Whitton v Dexus Funds Management Limited [2019] NSWDC 579

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Whitton v Dexus Funds Management Limited [2019] NSWDC 579 Hearing dates: 19-23 August 2019; 4-5 September 2019 Date of orders: 18 October 2019 Decision date: 18 October 2019 Jurisdiction: Civil Before: Dicker SC DCJ Decision: (1) Judgment for the defendant. (2) The plaintiff is to pay the defendant's costs of the proceedings as agreed or assessed. (3) Liberty to the parties to apply to seek a different cost order to that in (2). (4) Exhibits to be returned after 28 days. Catchwords: Torts – negligence – plaintiff struck by mobility scooter being driven in a shopping centre – whether defendant shopping centre operator breached a duty of care owed to the plaintiff – whether warnings required by signs due to a hoarding near an amenities corridor – whether convex mirrors needed – whether a barrier needed - causation – degree of economic loss of plaintiff – whether an amount for domestic assistance should be awarded Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW) Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW) Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011 (NSW) Cases Cited: Argo Managing Agency Ltd v Al Kammessy [2018] NSWCA 176 Bruce v Apex Software Pty Ltd [2018] NSWCA 330 Graham v Baker (1961) 106 CLR 340 Gulic V Angelovski [2018] NSWCA 161 Jackson v McDonald's Australia Ltd [2014] NSWCA 162 Lloyd v Thornbury [2019] NSWCA 154 Patrick Stevedores Operations (No 2) Pty Ltd v Hennessey [2015] NSWCA 253 Metro North Hospital and Health Service v Pierce [2018] NSWCA 11 Penrith City Council v Parkes [2004] NSWCA 201 Reece v Reece [1994] NSWCA 259 Sretenovic v Reed [2009] NSWCA 280 Strong v Woolworths Ltd (2012) 246 CLR 182 Wallace v Kam (2013) 250 CLR 375 White v Benjamin [2015] NSWCA 75 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Maree Whitton (Plaintiff) Dexus Funds Management Limited (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: I Roberts SC and S Tzouganatos (Plaintiff) N Polin SC (Defendant)