Nominal Defendant v Bacon [2014] NSWCA 275

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Nominal Defendant v Bacon [2014] NSWCA 275 Hearing dates: 6 June 2014 Decision date: 21 August 2014 Before: McColl JA at [1]; Macfarlan JA at [27]; Ward JA at [43] Decision: Appeal and cross-appeal dismissed with costs. [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 - negligence - proof of negligence - causation - where plaintiff driving behind a truck on "the beaten track" of a country road and defendant driving in opposite direction on far left of road and pulls back towards centre of road colliding with plaintiff's car - whether defendant's actions were a necessary condition of the harm

TORTS - negligence - contributory negligence - whether trial judge erred in finding plaintiff and defendant equally negligent - whether appellate court should intervene in the primary judge's assessment of apportionment of contributory negligence

TORTS - negligence - discussion of operation of s 5D Civil Liability Act where more than one sufficient condition of plaintiff's injury Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW) Civil Liability Amendment (Personal Responsibility) Bill 2002 Motor Accidents Act 1988 (NSW) Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999 (NSW) The Traffic Act 1949 (Qld) Cases Cited: Adeels Palace Pty Ltd v Moubarak [2009] HCA 48; (2009) 239 CLR 420 Allianz Australia Insurance Ltd v GSF Australia Pty Ltd [2005] HCA 26; (2005) 221 CLR 568 Bennett v Minister of Community Welfare [1992] HCA 27; 176 CLR 408 Bonnington Castings Ltd v Wardlaw [1956] AC 613 Boral Bricks Pty Ltd v Cosmidis (No 2) [2014] NSWCA 139 British Fame (Owners) v Macgregor (Owners) [1943] AC 197 Fairchild v Glenhaven Funeral Services Ltd [2003] 1 AC 32 Fitzgerald v Penn [1954] HCA 74; (1954) 91 CLR 268 Flounders v Millar [2007] NSWCA 238; (2007) 49 MVR 53 Ghunaim v Bart [2004] NSWCA 28; (2004) Aust Torts Reports 81-731 Grant v Sun Shipping Co Ltd [1948] AC 549 Leach v The Nominal Defendant (QBE Insurance (Australia) Ltd) [2014] NSWCA 257 Liftronic Pty Ltd v Unver [2001] HCA 24; (2001) 75 ALJR 867 March v E & MH Stramare Pty Ltd [1991] HCA 12; (1991) 171 CLR 506 Mikaera v Newman Transport Pty Ltd [2013] NSWCA 464; (2013) 65 MVR 578 Mobbs v Kain [2009] NSWCA 301 Mousa v Marsh [2001] NSWCA 317 Nominal Defendant v Hawkins [2011] NSWCA 93 Origin Energy LPG Ltd v BestCare Foods Ltd [2012] NSWCA 407 Podrebersek v Australian Iron & Steel Pty Ltd [1985] HCA 34; (1985) 59 ALJR 492 Rolls Royce Industrial Power (Pacific) Ltd v James Hardie & Co Pty Ltd [2002] NSWCA 461; (2001) 53 NSWLR 626 Skewes v Public Curator of Queensland [1956] St R Qd 143 Strong v Woolworths Ltd [2012] HCA 5; 246 CLR 182 Aust Torts Reports 82-101 Wallace v Kam [2013] HCA 19; (2013) 87 ALJR 648 Woolworths Ltd v Strong [2010] NSWCA 282 Zanner v Zanner [2010] NSWCA 343; (2010) 79 NSWLR 702 Texts Cited: Commonwealth of Australia, Treasury, Review of the Law of Negligence Final Report, (September 2002) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Nominal Defendant (First Appellant) Andrew Clift (Second Appellant) George Clift (Third Appellant) Sam Clift (Fourth Appellant) Tarnia Clift (Fifth Appellant) Margaret Clift (Sixth Appellant) Natalie Lee Bacon (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: BW Walker SC with J Anderson (Appellants) RS McIlwaine SC with PJ O'Connor (Respondent) Solicitors: Sparke Helmore (First Appellant) Lyons Barnett Kennedy (Second - Sixth Appellants) Zucker Legal (Respondent) File Number(s): 2013/00303655 Publication restriction: Nil Decision under appeal Date of Decision: 2013-09-13 00:00:00 Before: Toner SC DCJ File Number(s): 2011/00132693