Insurance, Banking, Construction & Government Wednesday, 1 April 2015 View in browser

A daily Bulletin listing our choice of Decisions of Superior Courts of Australia.
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Insurance, Banking, Construction & Government

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Executive Summary (One Minute Read)
White v Benjamin (NSWCA) - damages - motor accidents compensation - appeal against assessment of damages allowed (I)
Black v Young (NSWCA) - damages - motor vehicle accident - appeal against assessment of damages dismissed (I)
Re Estate of the Late Assim; Application of Assim and Assim (NSWSC) - Wills and estates - urgent appointment of administrators with limitations on powers (B)
Graves v West (No 2) (NSWSC) - damages - assault during rugby union game - physical and psychological injury - damages assessed (I)
Pyramid Constructions (WA) Pty Ltd v Form Doctors Pty Ltd (WASC) - costs - defendant ultimately conceded plaintiff’s entitlement to relief - defendant to pay plaintiff’s costs (B C)
Summaries With Link (Five Minute Read)
White v Benjamin [2015] NSWCA 75
Court of Appeal of New South Wales
Beazley ACJ; Basten & Meagher JJA
Damages - motor accidents compensation - appellant driver injured when her stationary vehicle hit from behind by vehicle driven by first respondent - appellant had undisputed continuing disability flowing from neck injury - primary judge awarded appellant damages for future economic loss resulting from loss of earning capacity but no damages for past economic loss, gratuitous domestic care or commercial services - appellant challenged assessment of damages - held: appeal against award of damages for loss of earning capacity rejected - trial judge erred in increasing deduction for vicissitudes to 25% - trial judge erred in dealing with claim for domestic assistance as covered by s15 Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW) - assessment of damages for domestic care for motor accidents to be conducted under s141B Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999 (NSW) - no reason to interfere with rejection of claim for gratuitous domestic services - amount allowed for future domestic assistance - appeal allowed in part.
White (I)
Black v Young [2015] NSWCA 71
Court of Appeal of New South Wales
Basten JA, Sackville AJA & Adamson J
Damages - motor vehicle accident - appellant injured in motor vehicle accident - liability admitted - primary judge awarded appellant damages for economic loss - appellant appealed against assessment of damages - held: no error shown in primary judges finding that back condition was not causally related to accident - no error in not awarding damages for diminution of earning capacity due to appellant’s psychological condition - no error in award of buffer - sum awarded not outside range having regard to evidence- not inconsistent with s126 Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999 (NSW) Act to award buffer in appropriate cases - appeal dismissed.
Black (I)
Minumbra Pty Ltd v AM Lancewood Investment Nominees Pty Ltd [2015] NSWSC 302
Supreme Court of New South Wales
Young AJA
Contract - guarantee - plaintiff was guarantor - defendant was principal creditor which loaned amount to borrower (entity whose liability was partially guaranteed) - dispute concerning whether surety was able to be subrogated to remedies of principal creditor even though money still owed to principal creditor - guarantor sought various declarations as to its rights under collection of deeds - whether surety had granted “part guarantee” or whether it was “limited recovery guarantee” - held: plain words of document showed drafter made clear distinction between subject matter of guarantee and cap on liability of guarantor - document was limited recovery guarantee - subrogation rights not available until lender’s claim on borrower under deeds paid in full - guarantor’s claim failed.
Minumbra (B)
In the Estate of Johnson (Deceased) [2015] SASC 51
Supreme Court of South Australia
Gray J
Wills and estates - testamentary capacity - trustee sought grant of letters of administration with copy of Will annexed - deceased died in 2012 - deceased made Will in 2004 - original Will could not be found - medical report expressed opinion deceased not of testamentary capacity when Will made - consideration of further material addressing question of capacity - held: in contentious probate proceedings which become undefended Court maintained oversight when considering Will’s validity - Court satisfied deceased had testamentary capacity and that it was appropriate to admit copy of Will to probate.
Johnson (B)
Pyramid Constructions (WA) Pty Ltd v Form Doctors Pty Ltd [2015] WASC 94
Supreme Court of Western Australia
Martin CJ
Costs - commerical arbitration - no adjudication on merits - plaintiff sought removal of arbitrator from arbitration upon which he had embarked - orders sought pursuant to s13 Commercial Arbitration Act 2012 (WA) - ultimately arbitrator withdrew as consequence of defendant advising him it would not oppose orders - parties disagreed as to costs - held: relevant ’event’ in this case was that party against whom relief sought eventually conceded moving party’s l entitlement to relief. - moving party substantially successful in achieving objectives of proceedings - costs to follow event - defendant to pay plaintiff’s costs.
Pyramid (B C)