Lu v AAI Ltd t/as AAMI [2019] NSWSC 368

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Lu v AAI Ltd t/as AAMI [2019] NSWSC 368 Hearing dates: 14 February 2019 Decision date: 11 April 2019 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: N Adams J Decision: (1) The summons is dismissed (2) The plaintiff is to pay the first defendant's costs Catchwords: ADMINISTRATIVE LAW – judicial review – decision of Motor Accidents Authority review panel – where only two of review panel's three members physically examined plaintiff – whether process of review vitiated because application for review is "to a panel of at least 3 medical assessors" – Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999 (NSW), s 63(3) – whether review panel erred in assessing cervical spine and shoulder impairments – whether review panel failed to provide adequate reasons Legislation Cited: Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999 (NSW) Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) Cases Cited: Allianz Australia Insurance Ltd v Rutland [2015] NSWCA 328; (2015) 73 MVR 211 Ali v AAI Limited [2016] NSWCA 110; (2016) 75 MVR 502 Australian Broadcasting Tribunal v Bond (1990) 170 CLR 321; [1990] HCA 33 Bradley v Insurance Australia Pty Ltd [2015] NSWSC 950; (2015) 71 MVR 496 Campbelltown City Council v Vegan (2006) 67 NSWLR 372; [2006] NSWCA 284 CIC Allianz Insurance v Pillay [2017] NSWSC 1638; (2017) 82 MVR 490 Gwyther v Insurance Australia [2018] NSWSC 1441; (2018) 86 MVR 1 IAG Ltd t/as NRMA Insurance v Tarabay [2018] NSWSC 1836; (2018) 87 MVR 87 Kostas v HIA Insurance Services Pty Limited (2010) 241 CLR 390; [2010] HCA 32 MacKenzie v Allianz Australia Insurance Ltd (No 2) [2015] NSWSC 1320; (2015) 72 MVR 440 McKee v Allianz Australia Insurance Ltd (2008) 71 NSWLR 609; [2008] NSWCA 163 Minister for Immigration and Citizenship v Li (2013) 249 CLR 323; [2013] HCA 18 Project Blue Sky Inc v Australian Broadcasting Authority (1998) 194 CLR 355; [1998] HCA 28 Rutland v Allianz Australia Insurance Ltd [2014] NSWSC 1583; (2014) 68 MVR 533 Structural Monitoring Systems v Tulip Bay [2017] WASC 379 Wingfoot Australia Partners Pty Ltd v Kocak (2013) 252 CLR 480; [2013] HCA 43 Wolarczuk v NRMA Insurance Australia Ltd [2017] NSWSC 1691; (2017) 82 MVR 504 Zahed v IAG Limited t/as NRMA Insurance [2016] NSWCA 55; (2016) 75 MVR 1 Texts Cited: Motor Accidents Authority, Guidelines for the Assessment of the Degree of Permanent Impairment, (1 October 2007), New South Wales Government Gazette, No 90, 13 July 2007 Motor Accidents Authority, Medical Assessment Guidelines (1 October 2008), New South Wales Government Gazette, No 87, 1 July 2008 Motor Accidents Authority, Motor Accident Permanent Impairment Guidelines (1 June 2018), New South Wales Government Gazette, No 52, 25 May 2018 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Weiping Lu (Plaintiff) AAI Ltd t/as AAMI (First Defendant) State Insurance Regulatory Authority (Second Defendant) Michael Couch, Mohammed Assem and Richard Crane as the appointed review panel (Third Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Mr R de Myrick (Plaintiff) Ms J Gumbert (First Defendant) Mr S Robertson (Second Defendant)