El-Kheir v Pinnacle Construction Group Pty Ltd [2018] NSWDC 155

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: El-Kheir v Pinnacle Construction Group Pty Ltd [2018] NSWDC 155 Hearing dates: 21 August 2017 – 24 August 2017 and 4 December 2017 – 7 December 2017Plaintiff's written submissions: 2 December 2017Defendant's written submissions: 7 December 2017 Date of orders: 14 June 2018 Decision date: 14 June 2018 Jurisdiction: Civil Before: Hatzistergos DCJ Decision: 1. Verdict for the Defendant; 2. Subject to any application to my Associate within 14 days to relist the matter for any further or other order as to costs the Plaintiff is to pay the Defendant's costs; 3. Exhibits are to be retained for 28 days. Catchwords: TORTS – NEGLIGENCE – workplace injury – liability of host employer – duty of care – duty to take precautions against risk of harm – factual investigation

TORTS – DAMAGES – out of pocket expenses – economic loss – non-economic loss – domestic assistance – whether costs incurred were reasonable and necessary – factual investigation – whether plaintiff is malingering or exhibiting somatoform chronic pain disorder Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW) s 97 Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW) ss 5B(1), 16 Cases Cited: Chen v Zhang and Ors [2009] NSWCA 202 Sangha v Baxter (2009) 52 MVR 492 Seltsam Pty Ltd v McGuiness (2000) 49 NSWLR 262 New South Wales v Fuller-Lyons [2014] NSWCA 424 Rail Corporation New South Wales v Donald; Staff Innovations Pty Ltd t/as Bamford Family Trust [2018] NSWCA 82 Fuller-Lyons v New South Wales [2015] HCA 31 Henderson v Queensland [2014] HCA 52 Macks v Viscariello [2017] SASCFC 172 at [601] Jones v Dunkel [1959] HCA 8; (1959)101 CLR 298 Leighton Contractors Pty ltd v Fox; Calliden Insurance Ltd v Fox (2009) 240 CLR 1; [2009] HCA 35 Caruana v Darouti [2014] NSWCA 85 Lee v Wickham Freight Lines Pty Ltd [2016] NSWCA 209 Uniting Church in Australia Property trust (NSW) v Miller (2015) 91 NSWLR 752 Perisher Blue Pty Ltd v Nair-Smith [2015] NSWCA 90; 320 ALR 235 New South Wales v Moss [2000] NSWCA 133; (2000) 54 NSWLR 536 Moravatjou v Moradkhami [2013] NSWCCA 157 Kuligowski v Metrobus (2004) 220 CLR 363 at 385 [60] Lamb v Winston (No 1) [1962] QWN 18 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Ali Kadour El-Kheir (Plaintiff) Pinnacle Construction Group Pty Ltd (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Mr H Marshall SC and Mr J Masur for the Plaintiff Mr R Cavanagh SC and Mr D Macfarlane for the Defendant