Frangie v South Western Sydney Local Health District trading as Liverpool Hospital [2019] NSWDC 42

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Frangie v South Western Sydney Local Health District trading as Liverpool Hospital [2019] NSWDC 42 Hearing dates: 25 February – 28 February 2019 Date of orders: 07 March 2019 Decision date: 07 March 2019 Jurisdiction: Civil Before: Abadee DCJ Decision: Verdicts and Judgment for the Defendant with the Plaintiffs to pay the Defendant's costs. Catchwords: Negligence - medical negligence – standard of care for professionals – peer professional opinion – whether hospital was negligent in failing to take certain precautions – causation - damages for nervous shock – damages arising from death - duty of care to close family members – aggravation of pre-existing psychiatric conditions – 'normal fortitude' – Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW) ss 5B, 5D, 5O, 32(1), 32(2) Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW) Civil Liability Act 1936 (SA) Cases Cited: Annetts v Australian Stations Pty Ltd (2002) 211 CLR 317 Chaina v Presbyterian Church (NSW) Property Trust (No. 25) [2014] NSWSC 518 Dell v Dalton (1991) 23 NSWLR 528 Dobler v Halverson (2007) 70 NSWLR 151 Gifford v Strang Patrick Stevedoring Pty Ltd (2003) 214 CLR 269 Harris v Commissioner for Social Housing [2013] ACTS 186 Hollier v Sutcliffe [2010] NSWSC 279 Jaensch v Coffey (1984) 155 CLR 549 Kemp v Lyell McEwin Health Service (2006) 96 SASR 192 King v Philcox (2015) 255 CLR 304 McKenna v Hunter & New England Local Health District [2013] NSWCA 476 Optus Administration Pty Ltd v Wright [2017] NSWCA 21 Panagiotopolous v Rajendram [2007] NSWCA 265 Rogers v Whitaker (1992) 175 CLR 479 Rosenberg v Percival (2001) 205 CLR 434 South West Sydney Local Health District v Gould [2018] NSWCA 69 Sparks v Hobson [2018] NSWCA 29 Swain v Waverley Municipal Council (2005) 220 CLR 517 Tabet v Gett (2010) 240 CLR 537 Tame v New South Wales (2002) 211 CLR 317 Wicks v SRA (2010) 241 CLR 60 Texts Cited: Vella, Annotated Civil Liability Act (3rd ed) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Jane Frangie (Plaintiff - 2017/232865) Linda Frangie (Plaintiff - 2017/232876) Michael Frangie (Plaintff - 2017/232884 Yasmin El Bitar (Plaintiff - 2017/265026) South Western Sydney Local Health District trading as Liverpool Hospital (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: