Casey v Pel-Air Aviation Pty Ltd; Helm v Pel-Air Aviation Pty Ltd [2015] NSWSC 566

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Casey v Pel-Air Aviation Pty Ltd; Helm v Pel-Air Aviation Pty Ltd [2015] NSWSC 566 Hearing dates: 2 February 2015, 3 February 2015, 4 February 2015, 5 February 2015 and 6 February 2015 Date of orders: 15 May 2015 Decision date: 15 May 2015 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Schmidt J Decision: Judgment for the plaintiffs Catchwords: TORTS – negligence – negligence of airline operator – whether injuries compensable under the Civil Aviation (Carriers' Liability) Act 1959 (Cth) - damages - non-economic loss – economic loss – superannuation – out-of-pocket expenses – past and future care -

STATUTORY CONSTRUCTION – relevant rules of statutory construction - construing International Conventions - the purpose of the Montreal Convention – proper construction of s 9E of the Civil Aviation (Carriers' Liability) Act – post traumatic stress disorder ('PTSD') claim – PTSD and the proper construction of Article 17 of the Montreal Convention – evidence establishes that plaintiff's PTSD is a compensable "bodily injury" Legislation Cited: Acts Interpretation Act 1901 (Cth) Aviation Legislation Amendment (Liability and Insurance Act 2012 (Cth) Civil Aviation (Carriers' Liability) Act 1959 (Cth) Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW) Carriage by Air Act 1935 (Cth) Interpretation Act 1987 (NSW) International Monetary Agreements Act 1947 (Cth) Motor Accidents Act 1988 (NSW) Cases Cited: Air France v Teichner and Ors (1984) 7 S&B Av R 141 American Airlines Inc v Georgeopoulos And Anor [1996] NSWCA 13 American Airlines Inc v Georgeopoulous [No 2] [1998] NSWCA 273 Bobian v Czech Airlines 93 Fed Appx 406 (3d Cir 2004), Dare v Pulham [1982] HCA 70; (1982) 148 CLR 658 Doe v United Airlines, Inc 160 Cal App 4th 1500 (2008) In re Air Crash at Little Rock Arkansas on June 1, 1999 291 F 3d 503 (8th Cir 2002) Eastern Airlines Inc v Floyd 499 US 530 (1991) Ehrlich v American Airlines Inc 360 F 3d 366 (2d Cir 2004) IW v The City of Perth [1997] HCA 30; (1997) 191 CLR 1 Khoury v Government Insurance Office (NSW) [1984] HCA 55; (1984) 165 CLR 622 King v Bristow Helicopters Ltd [2002] UKHL 7; [2002] 2 AC 628 Kotsambasis v Singapore Airlines Ltd (1997) 42 NSWLR 110 Linsell v Robson [1976] 1 NSWLR 249 Matchan v Lyons [2003] NSWCA 384; (2003) 40 MVR 466 Mead v Kerney [2012] NSWCA 215 Mills v Meeking [1990] HCA 6; (1990) 169 CLR 214 Nash v Sunshine Porcelain Potteries Ltd [1959] HCA 7; (1959) 101 CLR 353 Nestle Australia Ltd V McDougall [1998] NSWCA 158 Povey v Qantas Airways Limited [2005] HCA 33; (2005) 223 CLR 189 Public Transport Commission (NSW) v J Murray-More (NSW) Pty Ltd [1975] HCA 28; (1975) 132 CLR 336 Rocklea Spinning Mills Pty Ltd v Anti Dumping Authority [1995] FCA 210; (1995) 56 FCR 406 Rosman v Trans World Airlines Inc 34 NY 2d 385 (1974) South Pacific Air Motive Pty Ltd v Magnus [1998] FCA 1107; (1998) 87 FCR 301 SAS Trustee Corporation v Woollard [2014] NSWCA 75; (2014) 86 NSWLR 367 State of Queensland v Commonwealth of Australia [1989] HCA 36; (1989) 167 CLR 232 Terrafranca v Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd 151 F 3d 108 (3d Cir 1998) Weaver v Delta Airlines Inc 56 F Supp 2d 1190 (D Mont 1999) Texts Cited: DC Pearce and RS Geddes, Statutory Interpretation in Australia (8th ed, 2014, LexisNexis Butterworths) at [4.6], [1.9] and [3.43] - [3.50] House of Representatives, Commonwealth, Civil Aviation (Carriers' Liability) Bill 1959, Parliamentary Debates (Hansard), 7 April 1959 at 927 House of Representatives, Commonwealth, Aviation Legislation Amendment (Liability and Insurance) Bill 2012, Parliamentary Debates (Hansard), 22 August 2012 at 9510 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Karen Casey David Helm Pel-Air Aviation Pty Ltd Representation: Counsel: Mr RS McIlwaine SC with Mr G Graham (Plaintiffs) Mr D Fagan SC with Mr D Lloyd