ROADS AND TRAFFIC AUTHORITY OF NSW v CHANDLER [2008] NSWCA 64

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION: ROADS AND TRAFFIC AUTHORITY OF NSW v CHANDLER [2008] NSWCA 64

HEARING DATE(S): 11 February 2008

JUDGMENT DATE: 11 April 2008

JUDGMENT OF: Mason P at 1; Basten JA at 5; Bell JA at 65

(1) Allow the appeal and set aside the judgment in favour of the plaintiff given in the District Court of New South Wales on 15 December 2006. DECISION: (2) In lieu thereof give judgment for the defendant. (3) Order that the plaintiff pay the defendant's costs of the trial. (4) Order that the respondent pay the appellant's costs of the appeal and have a certificate under the Suitors' Fund Act 1951 (NSW).

CATCHWORDS: APPEAL – appeal by way of rehearing – identification of error on part of primary judge – due weight to conclusions of trial judge – correction of undisclosed error - DAMAGES – future economic loss – most likely future circumstances of plaintiff – Civil Liability Act 2002 s 13 - TORTS – negligence – duty of Roads and Traffic Authority to pedestrian walking on median strip – reasonable road user – relevance of plaintiff's conduct to existence of duty – purpose of median strip - TORTS – negligence – breach of duty – cost of covering duct and similar ducts in New South Wales – likelihood of risk eventuating – seriousness of consequences if risk eventuated – relevance of evidence that risk has not eventuated in past - WORDS & PHRASES – "most likely future circumstances"

LEGISLATION CITED: Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW), s 13 Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW), s 75A

CATEGORY: Principal judgment

Brodie v Singleton Shire Council [2001] HCA 29; 206 CLR 512 Burwood Council v Byrnes [2002] NSWCA 343 Coal & Allied Operations Pty Ltd v Australian Industrial Relations Commission [2000] HCA 47; (2000) 203 CLR 194 Consolidated Broken Hill Ltd v Edwards [2005] NSWCA 380 Edson v Roads & Traffic Authority [2006] NSWCA 68; 65 NSWLR 453 Edwards v Noble (1971) 125 CLR 296 Great Lakes Shire Council v Dederer [2006] NSWCA 101; Aust Torts Rep 81-860 In the Estate of MT Mutton v Howard Haulage Pty Ltd [2007] NSWCA 340 Liftronic Pty Ltd v Unver [2001] HCA 24; 75 ALJR 867 MacArthur Districts Motor Cycle Sportsmen Inc v Ardizzone [2004] NSWCA 145; 41 MVR 235 CASES CITED: Makita (Australia) Pty Ltd v Sprowles [2001] NSWCA 305; 52 NSWLR 705 Malec v JC Hutton Pty Ltd (1990) 169 CLR 638 McCracken v Melbourne Storm Rugby League Football Club Ltd [2007] NSWCA 353 Panagiotopoulos v Rajendram [2007] NSWCA 265 Roads and Traffic Authority of New South Wales v Dederer [2007] HCA 42; 81 ALJR 1773 Romeo v Conservation Commission of the NT [1998] HCA 5; 192 CLR 431 Skulander v Willoughby City Council [2007] NSWCA 116 Sutherland Shire Council v Henshaw [2004] NSWCA 386 Temora Shire Council v Stein [2004] NSWCA 236; 134 LGERA 407 University of Wollongong v Mitchell [2003] NSWCA 94; Aust Torts Rep 81-708 Warren v Coombes (1979) 142 CLR 531