Tinnock v Murrumbidgee Local Health District (No 6) [2017] NSWSC 1003

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Tinnock v Murrumbidgee Local Health District (No 6) [2017] NSWSC 1003 Hearing dates: 8-12, 15-17 February 2016; 16-17 June 2016 Date of orders: 28 July 2017 Decision date: 28 July 2017 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Campbell J Decision: (1) Judgment for the plaintiff in the sum of $1,005,509.00.

(2) The defendant to pay the plaintiff's costs.

(3) Liberty to apply in respect of arithmetical error in damages calculations and for any special order as to costs. Catchwords: TORT – medical negligence – personal injury – incisional hernia repair – severe post-operative infection associated with surgical mesh – primary case in battery – alternative case in negligence – judgment for plaintiff in negligence

INTENTIONAL TORTS – battery – whether consent to surgical operation – plaintiff argues no consent to registrar operating – onus of proof considered – White v Johnson considered – Dean v Phung applied – held any mistake as to identity of surgeon did not alter nature and character of act – held that competence of surgeon relevant to negligence not battery – held that act not intentional act done with intent to cause injury for the purposes of s 3B Civil Liability Act

NEGLIGENCE – medical negligence - whether reasonable care required use of "negative pressure surgical drains" – whether infection ought to have been diagnosed upon plaintiff's re-presentation to hospital – held breach of duty of care owed to plaintiff – held breach of defendant causative of damage Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW) Cases Cited: Adeels Palace Pty Ltd v Moubarak (2009) 239 CLR 420; [2009] HCA 48 Bergman v Haertsch [2000] NSWSC 528 Chappel v Hart (1988) 195 CLR 232; [1998] HCA 55 Chatterton v Gerson [1981] QB 432 Connor v Blacktown District Hospital (1971) 1 NSWLR 713 Croucher v Cachia [2016] NSWCA 132; (2016) Aust Torts Reports ¶82-279 Dean v Phung [2012] NSWCA 223; (2012) Aust Torts Reports ¶82-111 Department of Health & Community Services v JWB & SMB ("Marion's Case") (1992) 175 CLR 218; [1992] HCA 15 Papadimitropoulos v The Queen (1957) 98 CLR 249; [1957] HCA 74 Paul v Cooke (2013) 85 NSWLR 167; [2013] NSWCA 311 Peden v Ferguson [2012] NSWSC 492 Rogers v Whittaker (1992) 175 CLR 479; [1992] HCA 58 R v Richardson (Diane) [1999] QB 444 R v Tabassum [2000] EWCA Crim 90; [2000] 2 Cr App Rep 328 Smythe v Burgman (No 2) [2015] NSWSC 298 Tabet v Gett (2010) 240 CLR 537; [2010] HCA 12 Tinnock v Murrumbidge Local Health District [2016] NSWSC 86 Tinnock v Murrumbidgee Local Health District (No 2) [2016] NSWSC 87 Tinnock v Murrumbidgee Local Health District (No 3) [2016] NSWSC 88 Toll (FGCT) Pty Ltd v Alphapharm Pty Ltd (2004) 219 CLR 165; [2004] HCA 52 Wallace v Kam (2013) 250 CLR 375; [2003] HCA 19 White v Johnston (2015) 87 NSWLR 779; [2015] NSWCA 18 Wilton v Farnworth (1948) 76 CLR 646; [1948] HCA 20 X v The Sydney Children's Hospital Network (2013) 85 NSWLR 294; [2013] NSWCA 320 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Kylie Bernadette Tinnock (Plaintiff) Murrumbidgee Local Health District (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: A J Bartley SC with R Ingram (Plaintiff) S Barnes (Defendant)