Gordon Martin Pty Ltd v State Rail Authority of New South Wales & Anor [2009] NSWCA 287

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION: Gordon Martin Pty Ltd v State Rail Authority of New South Wales & Anor [2009] NSWCA 287

HEARING DATE(S): 13 and 14 May 2009

JUDGMENT DATE: 14 September 2009

JUDGMENT OF: Beazley JA at 1; Giles JA at 126; Ipp JA at 127

DECISION: The appeal is dismissed with costs.

CATCHWORDS: TORTS – negligence – contributory negligence – collision between train and truck on level crossing – whether the train driver was negligent in failing to apply the brakes earlier than he did - TORTS – negligence – contributory negligence – collision between train and truck on level crossing – whether the SRA was negligent in constructing the level crossing on a curve – whether the SRA was negligent in not reducing the speed limit of trains – whether the RIC was negligent in not closing the crossing - DAMAGES – quantum of damages awarded – whether the costs of repairing the train were unreasonable – whether the profit component of the costs were extravagant – sole party tender – no evidence of comparable repair rates.

Civil Liability Act 2002, s 5R LEGISLATION CITED: Roads Act 1993, s 87 Transport Administration Act 1988, s 52A

CATEGORY: Principal judgment

Amev-Udc Finance Ltd v Austin [1986] HCA 63; (1986) 162 CLR 170 Browne v Dunn (1893) 6 R 67 (HL) Commissioner for Railways v Dowle [1958] HCA 15; (1958) 99 CLR 353 Commissioner for Railways v Murphy [1967] ALR 706; (1967) 41 ALJR 77 Consolidated Broken Hill Ltd v Edwards [2005] NSWCA 380; (2005) Aust Torts Reports 81-815 Coulton v Holcombe [1986] HCA 33; (1986) 162 CLR 1 Davis v Council of the City of Wagga Wagga [2004] NSWCA 34 CASES CITED: James Hardie Industries NV v Australian Securities and Investments Commission [2009] NSWCA 18 Joslyn v Berryman [2003] HCA 34; (2003) 214 CLR 552 M & EM Hull Pty Ltd v Thompson [2001] NSWCA 359 Roads and Traffic Authority of NSW v Dederer [2007] HCA 42; (2007) 211 CLR 317 Scalise v Bezzina [2003] NSWCA 362 South Australian Railways Commissioner v Thomas [1951] HCA 48; (1951) 84 CLR 84 Vairy v Wyong Shire Council [2005] HCA 62; (2005) 223 CLR 422 Wade v Australian Railway Historical Society (South Australian Division) (t/as Steamranger) (2000) 77 SASR 221 Wyong Shire Council v Shirt [1980] HCA 12; (1980) 146 CLR 40