Makaroff v Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District [2019] NSWSC 715

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Makaroff v Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District [2019] NSWSC 715 Hearing dates: 3-7; 10-13 September 2018 Date of orders: 14 June 2019 Decision date: 14 June 2019 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Harrison AsJ Decision: (1) Judgment for the defendants. (2) The plaintiff is to pay the defendants' costs. Catchwords: TORT - Negligence – Medical negligence – Liability – Where the plaintiff's arm was dislocated by a horse bite – Whether the defendants failed to order imaging to identify a rotator cuff injury – Whether the defendants failed to refer the plaintiff to an orthopaedic specialist – Whether the defendants failed to advise the plaintiff as to proper care for her shoulder – Contributory negligence – Whether the plaintiff exacerbated her injury by performing farm work against medical advice

Damages – Personal injury – Assessment of quantum – Economic loss – Costs of past and future care – Costs of caring for animals – Whether the defendants are liable for the cost of maintaining the plaintiff's unprofitable business Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW), ss 5G, 5L, 5O, 5E, 5R, 5S, 13, 15, 16 Limitation Act 1969 (NSW), ss 50C, 50D Cases Cited: Adeels Place Pty Ltd v Moubarak [2009] HCA 48 Allied Pastroal Holdings Pty Limited v Commissioner of Taxation 1983 1 NSWLR 1 Armagas Ltd v Mundogas SA (the "Ocean Frost") [1986] 2 All ER 385; 1 Lloyd's Rep 1 Arthur Robinson (Grafton) Pty Ltd v Carter (1968) 122 CLR 649 Barker-Morrison v State of New South Wales [2009] 74 NSWLR 454 Browne v Dunn Coles Supermarket Australia Pty Ltd v Haleluka [2012] NSWCA 343 Commonwealth of Australia v Shaw [2006] NSWCA 209 Consolidated Broken Hill Ltd v Edwards (2005) Aust Torts Reports 81-815 Container Terminals Australia Ltd v Huseyin [2008] NSWCA 320 CSR Ltd v Eddy (2005) 80 ALJR 59 Dell v Dalton (1991) 14 MVR 158; (1991) 23 NSWLR 528 Fox v Percy (2003) 214 CLR 118 Geaghan v D'Aubert [2002] NSWCA 260 Gillett v State of New South Wales [2012] NSWCA 83 Government Insurance Office (NSW) v Rosniak [1992] Aust Torts Reports 81-178; (1992) 27 NSWLR 665 Griffiths v Kerkemeyer [1977] HCA 45; (1977) 139 CLR 161 Hirst v Sydney South West Area Health Service [2011] NSWSC 664 Joslyn v Berryman (2003) 214 CLR 552 Lee Transport Co Ltd v Watson [1940] HCA 27; (1940) 64 CLR 1 Mason v Demasi [2012] NSWCA 210 Matthews v Dean (1990) 11 MVR 455; [1990] Aust Torts Reports 81-037 McKenna v Hunter & New England Local Health District; Simon v Hunter & New England Local Health District [2013] NSWCA 476 Medlin v State Government Insurance Commission (1995) 182 CLR 1 New South Wales v Doherty [2011] NSWCA 225 Nominal Defendant v Cordin [2017] NSWCA 6 Pamment v Pawelski (1949) ALR 860; (1949) 79 CLR 406 Podrebersek v Australian Iron & Steel [1985] HCA 34 Reece v Reece (1994) 19 MVR 103 Schofield v Hopman [2017] QSE 297 Sharman v Evans (1977) 13 ALR 57 Sharman v Evans (1977) 13 ALR 57; (1977) 138 CLR 563 South Western Sydney Local Health District v Gould [2018] NSWCA 69 Southgate v Waterford [1990] Aust Torts Reports 81-065; (1990) 21 NSWLR 427 Sparks v Hobson; Gray v Hobson (2018) 361 ALR 115; [2018] NSWCA 29 Sutherland Shire Council v Major [2015] NSWCA 243 Van Dyke v Sidhu [2013] NSWCA 198 Wallace v Kam [2013] HCA 19 Wang v State of New South Wales [2010] NSWCA 209 Watson v Foxman (1995) 49 NSWLR 315 Woods v Collins [2018] SADC 62 Woolworths Ltd v Strong [2010] NSWCA 282 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Diana Lynn Makaroff (Plaintiff) Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District (First Defendant) Dr Paul Percy (Second Defendant) Representation: Counsel: M Finnane QC with C Stewart (Plaintiff) J Downing with J Harris (First Defendant) M Hutchings (Second Defendant)