Nominal Defendant v Rooskov [2012] NSWCA 43

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Nominal Defendant v Rooskov [2012] NSWCA 43 Hearing dates: 6 October 2011 Decision date: 20 March 2012 Before: Campbell JA at [1] Young JA at [148] Garling J at [149] Decision: 1. Appeal dismissed. 2. Appellant to pay the costs of the Respondent of the appeal. [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: TORTS - negligence - contributory negligence - apportionment - collision of unknown motor vehicle with bicycle - gross intoxication of plaintiff and failure to wear helmet - significant injuries to spine - failure to take care only relevant to apportionment where particular failure led to particular harm - onus on defendant to show particular failure - unable to prove nexus of intoxication to loss of control - no error shown in judge's assessment of 5% contribution for lack of helmet

APPEAL AND NEW TRIAL - appeal - general principles - interference with Judge's findings of fact - whether trial judge failed to use or misused forensic advantage - trial judge found plaintiff to be a witness of truth and persuaded by consistency of contemporaneous evidence - insufficient evidence at appeal to establish misuse of forensic advantage - trial judge's findings undisturbed Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2002 Evidence Act 1995 Freedom of Information Act 1989 Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1965 Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999 Cases Cited: Abalos v Australian Postal Commission (1990) 171 CLR 167 Ali v Nationwide News Pty Ltd [2008] NSWCA 183 Anikin v Sierra [2004] HCA 64; (2004) 79 ALJR 452 Beach Petroleum NL v Kennedy (1999) 48 NSWLR 1 Blacktown City Council v Hocking [2008] NSWCA 144 Commercial Union Assurance Company of Australia Ltd v Ferrcom Pty Ltd (1991) 22 NSWLR 389 Devries v Australian National Railways Commission [1993] HCA 78; (1993) 177 CLR 472 Fox v Percy (2003) 214 CLR 118 Halvorsen Boats Pty Ltd v Robinson (1993) 31 NSWLR 1 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298 Jones v Hyde [1989] HCA 20; (1989) 63 ALJR 349 Joslyn v Berryman (2003) 214 CLR 552 Kuhl v Zurich Financial Services Australia Ltd [2011] HCA 11; (2011) 243 CLR 361 Manly Council v Byrne [2004] NSWCA 123 Monie v Commonwealth of Australia [2007] NSWCA 230 Morley v ASIC [2010] NSWCA 331; (2010) 274 ALR 205 Phillis v Daly (1988) 15 NSWLR 65 Podrebersek v Australian Iron & Steel Pty Ltd [1985] HCA 34; (1985) 59 ALJR 492 Podrebersek, Liftronic Pty Ltd v Unver (2001) 179 ALR 321 Seiwa Australia Pty Ltd v Beard [2009] NSWCA 240 State Rail Authority of New South Wales v Earthline Constructions Pty Ltd (in liq) [1999] HCA 3; (1999) 73 ALJR 306 Strong v Woolworths Ltd [2012] HCA 5 Trawl Industries of Australia Pty Limited v Effem Foods Pty Ltd (1992) 27 NSWLR 326 Wynbergen v Hoyts Corporation Pty Ltd [1995] HCA 52; (1997) 72 ALJR 65 Yarrabee Coal Co Pty Ltd v Lujans [2009] NSWCA 85; (2009) 53 MVR 187 Category: Principal judgment Parties: The Nominal Defendant (Appellant) Nigel Andrew Rooskov (Respondent) Representation: Counsel K P Rewell SC (Appellant) G M Watson SC; R Goodridge (Respondent) Solicitors Curwoods Lawyers (Appellant) Firth the Compensation Lawyers (Respondent) File Number(s): 2010/418497 Decision under appeal Jurisdiction: 9101 Date of Decision: 2010-11-25 00:00:00 Before: McLoughlin DCJ File Number(s): 2009/333360