Argo Managing Agency Ltd v Al Kammessy [2018] NSWCA 176

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Argo Managing Agency Ltd v Al Kammessy [2018] NSWCA 176 Hearing dates: 12 July 2018 Decision date: 15 August 2018 Before: McColl JA at [1]; White JA at [2]; Sackville AJA at [39] Decision: 1. Appeal allowed. 2. Set aside the orders made by the primary Judge. 3. In lieu of the orders made by the primary Judge, dismiss the respondent's claim with costs. 4. Respondent to pay the appellant's costs of the appeal. 5. The respondent have a certificate under the Suitors Fund Act 1951 (NSW). Catchwords: TORTS – negligence – respondent slipped and fell on wet patch in shopping centre – whether probability theory supported finding that wet patch was present when cleaner approached the area

TORTS – negligence – whether cleaning contract informed or determined scope of duty of care owed to patrons – whether a cleaner exercising reasonable care should have detected the wet patch

EVIDENCE – events captured by CCTV footage – ability of appellate court to draw inferences from CCTV footage – consideration of the limitations of CCTV evidence Legislation Cited: Suitors Fund Act 1951 (NSW) Cases Cited: Blacktown City Council v Hocking [2008] NSWCA 144 Bryan v Maloney (1995) 182 CLR 609; [1995] HCA 17 C Van der Lely NV v Bamfords Ltd [1963] RPC 61 Florida Hotels Pty Ltd v Mayo (1965) 113 CLR 588; [1965] HCA 26 Goode v Angland [2017] NSWCA 311 Herne Investments (NSW) Pty Ltd v Don Watson Pty Ltd [2016] NSWCA 72 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298; [1959] HCA 8 Kocis v SE Dickens Pty Ltd [1998] 3 VR 408 QBE v Orcher; Blowcliff v Orcher [2013] NSWCA 478 Schultz v McCormack [2015] NSWCA 330 State of New South Wales v Briggs (2016) 95 NSWLR 467 Strong v Woolworths Ltd (2012) 246 CLR 182; [2002] HCA 5 Voli v Inglewood Shire Council (1963) 110 CLR 74; [1963] HCA 15 WB Jones Staircase & Handrail Pty Ltd v Richardson [2014] NSWCA 127 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Argo Managing Agency Limited for and on behalf of the Underwriting Members of Syndicate 1200 at Lloyd's (Appellant) Gassan Al Kammessy (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: Mr JE Sexton SC / Mr BR Wilson (Appellant) Mr H Marshall SC / Mr DL Del Monte (Respondent)