Fuller-Lyons v State of New South Wales (No 3) [2013] NSWSC 1672

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Fuller-Lyons v State of New South Wales (No 3) [2013] NSWSC 1672 Hearing dates: 22, 23, 24, 26 and 29 April, 1 and 2 May 2013 Decision date: 15 November 2013 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Beech-Jones J Decision: (1) The proceedings stand over to 6 December 2013 at 9.30am for directions. (2) There be liberty to apply on one day's notice. Catchwords: NEGLIGENCE - plaintiff injured after being trapped by train door and falling from moving carriage - part of the body of the plaintiff protruding from door when train left station - duty owed - being trapped in door a danger likely to arise from the ordinary use of the train and which might reasonably be expected - risk of harm - breach of duty - failure of customer service attendant to observe plaintiff trapped by door before signalling to guard that train could leave - causation - contributory negligence - standard of care - position of unsupervised child with little experience of train doors or riding on trains - whether cognitive impairment of plaintiff before accident relevant - assessment of damages - eggshell skull rule - relevance of pre-accident developmental delays. Legislation Cited: - Civil Liability Act 2002 - Civil Liability Amendment (Personal Responsibility) Act 2002 - Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999 - Road Transport (General) Act 1999 - Road Transport (General) Act 2005 - Transport Administration Act 1988 Cases Cited: - Action Games Pty Ltd (in liquidation) v Barker [2013] NSWCA 128 - Benic v State of New South Wales [2010] NSWSC 1039 - Bradshaw v McEwans Pty Ltd (1951) 217 ALR 1 - Carey v Lake Macquarie City Council [2007] NSWCA 4 - Condos v Clycut Pty Ltd [2009] NSWCA 200 - Doubleday v Kelly [2005] NSWCA 151 - Garzo v Liverpool/Campbelltown Christian School [2012] NSWCA 151 - Girlock (Sales) Pty Ltd v Hurrell [1982] HCA 15; 149 CLR 155 - Henwood v Municipal Tramways Trust (SA) (1938) 60 CLR 438 - Holloway v McFeeters [1956] HCA 25; 94 CLR 470 - Jackson v Lithgow City Council [2008] NSWCA 312 - Jones v Dunkel [1959] HCA 8; 101 CLR 298 - Kain v Mobbs [2008] NSWSC 383 - Kavanagh v Akhtar (1998) 45 NSWLR 588 - Langborne v State Rail Authority of NSW [2005] NSWSC 47 - Luxton v Vines [1952] HCA 19; 85 CLR 352 - Maloney v Commissioner for Railways (NSW) (1978) 52 ALJR 292 - Manly Council v Byrne [2004] NSWCA 123 - Millicent District Council v Altschwager (1983) 50 ALR 173 - Nader v Urban Transit Authority (NSW) (1985) 2 NSWLR 501 - Najdovski v Crnojlovic [2008] NSWCA 175; 72 NSWLR 728 - Progressive Recycling Pty Ltd v Eversham [2003] NSWCA 268 - Richard Evans & Co Ltd v Astley [1911] AC 674 - Roads and Traffic Authority of NSW v Dederer [2007] HCA 42; 234 CLR 330 - Roads and Traffic Authority of New South Wales v Refrigerated Roadways Pty Ltd [2009] NSWCA 263; 77 NSWLR 360 - Rundle v State Rail Authority of New South Wales [2002] NSWCA 354 - Shaw v Thomas [2010] NSWCA 169 - Smith v Jenkins [1970] HCA 2; 119 CLR 397 - Strong v Woolworths Ltd [2012] HCA 5; 246 CLR 182 - Tame v New South Wales [2002] HCA 35; 211 CLR 317 - 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 - Waverley Council v Ferreira [2005] NSWCA 418 - West v Government Insurance Office of New South Wales [1981] HCA 38; 148 CLR 62 - Wyong Shire Council v Shirt [1980] HCA 12; 146 CLR 40 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Corey Travis Fuller-Lyons (Plaintiff) State of New South Wales (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: C.T. Barry QC, G.J. Davidson (Plaintiff) R.J. Burbidge QC, A.C. Casselden (Defendant) Solicitors: AC Lawyers (Plaintiff) Hicksons (Defendant) File Number(s): 2008/316134