Widitz v AAI Limited t/as AAMI [2020] NSWSC 314

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Widitz v AAI Limited t/as AAMI [2020] NSWSC 314 Hearing dates: 18 March 2020 Date of orders: 27 March 2020 Decision date: 27 March 2020 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Schmidt AJ Decision: (1) The Assessor's decision is set aside.

(2) The matter is remitted to the State Insurance Regulatory Authority;

(3) All exhibits and subpoenaed material may be returned forthwith; any exhibits returned must be retained intact by the party or person that produced the material until the expiry of the time to file an appeal, or until any appeal has been determined. Catchwords: Administrative Law — Judicial Review— Error of law on the face of the record – Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999 (NSW) – Whether claims assessor failed to sufficiently disclose reasons for assessment of buffers for future treatment expenses and future care - whether the disputed conclusions were legally unreasonable - Appeal allowed Legislation Cited: Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999 Supreme Court Act 1970 Cases Cited: Allianz Australia Insurance Ltd v Kerr (2012) 83 NSWLR 302; [2012] NSWCA 13 Allianz Australia Insurance Ltd v Scrod [2012] NSWCA 281 Boral Bricks Pty Ltd v Cosmidis; Boral Bricks Pty Ltd v DM & BP Wiskich Pty Ltd [2013] NSWCA 443 Immigration & Ethnic Affairs, Minister for v Wu Shan Liang (1996) 185 CLR 259; [1996] HCA 6 Minister for Immigration and Citizenship v Li (2013) 249 CLR 332; [2013] HCA 18 Mulcahy v NRMA Insurance Limited & Ors [2018] NSWCA 189 Penrith City Council v Parks [2004] NSWCA 201 Pham v NRMA Insurance Ltd 66 MVR 152; [2014] NSWCA 22 Sampco Pty Ltd v Wurth [2015] NSWCA 117 Wingfoot Australia Partners Pty Ltd v Kocak (2013) 252 CLR 480; 88 ALJR 52; 303 ALR 64; [2013] HCA 43 Zahed v IAG Limited t/as NRMA Insurance [2016] NSWCA 55; 75 MVR 1 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Annette Widitz (Plaintiff) David Ford in his capacity as a claims assessor of the State Insurance Regulatory Authority (Second Defendant) State Insurance Regulatory Authority (Third Defendant) Representation: Counsel: E Grotte (Plaintiff) A J Bowen (First Defendant)