Trajkovski v Ballgate Pty Limited

[2018] NSWDC 308

District Court

New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation:

Trajkovski v Ballgate Pty Limited [2018] NSWDC 308

Hearing dates:

16, 17, 18 October 2018

Date of orders:

26 October 2018

Decision date:

26 October 2018

Jurisdiction:

Civil

Before:

Russell SC DCJ

Decision:

(1)   Judgment for the plaintiff against the defendant for $43,681.20.
(2)   Order the defendant to pay the plaintiff’s costs.
(3)   Grant leave to the parties to approach my Associate within seven days if either party seeks a different costs order.

Catchwords:

TORTS – negligence – plaintiff stepped on broken glass at hotel causing injury to foot

 

TORTS – negligence – duty – risk of harm – foreseeability – risk not insignificant – precautions against risk of harm – burden of taking precautions – causation

  DAMAGES – non-economic loss – past out-of-pocket expenses – past economic loss and future loss of earning capacity

Legislation Cited:

Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW)

Cases Cited:

Adeels Palace Pty Limited v Moubarak [2009] HCA 48; (2009) 239 CLR 420
Australian Safeways Stores Pty Limited v Zaluzna [1987] HCA 7; (1987) 162 CLR 479
Benmax v Austin Motor Co Limited [1955] AC 370
Bunnings Group Ltd v Giudice [2018] NSWCA 144
Derrick v Cheung [2001] HCA 48; (2001) 181 ALR 301
Fallas v Mourlas [2006] NSWCA 32; (2006) 65 NSWLR 418
Francis v Lewis [2003] NSWCA 152
Graham Barclay Oysters Pty Limited v Ryan [2002] HCA 54; (2002) 211 CLR 540
Hackshaw v Shaw [1984] HCA 84; (1984) 155 CLR 614
Jackson v McDonald’s Australia Ltd [2014] NSWCA 162
Jones v Bartlett [2000] HCA 56; (2000) 205 CLR 166
Kocis v SE Dickens Pty Limited [1998] 3 VR 408
Mobbs v Kain [2009] NSWCA 301; (2009) 54 MVR 179
Neindorf v Junkovic [2005] HCA 75
Reid v Commercial Club (Albury) Limited [2014] NSWCA 98
Roads & Traffic Authority (NSW) v Dederer [2007] HCA 42; (2007) 234 CLR 330
Shirt v Wyong Shire Council [1978] 1 NSWLR 631
Strong v Woolworths Limited [2012] HCA 5; (2012) 246 CLR 182
Vairy v Wyong Shire Council [2005] HCA 62; (2005) 223 CLR 422
Wilkinson v Law Courts Limited [2001] NSWCA 196

Category:

Principal judgment

Parties:

Dusko Trajkovski (Plaintiff)
Ballgate Pty Limited t/as “The Grand Hotel, Rockdale” (Defendant)

Representation:

Counsel:
M K Rollinson (Plaintiff)
R Gambi (Defendant)

  Solicitors:
Justice Lawyers (plaintiff)
McCabe Curwood (defendant)

File Number(s):

2016/384919

Judgment

Introduction

1. By a Statement of Claim filed on 22 December 2016 the plaintiff sought damages from the defendant in negligence. The plaintiff alleged that he was a patron at The Grand Hotel at Rockdale, which was operated by the defendant, on 15 January 2014. He alleged that on that day there was a piece of broken glass on the ground at the hotel and he trod on it.

2. By its Defence filed on 2 February 2018 the defendant admitted owing a duty of care to entrants on its premises but did not admit that the plaintiff stepped on broken glass…