Zilio v Lane

[2009] NSWDC 226

CITATION:	Zilio v Lane [2009] NSWDC 226
HEARING DATE(S):	18-22 and 25 February 2008; 28 March 2008; 20 June 2008; 2-6 February 2009; 17 April 2009; 1 and 22 May 2009, 23 July 2009
JUDGMENT DATE:	28 July 2009
JURISDICTION:	Civil
JUDGMENT OF:	Gibson DCJ
DECISION:	(1) Judgment for the defendant. (2) Plaintiff pay defendant’s costs. (3) Liberty to restore. (4) Exhibits retained for 28 days.
CATCHWORDS:	TORT - motor vehicle accident - personal injury - liability - contributory negligence - judgment for defendant - alternative finding of 100% contributory negligence
LEGISLATION CITED:	Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW), ss 5S and 5R Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), s 56 Evidence Act 1995 (NSW), ss 38 and 135 Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999 (NSW), s 138
CASES CITED:	Angel v Hawkesbury City Council [2008] NSWCA 130 Chamberlain v Ormsby t/as Ormsby Flower [2005] NSWCA 454 Goodsell v Murphy [2002] NSWCA 216 Harrison v Melhem & Anor (No 1) [2006] NSWSC 1258 Harrison v Melhem & Anor (No 2) [2006] NSWSC 1293 Harrison v Melhem [2008] NSWCA 67 Jones v Bradley [2003] NSWCA 81 Jones v Dunkel [1959] HCA 8; (1959) 101 CLR 298 Knight v GIO (NSW) (New South Wales Court of Appeal, Kirby P, Priestley and Cole JJA, 13 April 1995, unreported) MacKenzie v Nominal Defendant (2005) 43 MVR 315 Nominal Defendant v Lane [2004] NSWCA 405 Ragen v The Nominal Defendant (No 3) [2007] NSWDC 86 Shayne Henderson v Darren McLean (Taree) [2007] NSWDC 199 Vale v Eggins [2006] NSWCA 348 Wynbergen v Hoyts Corp Pty Ltd (1997) 149 ALR 25 Yates v Jones (New South Wales Court of Appeal, 7 December 1989, unreported) Yip v Zreika [2001] NSWCA 446
PARTIES:	Plaintiff: Ricky Zilio Defendant: Heather Lane
FILE NUMBER(S):	1220 of 2005
COUNSEL:	Plaintiff: Mr D Campbell SC / Mr T Meakes Defendant: Mr D Wilson
SOLICITORS:	Plaintiff: Beston Macken McManis Defendant: Sparke Helmore Lawyers

Judgment

The plaintiff’s claim for damages

[1] The plaintiff by way of Statement of Claim filed on 7 April 2005 brings proceedings for damages arising out of circumstances in which the plaintiff suffered very serious injuries on 19 July 2003 while riding his motorcycle along X Street, Blacktown, and collided with a nearby parked vehicle. [The name of this street and certain other personal details have been anonymised for privacy reasons.] The defendant, according to the Statement of Claim, “reversed her vehicle into the path of the plaintiff’s motorcycle, as a result of which the plaintiff swerved to avoid the 4 wheel drive vehicle and collided with a nearby parked vehicle” (paragraph 2 Statement of Claim).

[2] The plaintiff suffered the following serious injuries:

(a) L1 burst fracture;
(b) Fracture T9 – L1 transverse processes;
(c) Left fractured ribs (8-12);
(d) Small bilateral pneumothoraces;
(e) Paraplegia;
(f) Paralysed from the waist down;
(g) Multiple bruising.

[3] The plaintiff suffered the following extensive disabilities:

(a) Paraplegia below the waist;
(b) Profound paralysis of both lower limbs;
(c) Urinary incontinence;
(d) Incontinence of faeces;
(e)…