Petracho v Daniel John Griffiths by his tutor Barbara Griffiths [2007] NSWCA 302

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION: Petracho v Daniel John Griffiths by his tutor Barbara Griffiths [2007] NSWCA 302

HEARING DATE(S): 16 March 2007

JUDGMENT DATE: 26 October 2007

JUDGMENT OF: Beazley JA at 1; McColl JA at 2; Basten JA at 80

DECISION: Appeal dismissed with costs.

CATCHWORDS: TORTS – negligence – contributory negligence – road accidents – Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999 s 138 – whether plaintiff wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident – onus on defendant to prove failure to wear seatbelt – onus not discharged. EVIDENCE – admissibility and relevance – opinion evidence – whether in the absence of expert evidence from the plaintiff the primary judge was obliged to accept defendant's expert opinion – no such obligation – weight to be given to the evidence a matter for the primary judge. APPEAL – facts – whether expert evidence established incontrovertibly that plaintiff not wearing seatbelt.

LEGISLATION CITED: Evidence Act 1995 Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999

Fox v Percy [2003] HCA 22; (2003) 214 CLR 118 Jones v Dunkel [1959] HCA 8; (1959) 101 CLR 298 CASES CITED: Makita (Australia) Pty Ltd v Sprowles [2001] NSWCA 305; (2001) 52 NSWLR 705 Pownall v Conlan Management Pty Ltd (1995) 12 WAR 370 Schellenberg v Tunnel Holdings Pty Ltd [2000] HCA 18; (2000) 200 CLR 121

PARTIES: Loredano Isabella Petracho - Appellant Daniel John Grifiths by his tutor Barbara Griffiths - Respondent

FILE NUMBER(S): CA 40399 of 2006

COUNSEL: BR Toomey QC with PN Khandhar - Appellant AJ Lidden SC with JM Baxter - Respondent

SOLICITORS: McLachlan Chilton - Appellant Brydens Law Office LP - Respondent