JOVIC v LAMONT [2007] NSWCA 47

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION: JOVIC v LAMONT [2007] NSWCA 47

HEARING DATE(S): 30 January 2007

JUDGMENT DATE: 16 March 2007

JUDGMENT OF: Ipp JA at 1; McColl JA at 2; Campbell JA at 3

DECISION: 1. Appeal allowed.; 2. Set aside the judgment in the plaintiff's favour in proceedings No 72 of 2004 in the District Court at Wagga Wagga, and in lieu thereof enter a judgment for the defendant.; 3. Each party to bear its own costs of the appeal.; 4. Plaintiff to pay the defendant's costs of the District Court proceedings.; 5. Grant to the plaintiff a certificate under the Suitors Fund Act 1951 in respect of the appeal.

CATCHWORDS: NEGLIGENCE – essentials of action for negligence – reasonable foreseeability – where nitrous oxide bottle fitted to motorcycle – explosive failure of fitment – whether injury sustained by volunteer inspecting bottle when it exploded was reasonably foreseeable – whether bottle inherently dangerous - APPEALS – appeal from District Court to Court of Appeal – nature of appeal by rehearing – correction of error – whether point not taken below able to be argued on appeal - TRIALS – issues – confining of issues at trial – whether election made to confine issues at trial - EVIDENCE – role of inferences drawn in accordance with Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298 in reaching conclusions on disputed matters of fact – whether all witnesses to a disputed incident need be called

District Court Act 1973 Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999 LEGISLATION CITED: Suitors Fund Act 1951 Supreme Court Act 1970 Supreme Court Procedure Act 1900

Allesch v Maunz (2000) 203 CLR 172 Ashrafi Persian Trading Co Pty Ltd t/as Roslyn Gardens Motor Inn & Anor v Ashrafinia [2001] NSWCA 243; (2002) Aust Torts Reports 81-636 Branir Pty Ltd and others v Owston Nominees (No 2) Pty Ltd and another (2001) 117 FCR 424 Coulton v Holcombe (1986) 162 CLR 1 Dare v Pulham (1982) 148 CLR 658 Fox v Percy (2003) 214 CLR 118 Gould and Birkbeck and Bacon v Mount Oxide Mines Ltd (1916) 22 CLR 490 Hampton Court Ltd v Crooks (1957) 97 CLR 367 CASES CITED: Huddart Parker Limited v Cotter (1942) 66 CLR 624 Hypec v Mead [2004] NSWCA 221 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298 Manly Council v Byrne and Anor [2004] NSWCA 123 Northwestern Utilities Ltd v London Guarantee and Accident Co Ltd [1936] AC 108 Saffron v Societe Miniere Cafrika (1954) 100 CLR 231 Suttor v Gundowda Pty Ltd (1950) 81 CLR 418 Tipper v Williams (No 1) (NSWCA, 12 May 1993, unreported) Williams v Smith (1960) 103 CLR 539