Bradshaw v Emirates

• Jurisdiction: Australia Federal only
• Judgment Date: 12 November 2021
• Neutral Citation: [2021] FCA 1407
• Court: Federal Court
• Date: 12 November 2021

Federal Court of Australia

Bradshaw v Emirates [2021] FCA 1407

File number(s):	NSD 2113 of 2019
Judgment of:	STEWART J
Date of judgment:	12 November 2021
Catchwords:	AVIATION – where applicant was struck on the head by a suitcase on a flight from Dublin to Dubai – applicant sustained bodily injury within the meaning of Art 17(1) of the Montreal Convention given force of law by s 9B of the Civil Aviation (Carriers’ Liability) Act 1958 (Cth) – how serious was the injury and its sequelae – what damages are recoverable ; HIGH COURT AND FEDERAL COURT – whether Pt 2 of the Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW) (CLA) is picked up by ss 79 or 80 of the Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth) and applied to a claim arising from bodily injury under Art 17(1) of the Montreal Convention – whether there is a “gap” in Commonwealth Law – whether there is inconsistency between Pt 2 of the CLA and the Montreal Convention – whether the applicant’s claim is defeated by the threshold in s 16 of the CLA – whether Pt 2 of the CLA applies to no-fault liability such as liability under Art 17 of the Montreal Convention ; DAMAGES – assessment of general damages for bodily injury in a claim under Art 17 of the Montreal Convention
Legislation:	Constitution s 109 Civil Aviation (Carriers’ Liability) Act 1959 (Cth) ss 9B, 9D, 9E, 34, 35 Sch 1A Civil Aviation Legislation Amendment (1999 Montreal Convention and Other Measures) Act 2008 (Cth) Civil Aviation Legislation Amendment (1999 Montreal Convention and other Measures) Bill 2008 (Cth) Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth) ss 39B(1A)(c), 79(1), 80 Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth) s 52, 74(1), 82 Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW) ss 3B, 11A, 12, 13, 14, 15, 15A, 15B, 15C, 16, 17 Civil Liability Amendment (Personal Responsibility) Act 2002 (NSW) Companion Animals Act 1998 (NSW) s 25 Interpretation Act 1987 (NSW) s 33 Civil Liability Bill 2002 (NSW) Civil Liability (Non-economic Loss) Order 2010 (NSW) Limitations of Actions Act 1958 (Vic), 34(1) Wrongs Act 1958 (Vic), Pt VBA ; Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules for International Carriage by Air, done at Montreal on 28 May 1999, 2242 UNTS 309 Arts 17, 21, 24, 25, 26, 28, 29 Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules for International Carriage by Air, done at Warsaw on 12 October 1929 Arts 17, 24 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (opened for signature 23 May 1969, 1155 UNTS 331, entered into force 27 January 1980 Arts 27, 31
Cases cited:	Agtrack (NT) Pty Ltd v Hatfield [2005] HCA 38; 223 CLR 251 Air Link Pty Ltd v Paterson [2005] HCA 39; 223 CLR 283 Arefin v Thai Airways International Public Co Ltd (unreported, District Court of New South Wales, 21 August 2007) Austral Pacific Group Ltd (in liq) v Airservices Australia [2000] HCA 9; 203 CLR 136 BHP Billiton Iron Ore Pty Ltd v National Competition Council [2007] FCAFC 157; 162 FCR 234 Birch v Allen [1942] HCA 17; 65 CLR 621 Blunden v Commonwealth [2003] HCA 73; 218 CLR 330 Brannock v Jetstar Airways Pty Ltd [2010] QCA 218; 273 ALR 391 Bui v DPP [2012] HCA 1; 244 CLR 638 Coleman v Barrat [2004] NSWCA 27 Di Falco v Emirates [2018] VSC 472; 57 VR 394 Doyle’s Farm Produce Pty Ltd v Murray Darling Basin Authority (No 2) [2021] NSWCA 246 Eastern Airlines Inc v Floyd 499 US 530 (1999) El Al Israel Airlines Ltd v Tseng (1999) 525 US 155 Grueff v Virgin Australia Airlines Pty Ltd [2021] FCA 501 Gulf Air Company GSC v Fattouh [2008] NSWCA 225; 251 ALR 183 Henville v Walker [2001] HCA 52; 206 CLR 459 Hicks v Minister for Immigration & Multicultural & Indigenous Affairs [2003] FCA 757 John Pfeiffer v Rogerson [2000] HCA 6; 203 CLR 503 K & S Lake City Freighters Pty Ltd v Gordon & Gotch Ltd [1985] HCA 48; 157 CLR 309 Kotsambasis v Singapore Airlines Ltd (1997) 42 NSWLR 110 Lambe v Director-General of Social Services (1981) 4 ALD 362 Macleod v ASIC [2002] HCA 37; 211 CLR 287 Masson v Parsons [2019] HCA 21; 266 CLR 554 Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs v FAK19 [2021] FCAFC 153 Moore v Scenic Tours Pty Ltd [2020] HCA 17; 268 CLR 326 Morris v KLM Royal Dutch Airlines [2002] 2 AC 628 Motorcycling Events Group Australia Pty Ltd v Kelly [2013] NSWCA 361; 86 NSWLR 55 Northern Territory v GPAO [1999] HCA 8; 196 CLR 553 Parker v Commonwealth [1965] HCA 12; 112 CLR 295 Parkes Shire Council v South West Helicopters Pty Ltd [2019] HCA 14; 266 CLR 212 Pel-Air Aviation Pty Ltd v Casey [2017] NSWCA 32; 93 NSWLR 438 Povey v Qantas Airways Ltd [2005] HCA 33; 223 CLR 189 Project Blue Sky Inc v Australian Broadcasting Authority [1998] HCA 28; 194 CLR 355 Rizeq v Western Australia [2017] HCA 23; 262 CLR 1 Scenic Tours Pty Ltd v Moore [2018] NSWCA 238; 361 ALR 456 Sidhu v British Airways Plc [1997] AC 430 Stott v Thomas Cook Tour Operators Ltd [2014] AC 1347 Teubner v Humble [1963] HCA 11; 108 CLR 491 Wahba v Carroll & O’Dea Lawyers [2018] NSWDC 128 Walz v Clickair SA (Case C-63/09) (2010) 45 Eur Tr L 361 Zicherman v Korean Air Lines Co Ltd 516 US 217 (1996 ; Villa D, Annotated Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW) (3rd ed, Thomson Reuters, 2018) Shawcross & Beaumont: Air Law (LexisNexis, 4th ed, 2021)
Division:	General Division
Registry:	New South Wales
National Practice Area:	Other Federal Jurisdiction
Number of paragraphs:	194
Date of hearing:	5 February 2021, 14 May 2021
Counsel for the Applicant:	L King SC and H Halligan (written submissions also by K Connor SC)
Solicitor for the Applicant:	BPC Law
Counsel for the Respondent:	D Stanton
Solicitor for the Respondent:	Norton White

ORDERS

		NSD 2113 of 2019
BETWEEN:	STEPHEN BRADSHAW Applicant
AND:	EMIRATES (ARBN 073 569 696) Respondent

order made by:	STEWART J
DATE OF ORDER:	12 NOVEMBER 2021

THE COURT ORDERS THAT:

1. Within 7 days of the date of these orders, the parties bring in agreed orders consistent with the reasons for judgment published today, including on interest and costs.

2. If the parties are unable to agree any aspect of the orders:

   1. within 14 days of the date of...