cas 61-515 Greentree v FAI General Insurance Co Ltd (1998) 44 NSWLR 706 CASES CITED : Hellier v AMP General Insurance Ltd [2002] NSWSC 866 Kinzett v McCourt (1999) 46 NSWLR 32 Lissenden v Yorkville Nominees Pty Ltd (1984) 43 NSWLR 138 McMillan v Mannix (1993) 31 NSWLR 538 Nguyen v Nguyen (1990) 169 CLR 245 Oswald v Bailey (1987) 11 NSWLR 715 Permanent Trustee Australia v FAI General Insurance Co Ltd (1998) 44 NSWLR 186 Queensland v The Commonwealth (1977) 139 CLR 585 R v Johns (1978) 2 NSWLR 259 R v Jurisic (1998) 45 NSWLR 209 R v Henry (1999) 46 NSWLR 346 R v Mai (1992) 26 NSWLR 371 R v McEwan (1979) 2 NSWLR 926 Schipp v Cameron (1995) 8 ANZ Ins Cas 61-256 Travel Compensation Fund v FAI General Insurance Co Ltd (1999) FCA 1214 Wallace v Stanford (1995) 37 NSWLR 1 CA 40657/03 - George TZAIDAS by his tutor Vicki Tzaidas (Claimant/Appellant) Robert Peter CHILD (First Opponent/Respondent) HURSTVILLE COMMUNITY CO-OPERATIVE HOSPITAL PTY LTD (Second Opponent/Respondent) Charles M SCARF (Third Opponent/Respondent) CGU INSURANCE LIMITED (ACN 004 478 371) (Fifth Opponent/Respondent)