Williams v Metcash Trading Limited [2017] NSWDC 154

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Williams v Metcash Trading Limited [2017] NSWDC 154 Hearing dates: 7 to 11 November 2016; 30 November 2016; 1 December 2016; 1 to 2 March 2017; 26 May 2017 Date of orders: 23 June 2017 Decision date: 23 June 2017 Jurisdiction: Civil Before: Dicker SC DCJ Decision: (1) Judgment for the defendant. (2) The plaintiff is to pay the defendant's costs of the proceedings as agreed or assessed. (3) The parties have leave to apply on two business days' notice to vary the costs order in (2) above. (4) Exhibits are to be returned after 28 days. Catchwords: Torts – negligence – workplace injury - whether defendant provided a safe system of work – whether shelf height posed an unreasonable risk - causation - nature and extent of plaintiff's injuries Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW) Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) Workers Compensation Act 1987 (NSW) Cases Cited: Adeels Palace Pty Ltd v Moubarak (2009) 239 CLR 420 Atkinson v Gameco (NSW) Pty Ltd [2005] NSWCA 338 Ceva Logistics (Australia) Pty Ltd v Redbro Investments Pty Ltd [2013] NSWCA 46 Container Terminals Australia Ltd v Huseyin [2008] NSWCA 320 Curtis v Harden Shire Council [2014] NSWCA 314 Czatyrko v Edith Cowan University [2005] HCA 14 Graham Barclay Oysters Pty Ltd v Ryan (2002) 211 CLR 540 Harrington Estates (NSW) Pty Ltd v Turner [2016] NSWCA 369 Mason v Demasi [2009] NSWCA 227 Origin Energy LPG Pty Ltd v Bestcare Foods Ltd [2012] NSWCA 407 Patrick Stevedores Operations (No 2) Pty Ltd v Hennessy [2015] NSWCA 253 South Sydney Junior Rugby League Club Ltd v Gazis [2016] NSWCA 8 State of New South Wales v Wenham [2016] NSWCA 336 Strong v Woolworths Ltd (2012) 246 CLR 182 Takla v Nasr [2013] NSWCA 435 Transpacific Industrial Solutions Pty Ltd v Phelps [2013] NSWCA 31 Verryt v Schoupp [2015] NSWCA 128 Wallace v Kam (2013) 250 CLR 375 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Matthew Williams (Plaintiff) Metcash Trading Limited (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: B McManamey (Plaintiff) R O'Keefe (Defendant)