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Judgment date
Case number
D5/2015
Before
French CJ, Kiefel, Bell, Keane, Nettle JJ
Catchwords
Limitation of actions – When cause of action accrues – Negligence – Damage – Statute abolished cause of action unless accrued before 1 January 1987 – Whether compensable damage suffered upon changes to mesothelial cells following exposure to asbestos – Whether mesothelioma inevitable – Relevance of hindsight – Whether "trigger" for development of disease endogenous or exogenous.
Torts – Negligence – Damage – Dust diseases – Mesothelioma – Whether changes to mesothelial cells compensable damage.
Words and phrases – "compensable damage", "endogenous", "exogenous", "hindsight", "mesothelial cell changes", "trigger".
Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act (NT) – ss 52(1), 189(1).