Lapadat, Michael v Civil and Civic Pty Ltd

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C A T C i 3 W r ) R D S

Damages - Appeal on quantum upheld.

MICHAEL LAPADAT

C I V I L AND C I V I C PTY.

LIMITFD

F.C. No. 10 of 1978

Smithers, Connor and Frank1 JJ.

Canberra

2 9 November

1979

IN THE FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA)

)

AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY

No. F.C. 10 of 1978

DISTRICT REGISTRY

BETWEEN : MICHAEL LS.PAEAT

Appellant

AND	:	C I V I L AND C I V I C PTY.
-
LIMITED

Respondent

JUDGES MAKING ORDER: Smithers, Connor and Frank1 JJ.

DATE OF

ORDER

: 2 9 Uove~nher 1 '379 .

WHERE MADE

: Canberra

THE COURT ORDERS THAT:

l.	Appeal upheld.

2. Order of Supreme Court of the Austral ian Capltal

Ter r i to ry var ied by the substitution of

the sum

of $51,739.19

f o r the sum of $38,739.19.

Respondent

t o pay

t h e appe l l an t ' s

cos t s of

the

appeal.

IN THE FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA)

AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY	No. F.C.	10 o f 1978
m I C T REGISTRY

BETWEEN:

MICHAEL LAPADAT

A p p e l l a n t

AND:	CIVIL AND CIVIC PTY. LIMITED

R e s p o n d e n t

Coram:	S m i t h e r s ,	C o n n o r	a n d	F r a n k i	<TJ.
C a n b e r r a

29 November

1 9 7 9

REASONS FOR JUDGMENT

SMITHERS, CONNOR a n d FRANK1 JJ.:

This i s an appea l by

Mlchael Lapadat l l n l t e d t o

t h e measure of

damges .

21 August

1374, t h e a p p e l l a n t ,

w h i l s t working

f o r t h e respondent ,

was

i n j u r e d when

f e l l some

$ 0 o r 13 f e e t t o t h e ground

from a

s c a f f o l d .

The

l e a r n e d t r l a l judge

found

f o r t h e

a p p e l l a n t

t h e

q u e s t i o n o f negl igence and awarded nlm the sum of $58,739.19

by way of damages.

The A u s t r a l i a i n 1961 and was

a p p e l l a n t ,

who

w a s born i n liournania,

came t o

24 y e a r s of

age

a t t h e d a t e of

t h e t r i a l .

l e f t school a f t e r g e t t l n g t h e School

C e r t i f i c a t e a t t h e Albury North High

School about 1970.

Ee went t o Canberra about

1973 and worked t h e r e a s a

b u i l d e r ' s

l a b o u r e r .

had

been employed i n t'nat

c a p a c l t y

by t h e respondent f o r some months a t t h e t ime of	t h e
a c c i d e n t .

The

l e a r n e d t r l a l judee,

wi thout indicating h l s

method

c a l c u l a t i o n ,

s a i d :

" I n my

vlew he

i s e n t l t l e d t o

v e r d i c t

a s fo l lows:

1 .	Out of pocket	1,475.19
2.	Loss of wages t o December 1976 and

p e r i o d

ending

February 1977

16,264.00

Loss of

ea rn ing

c a p a c l t y

'12,000.00

4. Pnln , suffering and

l o s s of

axen;tit7s

9,000.00

The

f i g u r e f o r o u t o f

~?ockc t ; s

5.2s i:n , : ~ ~ t r c ?

a:.:r~c!-.t.

11; 111 5

j ud~mel l t

t112 t r l z l jildge c?? so .-ad:

"Fly concluz Lcnr, ~ r . c

t!:?t

t : ~ c

p! z ~ n ~ l l r f

h a s s u f S ~ : ~ ~ ~ l

1 1 : j l ~ i ~ ~ c ~ : :

C -~,LLII[;

JI:LL;:

a r ~ d

d l s a b , l l t l y

P :~~-~ :C . :~LC,? \ :

111 t h e l,,ick

and a n k l e ,

t!?ri!

do a]:.'

,. ~11

d.lsc~~.:i~."y

hirn

frocl t h c :.,or.!:

o f :l

l . m ~ l ~ l < c r ' s

:.:..l.~urc?

o r o t h e r heavy 1:iL::urlr.r:.

I r.oulc!

k,eve

found

t h a t i ~ t :

!i:!d

this ~ ~ r y ~ : > l l l t y

c:~.:s.

tlnle i n 1975 h t I 2ccc;)r: l::.,-

~ ; :p I .~c :~-c~ol i

o f t h e a:/ard

(c:.hlS:t

)

r.dc.

on ; I t

Deccrnhcr 1976,

a s rel::L-il:g

T O t h e 1;orlr

L u l l d e r t s l a b o u r c ~ . .

man

is n o t u s u a l l y a S l c t o p e r f c r x

heavy labourjnl; L ~ r k

e!?:;i ?p

f c r a l l

h i s woriclng

l l i e ;

eve r l t~~=: l ly

119 ~111

be obllgcci ts s e ~ k

1 7 E!-I

L+:-

(non-ski! l c d )

work accepting s rcuuccd ::age

11 ncccs sa ry .

F u r t h c r ,

nr;, n o t s ~ t l r i l c d

t h a t t5c

p l a l n t l f i ' hcz n;?..dc cl:lcerc

cnd re?sz::nble

efforc::

t o o b c ~ 2 ; l

r7,p;o'.

L X C - ! i~h l : ? h

c a p a t l l l ty cmrt o attcv>::t ;G

re'c.3bll:t;ce

himself

x i t h i n I-:S

o:.n

C L ~ S ~ C L

b.;.

Ec kas

becn

L L I I ~ C I I E , 1 2 ?CP2:15.

-.a

a c c c v t

COT,:: ?ii:::~tlc:1 ?, . I ,

;

135

' 1 1 ~

for' cnne

p c r s n 01%

or~r.r!:r:~x:cr,

to .jnrc^n;e

21Pe l r s

f o r hl17.

I uo ::it

r e p ; - e t!~" rot::l

pe r lod

o f f v20i.k

a s a L L I ~ Z ~

t o

er:r;: L I I ~ c zpdc~xj r .

E x h i b i t

"E"

h a s en r i .ard ~ z d c

uxdcr

t : ~ r . I.'nr!:;*~?~ S

Z.-::y-:rr

r n

Ordinznce 1.151 on 111 5ccca:lt;r. 1376 cr,d inclkdcli t 5 c f lzldlng

t h a t :

"The

P!:?licnnt

l-2s

been t n t a l ly i n c z p c c ~ t z t e l

f o r I:?!:

8 s n

rc :? . l r

C ) ; :

5,:ltl

zc,-:?i.n',

f r o n 2'1s-L F.iigds;;,

19'7;

;

c l ? t ~ e!~a C C I I ~ ~ I ; U F . L

a s ~ n c a p e c l t a t ~ d

r o r v.ork."

Two

r ? r c ~ z l l s t @rthopcc<i;c :;url;e>r:::

'ticre called

on bekz l f

t h e a y p c l l n n i ,

onc a

Cr .

Ro~l~uc lc

pract1:;lng

i n Canberra

and

t h e othcr* a

!>I-.

!<?rig pi->c t - s l ; ? ~

a t .?it;u:-;l.

Rcpor t s

from

- 3 -

consen t and

i n r e ~ p e c t

t o t n o s e t h z l ed rncd t1.121

j u d ~ ~ '

s a l d

I n h i s judgnerlt:

''1 heve e ~ p e r - l e n c c d L:)?

d:f!lclil

tj-

o t h e r s no C;L.LIZLL

llzvt, f '31 t

I n tr;l;n=

t o evaluaL2 r:y.lclel;ce

. l ; i ch 1s

produced 111 t h e form o:

a r c j > ~ r t . "

The

t r i a l judge

d l d n o t

i n d l c , . t c l n d;.L;a11 t h e vie:^

h e took	o f	t h e s e i 7 c r a l r e p o r t s b u t hc d	~	lca;;c :: fxlndln,?	d
t h a t :

"There i s no evl$cnce ' h l c h

I acc.?pt

t h a t any

psy<.i,i; tric

cc r d i t l c n

s u f f e r e d by :.ne p:arr,t:

ff i1111

c o n t i n u e r f t ~ r

t h e l l x l ; ? t l c n ;

and

some

evide:lcc

z s s e r t s 11:

t,as a t

some sta,ce !-?.!.ln~;e1'1:1;.

I i ~ o t e

t h e ev ldecce

t:!2t,

i n c i f c c x , h e

e x a g s c r a t e s

h ls

11~:).

The t r i a l judge fo~m-F

1;!:at

t h e ~ - : ~ p c l l z n t

k1r.d no l:noT:,n

p h y s i c a l

d e f l c i e n c l e s up

t o

the

t lmc

t h e a c c l d e ~ i t . lie

a l s o f o u ~ d :

" In t h e act-drnt

t h c p l a ~ c t i f f

sufic-red

ni;drrpl .?c~ri P o ' i ~ ' s

f r a c L u r e of

l e f t 2 :':le

and

conLL~?s1311

t o the l e f t :.;.ec.

Also

h e {:as

dxi:,c::,:d

a s 112~111,: i.

concht i o n

knz .-n

s ~ ~ r . ~ ~ ~ v l o l l s t : l . ~ . c , : s

which

i t s ~ ! f 1s

~2~~2'21;

;;:'0d~~illl;

p a l n

and

i rduced

11: h l s c a s e

c o n & c n l t a l ci,::,.!:tlon

. P ; .- ~ . - z ~ . c ~ ~ . d

t h e f a l l cn 2 1

iiu~~1s-L.

l .;'(b. 'l

The

t r i a l judge

'illcr.

dea1.t

f u r t h e r with t h e s e

t h r e e c o r d i t l o n s .

rc l? . t ion

t o t h c l e f t sn l t l e he

found tkt ther.2 ;./as n fr3ct.~:-c o f t1.e

r ; , ~d l r l l

::a1 leolu:;

b u t a p p a r e n t l y :,;lthout

di.-plnc:~;.!cnt

X J I ~

t h a t lt

a l s o

seemed

t h e r e was

c l l g l ~ t l : ~

dlcpl,?cr:i

L'?:

c t u r c 02 t l lc

a n t e r i o r p a r t of

tile

lo!:cr

ci?d o f

t h e t l b i n b u t t h z t n f Le?

some

d e l a y

t h e

f r a c t u r e s ~ l l i t e d

s a t i r F r c t o r l l y .

Dr..

Rochucl:,

i n h i s ev idence ,

s a j d

t h 3 t hc h:id

:iet::~

t!le

? l a i r ~ t : . , ~ on

s e v e r a l

occzs lons

b~ 'c>%~e?n

2 A p r i l 1975 arid 6 Apr i l 1978

and t h a t ss a t t h i s l a t t e r ?.ate

t h e p l n l n t l f f 11ld about

30% t o 40%

of t h e n o r r z l r,i:,,;c

o f KCVC: i-n':s

rirld

Lnat h ~ . s

c o n ~ p l a i n t

o f

I1s t i f f r . css" I n t l lc

a n k l e

jolr-.t

wa:,

r c a s o n a t l c

i n t h e c i r c u i s t a n c c s .

a l s o conslde: ed

t h a t the d c ~ r e e

restriction

of ~ , o v e z e n t

!.auld be p(.:-r::lnent

b u t t h a t ,

a p a r t from

stiffness,

t h i s !:ould

n o t l c a d t o p r o b l c ~ i ~ s

i n

the f u t u r e .

D r .

I:e:lg

s a l d t h a t t h e p l ~ l r ~ t l f f

could

develop a r t h r i t i s i n t h e a!llil?

I n h15 l z t c f i f t i e s and

t h a t

t h i s cou ld come

e a r l ~ e r

i f

t h e sppcl l .nnl

\ . z s ir,volvcd

i x

heavy

l a b o u r .

I n r e l a t l o n t o t h e l c i t 1:ncc

t h e trl:il

judgc

found

t h r t as a

r e s u l t o f t h e accicix?t, 3"

as a n age i*~- ; a t l on

produced

t h e accident,

t h e p l a i n t , i f f

s u f f c r c d

c o n d i t l c n 1tl?oT,:n 2s

chor.drcr?.~.;1~xi

~ ) a t e l l a e

f o r :.i:ici~ k.c

was

given c o r t i s o n e i n

j e c r l o - s .

D r .

RC cbuclc

i n evi?er:ce

s a i d h e

thought

t h c a p p e l l z n t tiould

_ut30bni;ly' deve lo r

a ~ ~ t h r i t l s

+ h z t ccs.pal-tme:~t of

t1.e

!:E;.-.

j o i n t ultj.m,.itcly

r e q u i r m z rc,noval of t h e lcn-e

c22 b

t h i s t t ~ o ~ ~ l d ,

i n

e f f e c t ,

f r c e 111m o f

a r t h r ~ t l c

pain Lut t:auld lea-;? some

\~fcakncss

and

s t l f f n c s z l w t !I?

c!id

n o t t!linli

any. s i = i f l c n n t

p a i n I V O U ~ ~

remaln.

- 5 -

I n r e l a t i o n t o t h e back

t h e t r l a l

judjic

f o ~ n d

t h a t t h e

a p p e l l a n t

had

conr l l t lon

s p o n ~ l y l o l l : - . t : 1 ~ ~ 1 . s

whlch may have

been

long s t a n d l n g , b u t whlch

was

aggravated by

t h e i n j u r y .

That

c o n d i t l o n ,

h e

found,

would

a ~ g r a v a t e d

by hard work and

it	could account f o r t h e p a l n s a l d t o have been f e l t by t h e

a p p e l l a n t

i n h l s back.

D r .

Keng

eq)la;ned

t h a t i n t h l s c o n d i t l o n

s p o n d y l o l i s t h e s l s

t h e r e was

separation

t h e

v e r z e b r a l

body

t h e n e u r a l

a r c h and

t h a t people

s u f f e r l n c from

t h l s condition

would

n o t be

f i t f o r heavy

l a b c u r l n g work.

D r .

Roebuck

s a i d

i n gene ra l

t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t

i n Apr l l

19'78 was

f l t f o r most

k inds of work

o t h e r t han heavy labouring.

I n dec ld ing whether

t o a l low t h l s aypeal

t h e Court

i s n o t

e n t l t l e d merely t o s u t s t l t u t e i t s own view b

i t must

e w n l n e

t h e t o t a l sum

awarded

f o r gene ra l damages

and dec lde whether ,

t c u s e t h e words of Alckln J .

(w l th whose reasons f o r judgment

Barwlck C . J .

and Stephen J. ag reed ) i n Gsmser v . Thc Nominal

Defendant (1977) 51 A.L. J . R .

315 a t pp.

371-322

t h a t award

f o r gene ra l

damages

"cu t

o f

a l l reaso11"

o r

"wholly

d l s p r o p o r t l o n a t e

t o t h e c ~ r c u m s t a n c e s " .

Gibbs

J .

a t p .

?lr / c l t e d a

passage

from

Davies v.

Powell Duffryn Associa ted

C o l l l e r l e s Ltd.

b 9 4 a

A . C .

601 a t pp.

616-617

whlch w a s c l t e d wi th approval by Dlxon C . J.

and K l t t o J.

I n M l l l e r v .

J e r i l n g s (1954) 92 C.L:R.

190 a t

pp.195-195.

The passage Included t h e following:

"It 1s d l f f l c u l t t o l a y dx.m

any precise

r u l e which w l l l cover a l l c a s e s .

b u t e

good

gene ra l gulde is glven by

k r e e r L . . J .

I n F l l n t v .

Love l l ,

0 9 3 3

K.B.

a t -360.

I n

e f f e c t

t h e

c o u r t ,

be fo re

lt i n t e r f e r e s wl th an award

o f

damages,

should be

s a t l s f l e d t h a t t h e

judge

has ac t ed on a wrong principle c f

law,

o r has mlsapprehendea

t h e f a c t s ,

o r has

f o r t h e s e o r o t h e r

reasons

made

wholly

erroneous e s t l c a t c of

t h e

damay;? sui.'.'errci.

I t . is nnt cnouryh

t h z t i,!l~;';

l!,

1)t.l L:

KC(, 0 3 '

~0T)1111@!1

o r p r e i e r e ~ c e . Th?

s c , i ~ i .

,>u::t go

do!m

l leav l ly .:r,:lr,:

t t : l c f,!l;~?c

tit tac1:cd

i f tile .

ppcl l ?.

tc.

c c ~ u r t

t o in te l - f e r e , :.!I?

;!lap

211

-i.l;c:

grnul:J

o f excess o r 111rjuf

L ' I C ~ L ' I I C Y .

I f

We cc:l~e no'& t o ex:>l:linc t h e as:,esr.::.,cr,t o f d::ilagcs

r;h;ch

w a s mxie.

D c l l i n g f l ~ s t

\;it11

l t c : ~

2 it seems difficult

?l .

t o d e c i d e ,<,hether :the el:ar(l

o f

1C,26!1 v x s t o cover l o s s

o f

wages

f r a , , ~

t h e date of

the a c c l d c r L t to Deccr:bt

1976 o r

i s t h e e.-..;ct

f l z . ~ r e

wlllch

i s

a l - s l - ~ e d

a t os t h e np-c-ed

amount t h e a p p e l l a n t v.nuld

hsvc ~..>:-:ii-d i f he had v:orlrcd

b u i l d e r ' s

l a b o u r e r

f o r t h e p ~ = l o d

from

tlie

a c c l d e n t

t o 1 4 December 1976.

It secxs t l ~ t

rLc f l&ure of $16,25/t

i s i n r e s p e c t

o f

t h e perzod

c ~ d c d

on I'J December 1976.

The	f indln,;	nlede	under	xhe	: ' ~ r : ~ v ~ > - . ~	z 'Jr,.fi-~?nca?io~i	C-dl!~,o.nce
---------

t h a t t o t a l l n c s p a c i t y

c ~ i s t c d

up t o 14 Geccnber 1976 nay

e x p l a i n t h e 1-cfer;.nce

t o lfD(xct.:n';lcr 197611 b u t ho:;cver

one

i n t e r p r e t s

i t em 2

any

l o s s o f

earnzng

c ~ p a c i t y m

r c l a t l c n

t o t h e p e r i o d

e l t h c r from

Dccc:rSer

1976 o r from F e b r u ~ r j r

1977 t o t h e d a t e o f

judg:,:ent

i n iidy

1979 can o n i y f l n i

a p l a c e ,

i f a t a l l , i n i t e n 3 w!?crc

t h e " l o s s o f

earning

c a p a c i t y n !:as

e s t l ~ a t c ?

a t ?12,OC3.

It was agreed t h a t ,

i f

t h e p l a i n t ] . f r

hcd

n 0 t.

b C e n

injlx-ecl

a n d

ha,:

been

e a r n j r ? ~

a n e t v!acc

o f

$175 p c r \;*?e;i a t the d a t e o f

t h e t r l a l , 22J a t '14 Dec?:ih?r

1975 the c :or respond~ng

f i g u r e was

agreed

t o be

:,165.

r x n r e c e i v i n g $165

week

and c o r k i n e f o r n y c z r v:ould

r e c a v c i n excess o f

$8,500.

The l ~ a r n c d

t r i a l . .iuc',;:c.

d-(1 ncl t

indlc : , tc

i n any

way

how

h e r e a c ~ i e d

t h e r ' l ca rc

o i ;:12,(>',,3

f o r tilt.

l o s s o f

e a r n m g c a p c l

t p i,ut

bcal- L!],-

In : r l l .J

t!:<l

L I n nl:,

jutll:l?ent

i n Nay

1970 th? t r i a l j u d ~ c

s c l d

tl,-..t

t l l ?

p l a l r l t i f f l r ,

i n j u r i e s

.do 2nd w i l l disc!uallfy 1.m 11-cm t h e work o f a

b u i l d e r ' s

l a l x u r ~ : ~ .

o r o t i i c r heavy

Inbo~l:-i~?:;" and

t h e

f i n d l n g o f

t h e :I'orkers

Con::~c~~:r,ntlcn Tr.ibunnl

t h a t - iota1

incapacity

e::lstcd

on 1 4 Eccen?bcr 1?'16 it i s c l l f i ~ c u l k .

t o

s e e how

t h e f i l w r e f o r t l ?? l o s s o f

eEri?lnk:

c32::clty

fro;n

e i t h e r C-.cember

l976 o r February 1977 could L e prope!,ly

a s s e s s c d

a t $12,C03.

There !:&S

e v l d m c e be fo r< , t h e Court o f

t h e

a v a l l n b i l i t y

o f

t h e

t y p e

,<orl: : .I~lch thc. ; ) l a ln t l l ' f

could 20,

o r i n i c c d o f

t h e m g e , '..hicil

t l ,e p l a l n t ~ f i

rnq;ht

have expected

r ece ly ; e icr suck a:rk

2 - t

the t lme r,f

t h e

t r i a l .

Vnsr^tls:'actor)-

as this 1s +i;e tr.121 ju-I{;e s - i ~ l l

has

t o do

t h e L e s t he

can !-l;!:

t h e r :~a t~ , r i a i

va1;able.

(Fee

g e n e r a l l y

PJ::t--?:>:l

Zrn-

t:-:,~~.r.+-s " t ; ~ .

I . t r l .

v .

G j 1.1 e s

(1975)

49 A.L.J.R.

3 4 0 ) .

The lczrn-?d t r l a l judge

said t h a t he xias n o t

s a t l s f l c d tcz t

T!??

p l a l n t ~ f f

'12d

!(,-:CL(. s ~ ~ c e r c

2nd

reasor ,zble

e f f o r t s

t o obi-alri

e:~lo::.~r..nt ;~ ! l t h~ r l

1:ls

ca ; ah l l i t y

o r t o

a t t e i ~ p t

t o rc -h : lb l l~ t? ' i e n]:~.:z.:lf

l:,

L~I?::

!l>?,

o : , ~

cacnci t ; -

and h e a l s o :.?i,>

4.?i~at

!i?

di2 " rv t

r.c;;,:rt!

b:,c.

t r ; ta l

p c r l c d

o f f so!-;:

as a , r . l ~ d c

tL,

~,-.l-nlrls

~31~-;clt::.Il

Doing t l : ~

kcs-. we :.:.l

!:;h

the cv.l.r:, l:cc zrlr! i>::arir~r:

i n r1111d

p:<:';

r * i~ l . : r :

- P -

1 .

t h e 2ge of

t h e ~ p p c l l c n t ,

2.	i h c l a c k	o f	e d u c a t i c n a l	q u n l ~ f i c n t l c : ~ ~	of	z t e
a p p e l l a n t ,

t h a t t h e o n l y v:o~.l..

l;he

a p p c l l a n : ~

had

cvcr

d i f l c

had

been

l s b s u r i n g work,

t h e n a t u r e o f

t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s

lnjL:.r1~s,

5 . t h e f u t ~ r o

l l k e l y condi t lo r .

t h e .~ppell.;lnt

a s a r e z u l t o f

Ele i n j u r l c s , ar:d

tl;cr

he k.as

l o s t e l t i r e l y and pcrxancntl;:

h z s

c, p a c ~ t - , ~

t o

perform

heavy

l a b 3 u r l n g work,

t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t w 2 s m1i l :c ly

be ablr . t o

compete on equa l t e r : ~ s

agz lnr , t men t!!lo

d l d ~ o t

s u f f e r

p h y s i c a l

d l s a b l l . l t l e s

i n t h e

l a b o u r

c a r k e t .

(See

g r r ~ e r a l l y

v .

> . 1 1 ~ 9 ~ i 3

(i3'iG)

50 i1.L.J.R.

E L : 3 ) ,

t h a t a p 3 r t from tl:e

accif icnt t : ~ e

cipp-2!l.cnt r:t;ht

reasona'2ly

ha.\.,- c;+i.c

t c ?

t o perfa:-a

h w v y 1: l tour l l~g

work f o r & , ~ ~ t k ~ r

y t s r s

and

t e k i n g

i a t o c~ccount ~h. -

v l c i s : ; ~

t:lc:,

l i f e we

a r e of t h e

op in lon

t h 2 t t h ?

m o u n t G

$12,003

1s !.;holly

d i s ~ ; ~ o ; ~ r t l o n e t z

t o t h e

c i r c c n i r t ~ . ~ ~ c c s

and

c o n s i d e r t!:2!:

I ' i ~ p r e ~f $30,C03

is a p p r o p r i a t e .

7szz;rlnin:;

'i!lls

f i p r q s I n t h e li:!lt

o f

U/J

t a b l e s f o r ,

s a y 25

year:;,

one f i n d s t h a t t h l s \:o\:ld

b e t h e

" , F

p ~ . e s c n i

v a l u e of kn eczl?s;llc ?-c:;s c f c71:sut

: ; 'J

p e r ~ e c ! ~ .

i3c:fcr t o tl-?sc t t b l e c a s no

I : ~ L ' C th:11

I I C C ~ V ~

~ ' : ,C~[ :~ -CIUE~

ma tc--ir:l

anr.

a r e

:; , lndful i'?z-L the. l re ry :Lil;..ited C ~ o ~ i t

o f

e ~ l d i i l ~ e

I n t h ~ s

caze

r , , - l r - c

... I..,

e:.:t;-c,in!.y

c l~fZ: r ,u l t tc

atte,-.:!i

c:ny

p r i ' c l r c

anzly,;l:;

t!??

; > @ ~ l t i c . l ~ .

The o n l y ot!icr

tc.:!

p n e r c i l d~,:n..r;es i r ~ c l ~ d c d

L:I

t h e t o t a l v e r d l c t

the

f l g u r u o f

i 7 , 0 8 ~ 3

f c r ;;am,

s u f f e r l n g and

l o s s o f

n ~ e n l l ~ c n .

: , c co rL ln~ r o

t h c

a p p e l l n n t ' s evicicrcc,

z f t z t h e nccldcl l t hlk, ]PI:

was

i n

p l a s t e r f o r sonlc

l:-o

months

and

s t ! I Icrcd

cu~ l s l c i e r ab i c

p a i n .

IIe

t r i e d t o i.sr:: 1~ 1:ovcriber

' i ' 3 ' i ' l l

?.ut 11c

s a i d

he could n o t co:ltlr;uc

L?r,,?usc of pr, -:I

c ~ d ,

111 i k y 1:)';'5,

went

t o P. lb~~i-y,

!r!?,?rc 111s p(lr,ml;s 11; .~d, and 211 l:lr.c!l

1976 wss adfiiitt&

t a 'no:;pit,tl

v-hel-c h i s l e g iios il;

t r s c t i o n

f o r two

or-

t h r e e we5ts .

?I - ior

t o t h c a c c l d c n t

t n e a p p e l l a n t

s a i d t h a t h l s nl?ln i~c'c.bl?s v e r c

s\!;nl-iin~, runping 2nd

a t h l e x l c s and	t h a t he h2d	r!:&,~gcd i n zoiile i:ci&!lt	lifting
aild j u d ~ .

S incewe 12-:vc

rc?c?.c?

ccn? lu - i o : ~ t h a t ?hi3

a:loun-t

awarded f o r l o s s o f

i a~~l i . : : C r k i , - ( 1'4

!!:.S

iriode.;u:-..cc

it i s

a p p r a p r i s t e t o ci:aa,ne

'.: i

r,.>unt 2. .21*dd Tor pe?.r,,

s u f f e r i n g

and l o s s c f a?!eni l l c s ,:

:L!.

cl,!cclj-

t h m would

other i : l se

t h e cn-e. We

a r e i i t i ~ t e

: z ~ l r . ? i c l :

t h a t

t h e a ~ o u n t

of 59,OC'O was n o t t c c ':?--:;I.

IT r,.!,-i

renr-!nbcrcd t h z t

up t o t h e d a t e 31 '1,-

tr.!71

ihe ' I : ~ . ~ - ! ~ F ~ L

ha.; ;uffe~.t;c!

consldera:>-Le p.jl.2 ?...l1

I-?-'UP

L. L:.'.

i n the a c ' c i v l t l e ~

i n t ~ h l c h

tr:

couid

cllgage.

'I'!ILS

c ? c-?.:.l.:r

r , ~ b s

LL?n+,l;4l e l f e c r

on h i s enjrJ;.;r.:nr

o f t?.,:

?.,-:r>~l?tl"~

P* LIc. 'Innere 1s

evi<:ycc

t!?a~ 5,. ,.; 11 : ,;:I;,

- c

.,l.? v' I l 1 tl.::i

C !sc~llll",~rt,

some measure

o f

p a i n

and

r e s t r i c t e d m o b i l i t y

f o r t h e

r e s t o f

h i s l i f e .

i s only

r ea sonzb lc

t o cor,c:.:'r:

;:i.lt,

~ > c , ; ~ u c :

G C

t k e

? l . n l t ? t l o n

l n

t h e

a c t i v i ',leas

c?:, ,

i-G li .r.,

I I J :-i F ;

, b r t~~* , i . t y

q en,!cy t '?c

meni t l c : ;

of 11:',2

I?,?:

t :cn

:.I ' ,~-II

ri::A'~ily rt.,*11:;~il ~ Z C ~ U S C

I U

. -

o f

t h e a c c ~ d e n t . Tn

a l l t h c CII'CLI.;::~

iilCC::

w e i , . . r ~ h ~ L e ~

a f i g u r e of I>?,C,S3 was t 0 3 lo!,

zr,c

L! c I. ,?-I

~ ! ; o ~ r ,

t cl

Q614,C30 i s ajly~i-o;x-lat? for. o:.t:ri,

s~:Ll'c

L it , .;

~ n d

l o s s

o f

ameni t~c-S .

Thc

c - < c a l l f i l -u re

f o r

r t ; : l ~ r a l c ! a r , y ~ s , i.:h~c'll

would

r e s u l t f r o 3 ?;orkl,l;;

ur~on

tli;. 1.2-1s t!!::~

z11 a p p : - o ~ ~ r l z t e

amount f o r t h ? ~ C L S

o f

cr!i-nln& c:>:.c:r~t:.

'1132,590

21?d

z p p r o p r i a t e

z,:owl-';

f o r pain,

s ~ I f c , _ . l r : g

,'.i:c!

i o s s cl' t h e

a m e n i t i e s o f l l f e I:

r14,CC;O ~!culci b c :'LI),C,CO.

Cn t:his

basis

t h e t o t a l a::3ra

f o r dL~1.-ages % . c a l

cl be :':G1 ,739..

F i n a l l y ,

t r e a t ~ n g

th;s f ~ p r e

a s a

s ~ n g l e

slx! of

money,

an2 S e a r l ~ : ; i n mind

t h e nccd

t o kwcrd

a p l n s t any

flovcrl ,?npingll ,

.re a n s i d e r

t h 2 t

t h e

f i m r e o f

,739.13

r e p r e s e n t s

f n i ?

i:nd

r ea sonab le

c o n p ~ n r n t l o n

f o r t h e

i n j u r i e s received.

i s asp-c;) l , late

t o aLc!

t k c t t h l s view does n o t

d i s r e g a r d

t h e ficd;:lg

o f

-,h2

l i ~ w r . c C

t r i a l J L ! ~ ~ F

t h a t h e

was not s a t l s l l c d ?!:at t i i c ?..;;p?llsn:

had r;aci.e sil:r.er-e

axd

r e a s ~ n a b l e

c f f c r t s

t o

o b ~ z l n

c:~plojrn~r:~t ~ i t h i n

h i s

c a p a c i t y ,

o r t3 re!!;kiiltate

hlr :scl l '

v:it!lin

111s aim

capacity, b u t he c:?

n o t re:;?.rl

t h 3 t :

a f ?niir:; t:.at

f u r t i l s r ef Lot-:.;

i h ~

-]:p-llctll~ :

: l , lc l

I x v a resul:c?i

h i i.1 c lb ta lning

:.~ltzbl~-

c.:::?.s;..nent

:i31- th;t

slncc..r 2 ar,::

re3:biwS:~ ~f

T o r t s i n

i.ltu:-e

l j y tile !)lnlc?tl:f

~ ; ~ u i d

ellai>le ;11,:1

L 2

,LP, - 71

2 ~ ! 1 < 2 ~ , j

e c71;>:07,nt-. ;?.

Accordingly t h e appea l i s al lowed w i t h c o s t s and it

ordered

t h a t t h e

respondent

pay

t h e

a p p e l l a n t ' s

c o s t s

t h e

appea l and

t h a t t h e

o r d e r o f

t h e

Supreme

Court

t h e

A u s t r a l i a n

Capital Territory be varied by the substltation of the sun of

$61,739.19 for the sum of $38,739.19.

[1979] FCA 129

29 Nov 1979