Chand v Commonwealth Bank of Australia [2015] NSWCA 181

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Chand v Commonwealth Bank of Australia [2015] NSWCA 181 Hearing dates: 14 and 15 April 2015 Date of orders: 01 July 2015 Decision date: 01 July 2015 Before: Bathurst CJ at [1]; Beazley P at [2]; Ward JA at [3] Decision: Appeal dismissed with costs. Catchwords: CONTRACTS – breach admitted – failure to implement redemption request – causation – novus actus interveniens – whether failure to lodge a fresh redemption request broke the chain of causation – whether free and informed decision

CONTRACTS – breach – mitigation – whether appellant acted unreasonably

DAMAGES – assessment of damages – contract – where no actual loss suffered at date of breach – where loss suffered was prospective Cases Cited: Adams v Eta Foods Ltd [1987] FCA 402; (1987) 78 ALR 611 Alexander v Cambridge Credit Corporation Ltd (1987) 9 NSWLR 310 Allianz Australia Ltd v Waterbrook at Yowie Bay Pty Ltd [2009] NSWCA 224 Bak v Glenleigh Homes Pty Ltd [2006] NSWCA 10 Banco de Portugal v Waterlow & Sons Ltd [1932] AC 452 British Westinghouse Co v Underground Railway [1912] AC 673 Building Insurers' Guarantee Corporation v The Owners Strata Plan No. 57504 [2010] NSWCA 23 Castle Constructions Pty Ltd v Fekala Pty Ltd [2006] NSWCA 133; (2006) 65 NSWLR 648 Clark v Macourt [2013] HCA 56; (2013) 304 ALR 220 County Ltd v Girozentrale Securities [1996] 3 All ER 834 Darbishire v Warren [1963] 3 All ER 310 Driver v War Services Homes Commissioner (1923) 44 ALT 130 Fox v Percy [2003] HCA 22; (2003) 214 CLR 118 In Re a Solicitor [1945] KB 368 Janos v Chama Motors Pty Ltd [2011] NSWCA 238 Johnson v Agnew [1980] AC 367 Johnson v Perez [1988] HCA 64; (1988) 166 CLR 351 Joyner v Weeks [1891] 2 QB 31 Knott Investments Pty Ltd v Fulcher [2013] QCA 67; [2014] 1Qd R 21 Koch Marine Inc v D'Amica Societa di Navigazione A.R.L (The 'Elena d'Amico') [1980] 1 Lloyd's Rep 75 Medlin v The State Government Insurance Commission [1995] HCA 5; (1995) 182 CLR 1 Orica Investments v McCartney [2010] NSWSC 488 Sherson & Associates Pty Ltd v Bailey [2000] NSWCA 275; (2000) Aust Torts Reports 81-591 Simonius Vischer & Co v Holt & Thompson [1979] 2 NSWLR 322 Smith New Court Securities Ltd v Citibank NA [1997] AC 254; [1996] 3 WLR 1051 Sotiros Shipping Inc. and Aeco Maritime S.A. v Sameiet Solholt (The "Solholt") [1983] 1 Lloyd's Rep. 605 St Vincent's Hospital (Melbourne) Inc v University of Adelaide [2002] VSC 297 Tabcorp Holdings Ltd v Bowen Investments Pty Ltd [2009] HCA 8; (2009) 236 CLR 272 TCN Channel 9 Pty Ltd v Hayden Enterprises Pty Ltd (1989) 16 NSWLR 130 The Golden Victory [2007] UKHL 12, [2007] 2 AC 353 The Mortgage Corporation v Halifax (SW) Limited [1999] Lloyd's Rep P.N. 159 Vieira v O'Shea [2012] NSWCA 21 Wallace v Kam [2013] HCA 19; (2013) 297 ALR 383 Willis v Commonwealth [1946] HCA 22; (1946) 73 CLR 105 Weld-Blundell v Stephens [1920] AC 956Wenkart v Pitman (1998) 46 NSWLR 502 Texts Cited: Edelman J, "Unnecessary Causation" (2015) 89 ALJ 20 H.L.A Hart and A.M Honore, Causation In The Law (2nd ed 1985, Oxford University Press) H McGregor, McGregor on Damages (19th ed 2014, Sweet & Maxwell) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Simon Anish Chand (Appellant) Commonwealth Bank of Australia (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: MJ Neil QC with WJ Wilcher (Appellant) MLD Einfeld QC with D Roche (Respondent)