Mulcahy v NRMA Insurance Limited & Ors [2018] NSWCA 189

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Mulcahy v NRMA Insurance Limited & Ors [2018] NSWCA 189 Hearing dates: 28 July 2018 Decision date: 30 August 2018 Before: Beazley P at [1]; Meagher JA at [2]; White JA at [3] Decision: (1) Appeal allowed. (2) Set aside the orders of Adamson J of 3 November 2017. (3) In lieu thereof order that the summons filed by the first respondent on 19 July 2017 be dismissed. (4) Order that the first respondent pay the appellant's costs of the proceedings below and of the appeal. Catchwords: Administrative Law – Judicial review – Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999 (NSW) – Error of law on the face of the record – Whether claims assessor had sufficiently disclosed reasoning in an award of future economic loss – Where reasoning included adoption of accountant's report – Whether report incorporated into reasons of claims assessor – Statutory requirement for reasons to be brief - Appeal allowed Legislation Cited: Accident Compensation Act 1985 (Vic) Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999 (NSW), Ch 5, Div 2, Pt 4, ss 94, 95, 126 Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW), s 69 Cases Cited: Allianz Australia Insurance Limited v Habib [2015] NSWSC 1719 Automotive, Food, Metals, Engineering, Printing and Kindred Industries Union v ALS Industrial Australia Pty Ltd (2015) 235 FCR 305; [2015] FCAFC 123 Craig v South Australia (1995) 184 CLR 163 Hockey v Yelland (1984) 157 CLR 124 Minister for Immigration & Citizenship v Li (2013) 249 CLR 332; [2013] HCA 18 NRMA Insurance Limited v Mulcahy [2017] NSWSC 1499 Overseers of the Poor of Walsall v London and North Western Railway Co (1878) 4 AC 30 Pham v NRMA Insurance Ltd [2014] NSWCA 22 Reg. v Medical Appeal Tribunal; ex parte Gilmour [1957] 1 QB 574 Wingfoot Australia Partners Pty Ltd v Kocak (2013) 252 CLR 480; [2013] HCA 43 Zahed v IAG Limited t/as NRMA Insurance [2016] NSWCA 55 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Keiran Mulcahy (Appellant) NRMA Insurance Limited (1st Respondent) Gary Victor Patterson (in his capacity as Claims Assessor of the State Insurance Regulatory Authority of New South Wales) (2nd Respondent) State Insurance Regulatory Authority of New South Wales (3rd Respondent) Representation: Counsel: P Deakin QC with M Maxwell M Robinson SC with J Gumbert