Herbert v Clarendon Homes (NSW) Pty Ltd [2013] NSWSC 1158

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Herbert v Clarendon Homes (NSW) Pty Ltd [2013] NSWSC 1158 Hearing dates: 7 and 8 August 2013 Decision date: 23 August 2013 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Beech-Jones J Decision: Verdict for plaintiff. Parties directed to prepare short minutes. Catchwords: NEGLIGENCE - accident on building site - duty of care - independent contractors - subcontractor - whether principal contractor on building site owed duty of care to independent contractor engaged by subcontractor - scope of duty - breach - employee of principal contractor lifted garage door occasioning injury to plaintiff - whether staff on site should have been notified of presence of plaintiff in garage - whether warning sign should have been erected - whether bolt should have been affixed to door - whether employee was careless in lifting the door - causation - contributory negligence.

DAMAGES - past economic loss - income splitting - future economic loss - whether plaintiff has residual earning capacity - past and future care - out of pocket expenses. Legislation Cited: - Civil Liability Act 2002 - Social Security Act 1991 (Cth) Cases Cited: - Benic v State of New South Wales [2010] NSWSC 1039 - Donoghue v Stevenson [1932] AC 562 - Garzo v Liverpool/Campbelltown Christian School [2012] NSWCA 151 - Husher v Husher [1999] HCA 47; 197 CLR 138 - Leighton Contractors Pty Ltd v Fox [2009] HCA 35; 240 CLR 1 - Malec v J.C. Hutton Pty Ltd [1990] HCA 20; 169 CLR 638 - Novakovic v Stekovic [2012] NSWCA 54 - Pacific Steel Constructions Pty Ltd v Barahona [2009] NSWCA 406 - Pollard v Baulderstone Hornibrook Engineering Pty Ltd [2008] NSWCA 99 - Rabay v Bristow [2005] NSWCA 199 - Roads and Traffic Authority of NSW v Dederer [2007] HCA 42; 234 CLR 330 - Shaw v Thomas [2010] NSWCA 169 - Sibraa v Brown [2012] NSWCA 328 - Stevens v Brodribb Sawmilling Co Pty Ltd [1986] HCA 1; 160 CLR 16 - Sydney Water Corporation v Abramovic [2007] NSWCA 248 - Thompson v Woolworths (Qld) Pty Ltd [2005] HCA 19; 221 CLR 234 - Vairy v Wyong Shire Council [2005] HCA 62; 223 CLR 422 - Visyboard Pty Ltd v Ranieri [1999] NSWCA 331 - Wallace v Kam [2012] NSWCA 82 - Wallace v Kam [2013] HCA 19; 87 ALJR 648 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Ray Herbert (Plaintiff) Clarendon Homes (NSW) Pty Ltd (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: A.J. Lidden SC, M.J. Maxwell (Plaintiff) R.A. Cavanagh SC (Defendant) Solicitors: Brydens Compensation Lawyers (Plaintiff) Lee & Lyons (Defendant) File Number(s): 2011/331103