Wilkinson v Daley and Anor trading as Colin Daley Quinn & 2 Ors [2004] NSWCA 331

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : Wilkinson v Daley and Anor trading as Colin Daley Quinn & 2 Ors [2004] NSWCA 331 HEARING DATE(S) : 23 July 2004 JUDGMENT DATE : 17 September 2004

JUDGMENT OF : Handley JA at 1; Sheller JA at 38; McColl JA at 39 DECISION : 1. Appeal dismissed with costs.; 2. Cross-appeal allowed in part.; 3. The Judge's order as to the costs of the trial, other than for the adjournments on 3 and 4 September 2002 and the costs of the motion for leave to re-open set aside.; 4. In lieu thereof substitute an order that the defendants pay 40 per cent of the plaintiff's costs of the trial other than the witness expenses for Barry Driver, Gloria Wilkinson and Sonia Zannino.; 5. Cross-appeal otherwise dismissed.; 6. Appellant to pay 75 per cent of the respondents' costs of the appeal and cross-appeal.

CATCHWORDS : DAMAGES - solicitor's negligence - original cause of action statute barred - action by former client against solicitors - proof of damage - no evidence of identity of putative defendants - no evidence that judgments against unidentified defendants would have been satisfied - loss not proved - ND LEGISLATION CITED : Victims Support and Rehabilitation Act 1996 Crump v Sharah [1999] NSWSC 884 House v The King (1936) 55 CLR 499 Murphy v Miller (16 October 1998, NSWCA, unreported) CASES CITED : Nikolaou v Papasavas, Phillips & Co (1989) 166 CLR 394 Perri v Zaitman [1984] VR 314 Redman v Instant Nominees Pty Ltd [1987] WAR 277 Urban Transit Authority v Nweiser (1992) 28 NSWLR 471 Workers' Compensation Board v Riggins (1992) 95 DLR (4th) 279 Samantha Wilkinson (Appellant) PARTIES : Timothy William Daley and Geraldine Anne Daley trading as Colin Daley Quinn (First Respondent) Michael Sommerville (Second Respondent) Ian Ross (Third Respondent) FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 41152/02 COUNSEL : P J Doherty SC/J Anderson (Appellant) D Fagan SC/BMcManus (Respondents) SOLICITORS : Gibson Howlin Lawyers (Appellant) Colin Biggers & Paisley (Respondents)