Buggy v The Nominal Defendant [2014] NSWDC 224

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Buggy v The Nominal Defendant [2014] NSWDC 224 Hearing dates: 3, 4 and 5 November 2014 Decision date: 28 November 2014 Jurisdiction: Civil Before: Gibson DCJ Decision: (1) Judgment for the defendant. (2) Plaintiff pay defendant's costs. (3) Liberty to apply in relation to costs. Catchwords: TORT - personal injury - plaintiff brings proceedings against Nominal Defendant for injuries incurred while avoiding a collision with an unknown vehicle - plaintiff illegally riding trail bike on the roadway at the time of the alleged accident - plaintiff describes an accident involving her trail bike and her boyfriend's trail bike, in different circumstances to those described to medico-legal experts, to hospitals and medical practitioners following the accident - plaintiff's evidence as to when she informed police of the accident challenged - reconciling different versions by a plaintiff of an accident - reliability of statements made to health professionals when the plaintiff was seriously injured - role of corroborative evidence - role of credit findings - discharging the burden of proof in proceedings against the Nominal Defendant - whether the defendant could raise due inquiry and search at the trial despite failing to object formally within the time frame set out in 34 and 34A Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999 (NSW) - contributory negligence - damages Legislation Cited: Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999 (NSW), ss 34 and 34A Cases Cited: Askarou v Nominal Defendant (NSW) (1989) 8 MVR 491 Azar v Kathirgamalingan [2012] NSWCA 429 Blandford v Fox 45 SR (NSW) 241 Cavanagh v Nominal Defendant (1958) 100 CLR 375 Container Terminals Australia v Huseyin [2008] NSWCA 320 Davis v Council of the City of Wagga Wagga [2004] NSWCA 34 Dimovski v GIO (NSW) (1995) 21 MVR 288 Freeman v Griffiths (1976) 13 SASR 494 Guest v The Nominal Defendant [2006] NSWCA 77 Harrison v Nominal Defendant (1975) 7 ALR 680 Hecron v Cousens [1990] NSWCA 93 Hill v Richards [2011] NSWCA 291 Hofer v Miller (1957) SASR 41 Kappadoukas v Fransepp Pty Ltd [2006] NSWCA 366 Lec v Matthews (1926) 25 Ll L Rep 525 Malco Engineering Pty Ltd v Ferreira (1994) 10 NSWCCR 117 Mason v Demasi [2009] NSWCA 227 Mastronardi v State of New South Wales [2009] NSWCA 270 McLennan v Nominal Defendant [2010] NSWDC 28 McLennan v Nominal Defendant [2014] NSWCA 332 Nesterczuk v Mortimer (1965) 115 CLR 140 Nominal Defendant v McLennan [2012] NSWCA 148 Parker v Nominal Defendant [2013] NSWDC 15 Rehn v Nominal Defendant (Supreme Court of New South Wales, 9 April 1990) Sangha v Baxter [2009] NSWCA 78 Shekhani v Ardino [2009] NSWCA 361 Thornton v Telegraph Media Group Ltd [2011] EWHC 1884 (QB) Texts Cited: Lord Bingham, "The Judge as Juror: The Judicial Determination of Factual Issues" ("The Business of Judging", Oxford 2000, pp 3ff; Current Legal Problems, Vol 38 Stevens & Sons Ltd 1985 page 1-27) The Honourable Justice Ipp "Problems with Fact-finding" (Supreme Court of New South Wales, 2 September 2006) The Honourable Justice McClellan, "Who is telling the truth? Psychology, common sense and the law" (2006) 80 Australian Law Journal 655 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Plaintiff: Lauren Buggy Defendant: The Nominal Defendant Representation: Plaintiff: Mr R E Quickenden Defendant: Ms C Allan Plaintiff: Peninsula Law Defendant: TL Lawyers File Number(s): 2013/74225 Publication restriction: None