Stephens v Giovenco; Dick v Giovenco [2011] NSWCA 53

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Stephens v Giovenco; Dick v Giovenco [2011] NSWCA 53 Hearing dates: 29, 30 November 2010 Decision date: 15 March 2011 Before: Allsop P at 1; Hodgson JA at 37; Tobias JA at 134 Decision: In matter number 2010/79805 (a) Appeal allowed; (b) Set aside Orders (a), (b), (c) and (d) made by his Honour Judge Levy SC on 4 March 2010 as far as they apply to the appellant and in lieu thereof: (i) verdict and judgment for the appellant against the first respondent; (ii) the appellant's cross-claim against the second respondent be dismissed; (c) The parties are to provide written submissions as to the costs of the trial (including the cross-claim) and the appeal in accordance with directions to be made on the publication of this judgment. In matter number 2010/80871 (a) Appeal allowed; (b) Set aside Orders (a), (b), (c) and (d) made by his Honour Judge Levy SC of 4 March 2010 so far as they apply to the appellant and in lieu thereof: (i) verdict and judgment for the first respondent against the appellant in the sum of $70,000; (ii) the second respondent's cross-claim against the appellant be dismissed. (c) The parties are to provide written submissions as to the costs of the trial (including the cross-claim) and the appeal in accordance with directions to be made on the publication of this judgment. [Note: The Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 provide (Rule 36.11) that unless the Court otherwise orders, a judgment or order is taken to be entered when it is recorded in the Court's computerised court record system. Setting aside and variation of judgments or orders is dealt with by Rules 36.15, 36.16, 36.17 and 36.18. Parties should in particular note the time limit of fourteen days in Rule 36.16.] Catchwords: TORT - Negligence - Duty of care - Causation of injury - Contributory negligence - Plumber decommissions solar hot-water system but does not advise property owner that he did not disconnect electricity - Handyman later asked by owner to attend to leak in roof in vicinity of decommissioned hot-water system - Handyman tells owner that electricity still connected - Six weeks later handyman goes back on to roof to attend to leak, and is electrocuted - Compensation to relatives proceedings brought - Whether plumber owed duty of care to handyman - Whether breach of any such duty caused handyman's death - Whether owner owed duty of care to handyman - Whether breach of any such duty caused handyman's death - Apportionment of liability. Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW), ss 5B, 5D, 5F, 5G, 5H, 5R, 5S Compensation to Relatives Act 1897 s 4 Cases Cited: Andar Transport Pty Ltd v Brambles Ltd [2004] HCA 28; 217 CLR 424 Barisic v Devenport [1978] 2 NSWLR 111 Barnes v Hay (1988) 12 NSWLR 337 Brodie v Singleton Shire Council [2001] HCA 29; (2001) 206 CLR 512 Bus v Sydney County Council [1989] HCA 29; 167 CLR 78 Caltex Refineries (Qld) Pty Ltd v Stavar [2009] NSWCA 258; 75 NSWLR 649 Carr v Mercantile Procedure Co Ltd [1949] 2 KB 601 Chappel v Hart [1998] HCA 55; 195 CLR 232 Council of the City of Liverpool v Turano [2008] NSWCA 270 Drinkwater v Howarth [2006] NSWCA 222 Environment Agency v Empress Car Co (Abertillery) Ltd [1998] UKHL 5; [1999] 2 AC 22 Erwin v Iveco Trunks Australia Ltd [2010] NSWCA 113 Haber v Walker [1963] VR 339 Henville v Walker [2001] HCA 52; 206 CLR 459 Home Office v Dorset Yacht Co [1970] AC 1004 Hunter Area Health Service v Presland [2005] NSWCA 33; 63 NSWLR 22 Jones v Bartlett [2000] HCA 56; (2000) 205 CLR 166 Kuwait Airways Corporation v Iraqui Airways Co (Nos 4 and 5) [2002] 2 AC 883 Lavesu Pty Ltd v Clark [2010] NSWCA 180 March v E & MH Stramare Pty Ltd [1991] HCA 12; 171 CLR 506 M'Kew v Holland & Hannon & Cubbitts [1970] SC (HL) 20 Modbury Triangle Shopping Centre Pty Limited v Anzil [2000] HCA 61; (2000) 205 CLR 254 Mount Isa Mines Ltd v Pusey [1970] HCA 60; 125 CLR 383 Nagle v Rottnest Island Authority [1993] HCA 76; 177 CLR 423 National Coal Board v England [1954] AC 403 Nominal Defendant v Gardikiotis [1996] HCA 53; 186 CLR 49 O'Halloran v RT Thomas & Family Pty Ltd (1998) 45 NSWLR 262 Reeves v Commissioner of Police [2000] 1 AC 360 Roads and Traffic Authority of New South Wales v Dederer [2007] HCA 42; 234 CLR 330 Roads and Traffic Authority of NSW v Refrigerated Railways Pty Ltd [2009] NSWCA 263 Roads and Traffic Authority v Royal [2008] HCA 19; 82 ALJR 870 Roe v Minister of Health [1954] 2 QB 66 Rushton v Turner Brothers Asbestos Co Ltd [1959] 3 All ER 517 Seltsam Pty Ltd v McNeill [2006] NSWCA 158; (2006) 4 DDCR 1 Shaw v Thomas [2010] NSWCA 169 Shirt v Wyong Shire Council [1978] 1 NSWLR 631 Stansbie v Troman [1948] 2 KB 48 Stapley v Gypsum Mines Ltd [1953] AC 663 Stojan (No 9) Pty Ltd v Kenway [2009] NSWCA 364 Sutherland Shire Council v Heyman [1985] HCA 41; (1985) 157 CLR 424 Travel Compensation Fund v Tambree [2005] HCA 69; 224 CLR 627 Waverley Council v Ferreira [2005] NSWCA 418 Williams v Sykes & Harrison Ltd [1955] 1 WLR 1180 Wyong Shire Council v Shirt [1980] HCA 12; 146 CLR 40 Zanner v Zanner [2010] NSWCA 343 Texts Cited: H L A Hart and T Honor Causation in the Law (Oxford, 2nd ed, 1985) Category: Principal judgment Parties: 2010/79805: Paul Thomas STEPHENS t/as CTS PLUMBING (appellant) Fiona GIOVENCO (first respondent) Geoffrey John DICK (second respondent) 2010/80871: Geoffrey John DICK (appellant) Fiona GIOVENCO (first respondent Paul Thomas STEPHENS t/as CTS PLUMBING (second respondent) Representation: Counsel: A HEWITT SC / M KUMAR (Ms) (Stephens) S G CAMPBELL SC / A J STONE (Giovenco) J SEXTON SC / R CHENEY (Dick) Solicitors: Curwoods Lawyers (Stephens) Stacks Goudkamp (Giovenco) Lee & Lyons Lawyers (Dick) File Number(s): 2010/79805; 2010/80871 Publication restriction: None Decision under appeal Citation: Giovenco v Dick [2010] NSWDC 4 Date of Decision: 2010-03-04 00:00:00 Before: LEVY SC DCJ File Number(s): 4826/2007