SALMIZAN BIN ABDULLAH v CRAPPER IAN ANTHONY

[2023] SGHC 75 High Court (General Division) 30 March 2023 HC/S 377/2022 ( HC/SUM 3827/2022 )
49 cases cited (26 SG, 23 foreign) Cited by 6 cases

Key facts

Court High Court (General Division)
Decided
Judge Goh Yihan
Charges / claim Damages, Tort
Counsel Providence Law Asia LLC, Tan Chin Hoe & Co, Tommy Choo, Mark Go LLC, Leo Zhi Wei, Ling Leong Hui, Siew Jey Ren, Tan Seng Chew Richard

Source: [2023] SGHC 75, High Court (General Division), decided — eLitigation. Updated .

Catchwords

Practice Areas

Judges (1)

Counsel (7)

Providence Law Asia LLC Firm Tan Chin Hoe & Co Firm
Tommy Choo, Mark Go LLC Firm
Leo Zhi Wei Counsel for the young independent counsel
Ling Leong Hui Counsel for the plaintiff
Siew Jey Ren Counsel for the defendant
Tan Seng Chew Richard Counsel for the defendant

Parties (2)

Crapper Ian Anthony Defendant
Salmizan bin Abdullah Plaintiff

Case Significance

Salmizan bin Abdullah v Crapper, Ian Anthony [2023] SGHC 75 was decided by Goh Yihan JC in the General Division of the High Court, Suit No 377 of 2022 (Summons No 3827 of 2022), heard on 12 January 2023 with judgment reserved and delivered on 30 March 2023. The defendant applied under O 33 r 2 of the Rules of Court 2014 for the preliminary determination of three questions of law on whether causation could be reserved to the assessment of damages stage in a negligence claim, and on how different types of damage relate to the cause of action. The court had the assistance of young independent counsel Ms Leo Zhi Wei.

Summary

In a personal injury motor accident claim, the defendant applied for the preliminary determination of questions of law on whether, and to what extent, causation could be reserved to the assessment of damages stage. The court answered that causation cannot be reserved in whole to that stage, and answered a reframed version of the further questions in the negative with qualifications. It held that once interlocutory judgment established liability the defendant could not challenge it, though issues about the extent of proven damage remained for the assessment stage.

What was Salmizan bin Abdullah v Crapper, Ian Anthony [2023] SGHC 75 about?

The defendant applied under O 33 r 2 of the Rules of Court 2014 for preliminary determination of three questions of law on whether causation in a negligence claim can be reserved to the assessment of damages stage. Goh Yihan JC heard the application on 12 January 2023.

What questions of law were raised in Salmizan bin Abdullah v Crapper ([2023] SGHC 75)?

The three questions asked whether causation can be reserved in toto to the assessment of damages stage, and if not, whether it can be reserved where parties accept the claimant suffered special damages, or general damages, causally connected to the defendant's breach of duty.

Statutes Cited

Cases Cited (49)

SG (13)
[2004] SGHC 268 [2005] SGHC 180 [2015] SGHC 175 [2016] SGHC 46 [2020] SGMC 33 [2020] SGMC 44 [2021] SGDC 227 [2021] SGDC 283 [2021] SGHC 10 [2021] SGMC 74 [2021] SGMC 75 [2022] SGHC 311 [2022] SGMC 7
SLR (13)
[1991] 2 SLR(R) 982 [1992] 2 SLR(R) 382 [2004] 4 SLR(R) 353 [2007] 4 SLR(R) 100 [2008] 3 SLR(R) 674 [2015] 3 SLR 201 [2016] 3 SLR 935 [2017] 1 SLR 918 [2018] 1 SLR 1037 [2021] 1 SLR 1166 [2021] 2 SLR 1267 [2021] 2 SLR 816 [2021] 5 SLR 821
UK (23)
[1897] 1 QB 702 [1939] AC 1 [1943] AC 92 [1951] 1 All ER 522 [1961] 2 WLR 126 [1962] 1 QB 33 [1962] 2 WLR 148 [1964] 2 WLR 150 [1982] 1 WLR 86 [1988] 1 WLR 267 [1992] 2 All ER 65 [2001] EWCA Civ 307 [2005] 1 WLR 3204 [2006] 1 WLR 568 [2006] EWHC 72 [2007] 2 AC 1 [2008] 1 AC 281 [2011] EWCA Civ 1277 [2013] EWHC 3556 [2017] EWHC 1336 [2019] EWHC 630 [2021] 4 WLR 54 [2021] EWHC 3595

Cited By (6)

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Referenced in

Statutes interpreted in this judgment

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Judgment

Read the full judgment on the official Singapore Courts portal.

Read on eLitigation

Source: eLitigation ([2023] SGHC 75)