Paul v Cooke [2012] NSWSC 840

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Paul v Cooke [2012] NSWSC 840 Hearing dates: 18-22 July 2011 Decision date: 25 July 2012 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Brereton J Decision: Judgment for the defendant Catchwords: TORT - negligence - scope of duty - duty in connection with diagnosis - whether duty to avoid harm occasioned by treatment of the diagnosed injury

TORT - scope of liability - (NSW) Civil Liability Act 2002, s 5D(1)(b) - relevant rule of responsibility - rule of responsibility in connection with diagnosis is to protect patient from illness or injury that can be alleviated by treatment - harm occasioned by materialisation of risks inherent in treatment of diagnosed injury is not harm the kind from which the relevant rule of responsibility is intended to protect the patient - Chappel v Hart considered

TORT - causation - (NSW) Civil Liability Act 2002 - whether the negligent conduct played a part in bringing about the relevant harm - failure to warn cases considered and distinguished - risk that materialised was not the risk that founded the duty, but a risk associated with fulfilment of the duty

TORT - (NSW) Civil Liability Act - inherent risk - does not apply where risk would not have materialised if defendant had used reasonable care and skill Legislation Cited: (NSW) Civil Liability Act 2002, s 5D, s 5E, s 5I (NSW) Civil Liability Amendment (Personal Responsibility) Act 2002 Cases Cited: Adeels Palace Pty Ltd v Moubarak [2009] HCA 48; (2009) 239 CLR 420 Allianz Australia Insurance Ltd v GSF Australia [2005] HCA 26; (2005) 221 CLR 568 Banque Bruxelles Lambert SA v Eagle Star Insurance Co Ltd [1997] AC 191 Bonnington Castings Ltd v Wardlaw [1956] AC 613 Chappel v Hart [1998] HCA 55; (1998) 195 CLR 232 Chester v Afshar [2005] 1 AC 356 Close v Steel Co of Wales Ltd [1962] AC 367 Environment Agency v Empress Car Co (Abertillery) Ltd [1999] 2 AC 22 Fairchild v Glenhaven Funeral Services Ltd [2003] 1 AC 32 Gorris v Scott (1874) LR 9 Ex 125 Henville v Walker [2001] HCA 52; (2001) 206 CLR 459 Hughes v Lord Advocate [1963] AC 837 Liston v Liston (1981) 31 SASR 245 Lormine Pty Ltd v Xuereb [2006] NSWCA 200 Mahony v J Kruschich (Demolitions) Pty Ltd [1985] HCA 37; (1985) 522 CLR 523 March v E and MH Stramare Pty Ltd [1991] HCA 12; (1991) 171 CLR 506 Modbury Triangle Shopping Centre v Anzil [2000] HCA 61; (2000) 205 CLR 269 Mulligan v Coffs Harbour City Council [2005] HCA 63; (2005) 223 CLR 486 Paul v Cooke [2011] NSWSC 959 Reeves v Commissioner of Police [2000] 1 AC 360 Robinson v The Post Office [1974] 1 WLR 1176; [1974] 2 All ER 737 Roe v Minister of Health [1954] 2 QB 66 Rogers v Whitaker [1992] HCA 58; (1992) 175 CLR 479 Ruddock v Taylor [2003] NSWCA 262; (2003) 58 NSWLR 269 Stephens & Dick v Giovenco [2011] NSWCA 53 Strong v Woolworths Ltd [2012] HCA 5 Tabet v Gett [2010] HCA 12; (2010) 240 CLR 537 Travel Compensation Fund v Tambree [2005] HCA 69; (2005) 224 CLR 627 Wallace v Kam [2012] NSWCA 82 Wyong Shire Council v Vairy [2004] NSWCA 247; [2004] Aust Torts Rep ¶ 81-754 Zanner v Zanner [2010] NSWCA 343; (2010) 79 NSWLR 702 Texts Cited: Review of the Law of Negligence: Final Report, 2002, Commonwealth of Australia NSW Legislative Assembly, Parliamentary Debates (Hansard), 23 October 2002 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Christine Paul (Plaintiff) Kenneth Cooke (Defendant) Representation: Mr D E Graham w Ms S Alexandre-Hughes (plaintiff) Mr J Kirk w Ms V Thomas (defendant) Maurice Blackburn Lawyers (plaintiff) Blake Dawson (defendant) File Number(s): 2008/ 289586