Tzaidas v Child & Ors [2009] NSWSC 465

Tzaidas v Child & Ors [2009] NSWSC 465

For the purposes of s 601AG of the Corporations Act, it is not necessary that a judgment had been obtained against the doctors prior to the deregistration of the hospital for the doctors to recover from the insurer. It is sufficient that at the hearing it can be established the hospital had a liability to the...

Source-derived case information.

Jurisdiction
Australia
Judgment Date
29 May 2009
Procedural Posture
Procedural and Other Rulings / Ruling on Separate Questions and Motions for Leave to Amend Cross Claims
Outcome
Orders made answering separate questions, granting leave to amend cross-claims, and dismissing CGU's motions.
Legal Topics
['construction of S 601 AG Corporations Act' 'contribution Between Tortfeasors' 'insurance Coverage' 'company Deregistration' 'amendment of Cross Claims' 'law Reform (miscellaneous Provisions) Act S 5 and S 6']
['corporations Law' 'insurance Law' 'civil Procedure'] ['construction of S 601 AG Corporations Act' 'contribution Between Tortfeasors' 'insurance Coverage' 'company Deregistration' 'amendment of Cross Claims' 'law Reform (miscellaneous Provisions) Act S 5 and S 6']

Source-derived case record

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Procedural Posture

Procedural and Other Rulings / Ruling on Separate Questions and Motions for Leave to Amend Cross Claims

  1. 1 ['Whether a doctor can recover under s 601AG of the Corporations Act from an insurer where no judgment had been obtained against the doctor prior to deregistration of the company (hospital)' 'Whether the requirement in s 601AG(a) is satisfied only if the hospital had a liability to the doctors immediately before deregistration' "Whether findings at hearing that the hospital and doctors are tortfeasors liable to the plaintiff suffice to establish that the hospital 'had a liability' immediately before deregistration"]

Ratio Decidendi

For the purposes of s 601AG of the Corporations Act, it is not necessary that a judgment had been obtained against the doctors prior to the deregistration of the hospital for the doctors to recover from the insurer. It is sufficient that at the hearing it can be established the hospital had a liability to the doctors immediately before deregistration. Such liability includes the hospital's statutory liability to contribute to another joint tortfeasor. The hospital's liability need not be crystallised or determined before deregistration, and coverage under the insurance contract depends on the policy terms, but it is at least arguable that the policy covers such a liability if liability is...

Court Disposition

Orders made answering separate questions, granting leave to amend cross-claims, and dismissing CGU's motions.

Orders

  • ["The separate questions are answered 'No', 'Yes' and 'Yes' respectively." 'Leave is granted to the first and third defendants to file the amended cross-claims dated 16 July 2008.' 'The notices of motion filed on 14 April 2008 by the fourth defendant are dismissed.' 'Parties are directed to bring in short minutes to...