Mostafa v Accident Compensation Corporation (Leave to appeal to the High Court) [2023] NZACC 155 [PDF, 178 KB] Leave to appeal to the High Court - Accident Compensation Act 2001. Whether sufficient grounds, as a matter of law, to sustain his application for leave to appeal. No question of law capable of bona fide and serious argument. Outcome: appeal dismissed.
Scott v Accident Compensation Corporation (Deemed Cover, Personal Injury) [2023] NZACC 149 [PDF, 228 KB] Deemed cover, personal injury - s 58, s 26 Accident Compensation Act 2001. Appeal of decision confirming deemed cover but simultaneously revoking deemed cover for eye injury/eye trauma, lower back injury, head injury. Same decision had confirmed cover for contusion of lower back. Appellant's position that injuries were suffered as result of police arrest. Court found not enough evidence of injuries caused by police. Decision to revoke cover for eye injury and head injury was correct. Outcome: appeal dismissed.
Gray v Accident Compensation Corporation (Causation) [2023] NZACC 152 [PDF, 233 KB] Causation - Accident Compensation Act 2001. Whether respondent was correct to decline cover for back surgery. Injury damage requiring surgery caused by unnatural dish washing activities during course of employment. Outcome: appeal allowed.
Saunders v Accident Compensation Corporation (Ordinary Resident in NZ) [2023] NZACC 153 [PDF, 213 KB] Ordinarily resident in New Zealand - s 117 Accident Compensation Act 2001. Appeal against decision declining cover as appellant not ordinarily resident of New Zealand at time of accident. Appellant not received New Zealand income since 2014. Appellant prevented from treating New Zealand as permanent place of residence. Outcome: appeal dismissed.
Taufa v Accident Compensation Corporation (Suspension of Entitlement) [2023] NZACC 154 [PDF, 246 KB] Suspension of entitlements - s 119 Accident Compensation Act 2001. Appeal against decision to suspend entitlements due to assessment that condition was unrelated to injury. Circumstances indicated appellant was entitled to receive entitlements for condition. Outcome: appeal allowed.
Buckland v Accident Compensation Corporation (Cover) [2023] NZACC 151 [PDF, 258 KB] Cover - Accident Compensation Act 2001. Whether decisions to decline cover for hip injury and suspend entitlements was correct. Evidence suggested injury due to degenerative changes rather than resulting from accident. Respondent correct to suspend appellant's entitlements. Outcome: appeal dismissed.
Tsirakoff v Accident Compensation Corporation (Weekly Compensation) [2023] NZACC 148 [PDF, 331 KB] Entitlement to Weekly Compensation – s 103 Accident Compensation Act 2001. Whether chronic pain connected to covered injury from 1990. Whether injury-related symptoms incapacitating. Evidence insufficient to show appellant suffered continuous incapacity for pre-injury employment to present day. Outcome: appeal dismissed.
Estate of Te Aonui v Accident Compensation Corporation (Personal Injury) [2023] NZACC 147 [PDF, 375 KB] Personal injury, s 26 Accident Compensation Act 2001. Appeal to consider entitlements of the appellant. Outcome: appeal allowed. Suspension of weekly entitlements is wrong and is reversed.
Needham v Accident Compensation Corporation (Binding effect of review decision) [2023] NZACC 146 [PDF, 271 KB] Binding effect of review decision - s 147(1)(a) Accident Compensation Act 2001. Appellant made claim for ACC funded assistance to operate home boiler system. Whether Appellant met functional capacity evaluation and qualified engineer assessment requirements. Outcome: appeal dismissed.
Madoc v Accident Compensation Corporation (Revocation of Cover) [2023] NZACC 144 [PDF, 306 KB] Revocation of cover - s 65 Accident Compensation Act 2001. Appeal against decision revoking cover for back pain. Pain not considered to be a injury which should be granted cover. Outcome: appeal dismissed.
Aitcheson v Accident Compensation Corporation (Social Rehabilitation, Attendant care, Laundry Services) [2023] NZACC 143 [PDF, 389 KB] Social Rehabilitation, Attendant Care, Laundry Services - Schedule 1, cl 14 and cl 17 Accident Compensation Act 2001. Appeal against decision to approve attendant care for Appellant's father at level one for personal needs, home help, sleepover care. Appeal against decision declining ongoing funding for external laundry services. Appellant's father had suffered a serious traumatic brain injury and visual impairment after tractor tyre exploded. Court unable to find fault in way assessments carried out. Previous decisions correct. Outcome: appeal dismissed.
Pio v Accident Compensation Corporation (Weekly Compensation) [2023] NZACC 142 [PDF, 303 KB] Weekly compensation - ss 100, 103, cl. 32(1)(a) and (b) Accident Compensation Act 2001. Whether Appellant was unable to engage in employment when personal injury suffered. Whether Appellant was an earner immediately before incapacity commenced. Appellant was able to engage in employment. Appellant was not an earner immediately before claimed periods. Outcome: appeal dismissed.
Fraser v Accident Compensation Corporation (Personal Injury) [2023] NZACC 141 [PDF, 265 KB] Personal injury/physical injury - s 26 Accident Compensation Act 2001. Appeal against decision declining cover and entitlement for surgery funding for sacroiliac joint dysfunction. No evidence to establish causation between accidents and medical condition requiring surgery. Earlier decisions correct to conclude Appellant had no cover for and entitlement to surgery funding. Outcome: appeal dismissed.
Gupta v Accident Compensation Corporation (Late Filing to the District Court) [2023] NZACC 140 [PDF, 257 KB] Late filing of an appeal to the District Court – s 151 Accident Compensation Act 2001. Whether the interests of justice required the exercise of discretion to sustain her application to file her appeal out of time. Interests of justice established for appeal. Delay arose in filing from surgeries undertaken by the appellant. Outcome: appeal granted.
Robinson v Accident Compensation Corporation (Weekly Compensation) [2023] NZACC 139 [PDF, 316 KB] Weekly compensation s 103, cl 32 Accident Compensation Act 2001 - retrospective capacity to work and later incapacity. Appeal against review decision declining weekly compensation. Appellant suffered incapacity due to knee injury. Appellant eligible for weekly compensation. Review decision quashed. Outcome: appeal allowed.
Paget v Accident Compensation Corporation (Late filing to the District Court) [2023] NZACC 138 [PDF, 607 KB] Late filing of an appeal to the District Court – s 151 Accident Compensation Act 2001. Whether the interests of justice required the exercise of discretion to sustain her application to file her appeal out of time. Interests of justice established for appeal. Delay arose out of error or inadvertence rather than from a change of mind or from indecision. Outcome: appeal granted.
George v Accident Compensation Corporation (Late filing to the District Court) [2023] NZACC 136 [PDF, 496 KB] Late filing of an appeal to the District Court – s 151 Accident Compensation Act 2001. Whether the interests of justice required the exercise of discretion to sustain his application to file his appeal out of time. Interests of justice established for appeal. Delay arose in filing from error of counsel. Outcome: appeal granted.
Ngawati v Accident Compensation Corporation (Late filing to the District Court) [2023] NZACC 137 [PDF, 496 KB] Late filing of an appeal to the District Court – s 151 Accident Compensation Act 2001. Whether the interests of justice required the exercise of discretion to sustain his application to file his appeal out of time. Interests of justice established for appeal. Delay arose out of error or inadvertence rather than from a change of mind or from indecision. Outcome: appeal granted.
Boulton v Accident Compensation Corporation (Leave to appeal to the High Court) [2023] NZACC 135 [PDF, 228 KB] Leave to appeal to the High Court - s 162(1) Accident Compensation Act 2001. Whether sufficient grounds, as a matter of law, to sustain her application for leave to appeal. No question of law capable of bona fide and serious argument. Outcome: appeal dismissed.
Williamson v Accident Compensation Corporation (Leave to appeal to the High Court) [2023] NZACC 134 [PDF, 244 KB] Leave to appeal to the High Court - s 162(1) Accident Compensation Act 2001. Whether respondent correct to decline entitlement to weekly compensation on the basis that applicant had unreasonably failed or refused to undergo an initial medical assessment. Insufficient grounds to sustain application for leave to appeal. Outcome: appeal dismissed.
AT v Accident Compensation Corporation (Mental Injury) [2023] NZACC 131 [PDF, 401 KB] Mental injury/ordinarily resident in New Zealand - ss 21, 21A Accident Compensation Act 2001. Appeal against decision declining cover for mental injuries suffered as a result of sexual abuse committed overseas. No cover for mental injury. Outcome: appeal dismissed.
Dalgety v Accident Compensation Corporation (Late filing to the District Court) [2023] NZACC 133 [PDF, 158 KB] Late filing of an appeal to the District Court - s 151 Accident Compensation Act 2001. Whether interests of justice required the exercise of discretion to sustain his application for leave to file his appeal out of time. Interests of justice not established for appeal. Appellant did not provide reasons for delay. Outcome: appeal declined.
Mollet v Accident Compensation Corporation (Costs on appeal) [2023] NZACC 132 [PDF, 151 KB] Claim for costs on appeal. Outcome: Respondent order to pay Appellant $1,358.25 ($1,238.25 costs and $120 disbursements). Appeal allowed.
Lawrence v Accident Compensation Corporation (Late Filing to the District Court) [2023] NZACC 130 [PDF, 130 KB] Late filing of an appeal to the District Court - s 151 Accident Compensation Act 2001. Whether interests of justice required the exercise of discretion to sustain his application for leave to file his appeal out of time. Interests of justice established for appeal. Delay arose out of error or inadvertence rather than indecision. Outcome: appeal granted.
Spray Marks NZ Ltd v Accident Compensation Corporation (Industry Classification) [2023] NZACC 127 [PDF, 454 KB] Classification of industries or risks - s 170 Accident Compensation Act 2001. Appeal against ACC's decision which determined that the Appellant's business activities did not satisfy the criteria to hold multiple classification units. Whether Appellant satisfies requirement set out in s 170(3), which enables ACC to exercise its discretion to classify Appellant into separate classification units for different activites. Outcome: Appeal dismissed.