Lewis v Kmart Australia Ltd [2016] NSWDC 218

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Lewis v Kmart Australia Ltd [2016] NSWDC 218 Hearing dates: 8, 9, 10, 11 August 2016, written submissions to 16 August 2016 Date of orders: 16 September 2016 Decision date: 16 September 2016 Jurisdiction: Civil Before: Gibson DCJ Decision: (1) Judgment for the plaintiff. (2) Liberty to the parties to bring in short minutes of order reflecting the mathematically agreed sum for judgment. (3) Defendant pay plaintiff's costs. (4) Liberty to apply in relation to costs. (5) Exhibits retained for 28 days. Catchwords: TORT – negligence – duty of care – Kmart shopper using chair provided for customer seating injured when chair collapsed – whether breach of duty of care established – damages – causation – long prior history of injuries and medical treatment – assessment of economic loss and home care Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW) ss 5B, 5C, 5D, 5E, 13 Cases Cited: Alat v Franklins Pty Ltd (2012) 15 DCLR (NSW) 203, Australian Safeway Stores v Zaluzna (1987) 162 CLR 479 Boral Bricks v Cosmidis [2013] NSWCA 443 Hancock v East Coast Timber Products Pty Ltd [2011] NSWCA 11 Hevi Lift (PNG) Ltd v Etherington (2005) NSWCA 42 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298 Makita (Australia) Pty Ltd v Sprowles (2001) 52 NSWLR 705 Metaxoulis v McDonald's Australia Ltd [2015] NSWCA 95 Murko v Greenfields Narellan Holdings trading as Narellan Town Centre [2015] NSWDC 132 Varga v Galea [2011] NSWCA 76 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Plaintiff: Julie Ann Lewis Defendant: Kmart Australia Ltd Representation: Counsel: Plaintiff: Mr A Stone SC Defendant: Mr B McManus