Black v Walden [2008] NSWCA 108

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION: Black v Walden [2008] NSWCA 108

HEARING DATE(S): 10/4/08

JUDGMENT DATE: 29 May 2008

JUDGMENT OF: Mason P at 1; McColl JA at 2; Bell JA at 3

DECISION: 1. Allow the appeal and set aside the verdict and judgment in the District Court and in lieu thereof substitute verdict and judgment for the respondent in the sum of $857,714 2. In the event that the parties are unable to agree on the order for costs, written submissions on the form of the order (of not more than 10 pages in length) may be delivered to the Associate to McColl JA by 4.00pm on Friday 14 June 2008. The matter will be dealt with on the papers unless sufficient reason is identified in the written submissions for the proceedings to be listed for further hearing.

CATCHWORDS: DAMAGES – wrongful death – death of spouse – Compensation to Relatives Act 1897 – provision of services to family farming business not trading in profit – the value of the benefit of the transmission of jointly owned assets (apart from the matrimonial home) to the surviving spouse

LEGISLATION CITED: Compensation to Relatives Act 1897 (NSW) Fatal Accidents Act 1846 (UK)

Budget Rent-a-Car Systems Pty Ltd v Van Der Kemp (1984) Aust Torts Rep 90-688 Cape Distribution Ltd v O'Loughlin [2001] EWCA Civ 178 Carroll v Purcell (1961) 107 CLR 73 Daniels v Jones [1961] 1 WLR 1103 De Sales v Ingrilli [2002] HCA 52; 212 CLR 338 Franklin v South Eastern Railway Company (1858) 3 H&N 211 Geaghan v D'Aubert [2002] NSWCA 260; 36 MVR 542 CASES CITED: Griffiths v Kerkemeyer (1977) 139 CLR 161 Gullifer v Pohto [1978] 2 NSWLR 353 Lewis v Dalton (1986) Aust Torts Rep 80-069 Nguyen v Nguyen (1990) 169 CLR 245 Parker v The Commonwealth of Australia (1965) 112 CLR 295 Public Trustee v Zoanetti (1945) 70 CLR 266 Walden v Black [2006] NSWCA 170 Zordan v Metropolitan (Perth) Passenger Transport Trust (1963) 37 ALJR 159