Berkeley Challenge Pty Ltd v Howarth [2013] NSWCA 370

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Berkeley Challenge Pty Ltd v Howarth [2013] NSWCA 370 Hearing dates: 19 August 2013 Decision date: 08 November 2013 Before: Basten JA at [1]; Meagher JA at [25]; Tobias AJA at [26]. Decision: 1. Appeal allowed in part. 2. Set aside the judgment of Sidis DCJ of 23 March 2012 in favour of the respondent, as varied by her Honour's Order of 30 March 2012, in the sum of $1,000,762.91. 3. Direct the parties to calculate and lodge with the Court within 7 days the damages to be awarded to the respondent. Those damages are to be calculated in accordance with the reasons of Tobias AJA except that the allowance to be made for vicissitudes in relation to future economic loss is to be 25%. Those damages should also take into account the effect of s 151Z(2) of the Workers Compensation Act 1987. The Court will then enter judgment in favour of the respondent in that amount in lieu of the judgment referred to in Order 2 above. 4. Direct that the judgment referred to in Order 3 above take effect from the date of judgment in the Court below, being 30 March 2012. 5. Direct the parties within 7 days of the publication of these reasons to file and serve any submissions they wish to make with respect to the costs 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 - damages - whether award of damages for non-economic loss excessive - whether award of damages for past and future economic loss excessive - whether plaintiff entitled to damages for future domestic care - apportionment under Workers Compensation Act 1987, s 151Z Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2002, ss 11A, 13 16; Pt 2 Motor Accidents Act 1988, s 79 Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999, s 126 Supreme Court Act 1970, ss 75A, 106, 107 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005, r 51.53 Workers Compensation Act 1987, ss 151H, 151Z Workplace Injury Management and Workers Compensation Act 1998, s 322 Cases Cited: Coghlan v Cumberland [1898] 1 Ch 704 Coles Supermarkets Australia Pty Ltd v Meneghello [2013] NSWCA 264 Dell v Dalton (1991) 23 NSWLR 528 Flint v Lovell [1935] 1 KB 354 Fox v Percy [2003] HCA 22; 214 CLR 1118 Guides Australia Inc v McMartin [2006] NSWCA 20; (2006) Aust Torts Reports 81-828 Izzard v Dunbier Marine Products (NSW) Pty Ltd [2012] NSWCA 132 Kallouf v Middis [2008] NSWCA 61 Mason v Demasi [2012] NSWCA 210 McLaughlin v Daily Telegraph Newspaper Co Ltd (No 2) [1904] HCA 51; 1 CLR 243 Mead v Kerney [2012] NSWCA 215 Moran v McMahon [1985] 3 NSWLR 700 Najdovski v Crnojlovic [2008] NSWCA 175; 50 MVR 430 Nemeth v Westfield Shopping Centre Co Management Pty Ltd [2013] NSWCA 298 Nominal Defendant v Lane [2004] NSWCA 405 Planet Fisheries Pty Ltd v La Rosa [1968] HCA 62; 119 CLR 118 Rabay v Bristow [2005] NSWCA 199 Spencer v Bamber [2012] NSWCA 274 State of New South Wales v Zerafa [2005] NSWCA 187 Talbot-Price v Jacobs [2008] NSWCA 189 Todorovic v Moussa [2001] NSWCA 419; (2001) 53 NSWLR 463 Todorovic v Waller [1981] HCA 72; (1981) 150 CLR 402 Warren v Coombes [1979] HCA 9; 142 CLR 531 Wilson v Peisley (1975) 50 ALJR 207 Texts Cited: American Medical Association, Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment, 5th edition, 2001 H Luntz, Assessment of Damages for Personal Injury and Death (4th ed, 2002) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Berkeley Challenge Pty Ltd (First Appellant) Peel Valley Exporters Pty Limited (Second Appellant) Christopher Howarth (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: Mr G M Watson SC and Ms J Chapman (Appellants) Mr P J Doherty SC and Mr P J O'Connor (Respondent) Solicitors: Yeldham Price O'Brien Lusk (Appellants) R J O'Halloran & Co (Respondent) File Number(s): 2012/106712 Decision under appeal Jurisdiction: 9101 Citation: Christopher Howarth v Spotless Group Limited and Ors [2012] NSWDC 25 Date of Decision: 2012-03-23 00:00:00 Before: Sidis DCJ File Number(s): 2010/336491