PANAGIOTOPOULOS v RAJENDRAM [2007] NSWCA 265

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION: PANAGIOTOPOULOS v RAJENDRAM [2007] NSWCA 265

HEARING DATE(S): 26 June 2007

JUDGMENT DATE: 28 September 2007

JUDGMENT OF: Tobias JA at 1; McColl JA at 2; Basten JA at 3

DECISION: Appeal dismissed with costs.

EVIDENCE – expert evidence – differences of opinion accentuated by litigation process – resolution a matter of evaluative judgment

EVIDENCE – whether expert evidence relevant to foreseeability of risk of psychiatric injury – where defendant a medical practitioner CATCHWORDS: TORTS – medical negligence – duty of care of medical practitioner to husband of patient – loss of chance due to delay in diagnosis – psychiatric injury to husband due to pain and suffering of wife arising from late diagnosis

TORTS – medical negligence – reasonable foreseeability of psychiatric injury – admissibility of expert evidence to establish reasonable foreseeability of psychiatric injury – expert evidence of loss of chance – expert evidence of psychiatric injury – where expert psychiatric evidence based on false or misleading information provided by patient – whether error in trial judge's rejection of expert evidence

Cole v South Tweed Heads Rugby League Football Club Ltd (2004) 217 CLR 469 Gifford v Strang Patrick Stevedoring Pty Ltd (2003) 214 CLR 269 John Pfeiffer Pty Ltd v Canny (1981) 148 CLR 218 Modbury Triangle Shopping Centre Pty Ltd v Anzil (2000) 205 CLR 254 Mount Isa Mines Ltd v Pusey (1970) 125 CLR 383 CASES CITED: Naxakis v Western General Hospital (1999) 197 CLR 269 O'Leary v Oolong Aboriginal Corporation Inc [2004] NSWCA 7 Rufo v Hosking (2004) 61 NSWLR 678 Skulander v Willoughby City Council [2007] NSWCA 116 State of New South Wales v Burton</i>] [2006] NSWCA 12; (2006) Aust Torts Rep 81-826; 3 DDCR 398 Tame v New South Wales (2002) 211 CLR 317 Whisprun Pty Ltd v Dixon (2003) 77 ALJR 1598