Sanders v Dr Hillier [2013] NSWDC 192

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Sanders v Dr Hillier [2013] NSWDC 192 Hearing dates: 27 - 30 May 2013; 11 June 2013; 25 - 26 July 2013 Decision date: 20 September 2013 Before: Gibson DCJ Decision: (1) Judgment for the defendant. (2) Costs reserved. (3) Liberty to apply in relation to costs. (4) Exhibits retained for 28 days. Catchwords: TORT - medical negligence - plaintiff suffers rare complication following orthopaedic surgery - defendant refers plaintiff to a physician rather than to a surgeon for diagnosis - whether the referral of the plaintiff to a physician and not to a surgeon was negligent - breach of duty of care - s 5O Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW) - causation Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW), ss 5B, 5D, 5E and 5O Cases Cited: Cox v Fellows [2013] NSWCA 206 Joseph Street Pty Ltd v Khay Tek Tan [2010] VSC 586 Lowns v Woods (1996) Aust Torts Reports 81-376 Makita (Aust) Pty Ltd v Sprowles (2001) 52 NSWLR 705 Mobbs v Kain (2009) 54 MVR 179 New South Wales v Fahy (2007) 232 CLR 486 Ramsay v Watson (1961) 108 CLR 642 Ren v Mukerjee [1996] ACTSC 119 Sarian v Elton [2011] NSWCA 123 Strong v Woolworths Ltd t/as Big W (2012) 246 CLR 182 Tabet v Gett (2010) 240 CLR 537 Vairy v Wyong Shire Council (2005) 223 CLR 422 Texts Cited: - Category: Principal judgment Parties: Plaintiff: Patricia Sanders Defendant: Dr Terrence Hillier Representation: Plaintiff: Mr A D Campbell Defendant: Mr G B Evans Plaintiff: Gerard Malouf & Partners Defendant: DibbsBarker File Number(s): 2011/404450 Publication restriction: None