Delaney v Winn

[2015] NSWCA 124

Court of Appeal

Supreme Court

New South Wales

• Summary available

Medium Neutral Citation:

Delaney v Winn [2015] NSWCA 124

Hearing dates:

27 March 2015

Date of orders:

12 May 2015

Decision date:

12 May 2015

Before:

Ward JA at [1]
Emmett JA at [226]
Gleeson JA at [229]

Decision:

1. Extend time for the filing and service of the appellants’ notice of appeal to 21 August 2014.
2. Dismiss the appeal with costs.

Catchwords:

TORTS – negligence – duty of care – whether primary judge erred in not finding duty of care contended for on appeal though not pleaded at trial and inconsistent with manner in which appellants’ case was conducted at first instance

TORTS – negligence – breach of duty – whether primary judge erred in finding that there was no breach of duty to carry out inspection complying with relevant Australian Standard and that the respondent had not provided negligent advice to the appellants

CAUSATION – whether primary judge erred in formulating the test for causation of damage in a pure economic loss claim

APPEAL – evidence - challenge to factual findings – adequacy of reasons given for findings – credibility of witnesses – whether error in assessing credibility

Legislation Cited:

Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW), s 5D, s16
Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), ss 56-59
Evidence Act 1995 (NSW), s 60
Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), rr 51.9, 51.53

Cases Cited:

Benton v Scott’s Refrigerated Freightways [2008] NSWCA 143
Ceva Logistics (Australia) Pty Ltd v Redbno Investments Pty Ltd [2013] NSWCA 46
Coulton v Holcombe [1986] HCA 33; (1986) 162 CLR 1
Dare v Pulham [1982] HCA 70; (1982) 148 CLR 658
Fox v Percy [2003] HCA 22; (2003) 214 CLR 118
Gould and Birbeck and Bacon v Mount Oxide Mines Ltd (in Liq) [1916] HCA 81; (1916) 22 CLR 490
Ingot Capital Investments Pty Limited v Macquarie Equity Capital Markets Limited [No 6] [2007] NSWSC 124; (2007) 63 ACSR 1
Ingot Capital Investments Pty Limited v Macquarie Equity Capital Markets Limited [2008] NSWCA 206; (2008) 73 NSWLR 653
Keith v Gal [2013] NSWCA 339
London Passenger Transport Board v Moscrop [1942] AC 332
Shanmugaratnam v Strasburger Enterprises (Properties) Pty Ltd [2004] NSWCA 229
Vines v ASIC [2007] NSWCA 75; (2007) 62 ACSR 1

Category:

Principal judgment

Parties:

Cherie Marise Delaney (First appellant)
Kenneth John Cullinan (Second appellant)
Terrence Ralph Winn (Respondent)

Representation:

Counsel:
Ms V Heath (Appellants)
M Pesman SC with Ms A Power (Respondent)

Solicitors:
J P Capsanis & Co Lawyers (Appellants)
J S Mueller & Co (Respondent)

File Number(s):

CA 2014/00138906

Publication restriction:

Nil

 Decision under appeal 

Court or tribunal:

District Court of New South Wales

Jurisdiction:

Civil

Date of Decision:

10 April 2014

Before:

Finnane QC DCJ

File Number(s):

2012/259470

HEADNOTE

[This Headnote is not to be read as part of the judgment]

In September 2006, the appellants purchased a home on a steeply sloping block in a bush setting below a nature reserve at…