Toll Pty Ltd v Harradine [2016] NSWCA 374

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Toll Pty Ltd v Harradine [2016] NSWCA 374 Hearing dates: 15 November 2016 Decision date: 21 December 2016 Before: Meagher JA at [1]; Sackville AJA at [2]; Schmidt J at [113] Decision: (1) Appeal allowed.

(2) Set aside the judgment for the respondent in the sum of $1,070,499.00 given on 3 March 2016.

(3) Set aside the costs order made against the appellant by the primary Judge on 4 March 2016.

(4) Direct the parties to bring in agreed short minutes of order on or before 25 January 2017 giving effect to these reasons for judgment.

(5) If the parties are unable to agree, each should file short minutes of order proposed together with brief written submissions not exceeding four pages on or before 25 January 2017. Catchwords: MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT – personal injuries – operator of forklift at depot negligently fails to secure a stillage (partially enclosed cage) to the raised tines of the forklift – stillage slips from the tines near the end of unloading operation from the stillage to a container – worker unloading sacks injured when struck by the slipping tillage – worker placed foot on mezzanine floor of trailer – whether worker's injuries occurred "during… the driving of a vehicle" within the meaning of s 3A(1)(a) of the Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999 (NSW) – whether the worker's injuries were sustained as a consequence of driving the forklift – whether displacement of the stillage causally related to the driving of the forklift

DAMAGES – whether primary judge erred in assessing damages for past and future loss of earning capacity – whether net income of the comparator properly assessed for the purpose of assessing damages Legislation Cited: Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999 (NSW), ss 3, 3A Suitors Fund Act 1951 (NSW) Workers Compensation Act 1987 (NSW) Workplace Injury Management and Workers Compensation Act 1996 (NSW) Cases Cited: Allianz Australia Insurance Ltd v GSF Australia Pty Ltd (2005) 221 CLR 568; [2005] HCA 26 Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Hellicar (2012) 247 CLR 345; [2012] HCA 17 Beale v Government Insurance Office of NSW (1997) 48 NSWLR 430; 25 MVR 373 Bradshaw v McEwans Pty Ltd (1951) 217 ALR 1 Fabre v Arenales (1992) 27 NSWLR 437; 15 MVR 303 Fox v Percy (2003) 214 CLR 118; [2003] HCA 22 Fuller-Lyons v New South Wales [2015] HCA 31; (2015) 89 ALJR 824 Goodrich Aerospace Pty Ltd v Arsic (2006) 66 NSWLR 186; [2006] NSWCA 187 Insurance Commission of Western Australia v Container Handlers Pty Ltd (2004) 218 CLR 89; [2004] HCA 24 Jay Anthony Harradine v Toll Pty Ltd (unrep, District Court, 3 March 2016) Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298; [1954] HCA 8 Kuhl v Zurich Financial Services Australia Ltd (2011) 243 CLR 361; [2011] HCA 11 Leach v The Nominal Defendant (QBE Insurance (Australia) Ltd) (2014) 67 MVR 494; [2014] NSWCA 257 Luxton v Vines (1952) 85 CLR 352; [1952] HCA 19 Motor Accident Commission v ANI Corporation Ltd (1997) 26 MVR 57 Murray v Sheldon Commercial Interiors Pty Ltd [2016] NSWCA 77 Pollard v RRR Corporation Pty Ltd [2009] NSWCA 110 QBE Insurance (Australia) Ltd v Smith (2005) 43 MVR 407; [2005] NSWCA 130 RG & KM Whitehead Pty Ltd v Lowe (2013) 63 MVR 375; [2013] NSWCA 117; Strong v Woolworths Ltd (2012) 246 CLR 182; [2012] HCA 5 Suncorp Metway Insurance Ltd v Sichter [2011] 2 Qd R 89; 55 MVR 524; [2010] QSC 164 Waterways Authority v Fitzgibbon [2005] HCA 57; 79 ALJR 1816 Zotti v Australian Motor Insurers Ltd (2009) 54 MVR 111; [2009] NSWCA 323 Texts Cited: D Byrne and J D Heydon, Lexis Nexis, Cross on Evidence (Australian Ed), vol 1 Second Reading Speech, NSW Parl Deb, Leg Ass, 9 November 2011 (the Hon Michael Veitch, Parliamentary Secretary) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Toll Pty Ltd (Appellant) Jay Anthony Harradine (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: P Morris SC and D P O'Dowd (Appellant) B J Gross QC and T J Boyd (Respondent)