Alan Donald v Rail Corporation of New South Wales (No 11) [2016] NSWSC 1897

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Alan Donald v Rail Corporation of New South Wales (No 11) [2016] NSWSC 1897 Hearing dates: 20; 21; 22; 23; 24 June 2015; 2; 3; 4; 5; 9; 10; 12 November Date of orders: 23 December 2016 Decision date: 23 December 2016 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Campbell J Decision: See [166] Catchwords: TORTS – negligence – workplace incident – TNT v Christie - heavy labouring work in maintenance of Sydney railways - worker suffered back injury whilst jackhammering – system of task rotation - whether evidence as to injury true or fabricated

DAMAGES – torts – negligence – workers compensation – damages awarded Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW) Law Reform Miscellaneous Provisions Act 1946 (NSW) Work Injury Management and Workers' Compensation Act 1998 (NSW) Workers' Compensation Act 1987 (NSW) Cases Cited: Astley v Austrust Limited [1999] HCA 6; 197 CLR 1 Bankstown Foundry Pty Ltd v Braistina [1986] HCA 20; (1986) 160 CLR 301 Bostik Australia Pty Ltd v Liddiard & Anor [2009] NSWCA 167 Czatyrko v Edith Cowen University [2005] HCA 14 McLean v Tedman [1984] HCA 60; (1984) 155 CLR 306 Paris v Stepney Borough Council [1951] AC 367 RTA v Dederer (2007) 234 CLR 330; [2007] HCA 42 TNT Australia Pty Ltd v Christie (2003) 65 NSWLR1; [2003] NSWCA 47 Vincent v Woolworths Ltd [2016] NSWCA 40 Wyong Council v Shirt (1980) 146 CLR 40 at [47] – [48]; Category: Procedural and other rulings Parties: Alan Donald (Plaintiff) Rail Corporation of New South Wales (First Defendant) Staff Innovations Pty Ltd t/as Bamford Family Trust (second defendant) Representation: Counsel: DR Campbell SC with S Longhurst (Plaintiff) RJ Burbidge QC with A Casselden (First Defendant); M Windsor SC with R Perla (Second Defendant)