Collaroy Services Beach Club Ltd v Haywood [2007] NSWCA 21

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION: Collaroy Services Beach Club Ltd v Haywood [2007] NSWCA 21

HEARING DATE(S): 7 November 2006

JUDGMENT DATE: 23 February 2007

JUDGMENT OF: Ipp JA at 1; McColl JA at 13; Bryson JA at 13

DECISION: Appeal dismissed with costs

CATCHWORDS: Expert Evidence – Admissibility – Whether evidence given by experts was related to their specialised knowledge or merely a means of telling the jury how the accident happened - Damages – jury verdict – whether award was manifestly excessive – whether Court reviewing jury award may have regard to awards in other personal injury cases - (ND)

Civil Liability Act 2002 LEGISLATION CITED: Evidence Act 1995 Supreme Court Rules 1970

Balenzuela v De Gail [1959] HCA 1; (1959) 101 CLR 226 Calin v The Greater Union Organisation Pty Ltd [1991] HCA 23; (1991) 173 CLR 33 Carson v John Fairfax & Sons Ltd and Slee & Anor [1993] HCA 31; (1993) 178 CLR 44 Clark v Ryan [1960] HCA 42; (1960) 103 CLR 486 Conway v The Queen [2002] HCA 2; (2002) 209 CLR 203 Coyne v Citizen Finance Ltd [1991] HCA 10; (1991) 172 CLR 211 Dixon v Whisprun Pty Ltd (formerly known as Northwest Exports Pty Ltd) [2001] NSWCA 344 Gerlach v Clifton Bricks Pty Ltd [2002] HCA 22; (2002) 209 CLR 478 HG v The Queen [1999] HCA 2; (1999) 197 CLR 414 CASES CITED: House v R [1936] HCA 40; (1936) 55 CLR 499 Moran v McMahon (1985) 3 NSWLR 700 O'Brien v Dunsdon (1965) 39 ALJR 78 Palmer v Roads and Traffic Authority [2001] NSWSC 846 Planet Fisheries Pty Ltd v La Rosa [1968] HCA 62; (1968) 119 CLR 118 Precision Plastics Pty Ltd v Demir [1975] HCA 27; (1975) 132 CLR 362 Progress & Properties Ltd v Craft (1976) 135 CLR 651 Richard Martin Tory v Michael Megna [2007] NSWCA 13 Triggell v Pheeney [1951] HCA 23; (1951) 82 CLR 497 Trustees of the Roman Catholic Church v Hogan [2001] NSWCA 381; (2001) 53 NSWLR 343 Weiss v The Queen [2005] HCA 81; (2005) 224 CLR 300