NOTE: I was, prior to 21 July 2025, a Principal of McCabes Lawyers. I have included links to Case Notes I prepared for McCabes with their permission.
Wholly or Mostly at Fault Disputes
Corner Marker Mostly at Fault on Motorcycle Club Run | Hernandez-Taylor v AAI Limited t/as GIO [2026] NSWPIC 208
Driver Most at Fault for Aggressive Merging Manoeuvre | Contos v Allianz Australia Insurance Limited [2026] NSWPIC 187
Claimant Who Suffered an Unforeseen Medical Episode Not Wholly or Mostly at Fault | McManus v QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited [2026] NSWPIC 175
Assessing Relative Culpability in Multi-Vehicle Accidents | Solomon v Insurance Australia Limited t/as NRMA Insurance [2026] NSWPIC 150
Look Up From Your Phone! Pedestrian’s Contributory Negligence Measured at 100% | Kojic v Insurance Australia Limited t/as NRMA Insurance [2026] NSWPIC 13
Slippery When Wet – Another Driver’s Speed Means They’re Mostly-at-Fault | Salazar Renteria v AAI Limited t/as GIO [2025] NSWPIC 623
How Most at Fault Disputes are Assessed When the Insured is Not at Fault | Raad v QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited [2025] NSWPIC 598
How is Relative Culpability Assessed When One Party Disobeys the Road Rules? | Singh v QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited [2025] NSWPIC 524
Evic Applied – How to Assess Contributory Negligence in a Chain Collision? | Freitas v QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited [2025] NSWPIC 475
When is a Finding of 100% Contributory Negligence Justified in a Single Vehicle Accident? | CMB v QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited [2025] NSWPIC 420
Bicyclist Found Wholly at Fault | Mitchell v Allianz Australia Insurance Limited [2025] NSWPIC 378
Same but Different? Liability in Statutory Benefits versus Liability in a Claim for Damages | Macdonald v Allianz Australia Insurance Limited [2025] NSWPIC 284
Res Ipsa Loquitor Argument is no Lay Down Misère | Sheeran v Insurance Australia Limited t/as NRMA Insurance [2025] NSWPIC 274
Expert Evidence Required to Explain Risk of Hypoglycaemic Episode | BVV v QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited [2025] NSWPIC 158
Slippery When Wet – When an Unsafe Speed Means You’re Livin’ on a Prayer | Mellor-Langham v QBE
Change Lanes with Care | Mahfoud v AAI Limited t/as GIO [2025] NSWPIC 45
Evic Rides Again – Driver in Single Vehicle Accident Not Mostly at Fault | Earle-Joyce v AAI Limited t/as AAMI [2024] NSWPIC 626
Evic Applied – Assessing Contributory Negligence in Single Vehicle Accidents | Custovic v Allianz Australia Insurance Limited [2024] NSWPIC 605
Supreme Court Holds Owner Drivers are Subject to Most at Fault Provisions | AAI Limited t/as GIO v Evic [2024] NSWSC 1272
When Stepping Out, Look Out! | Ford-Gunatilake v Insurance Australia Limited t/as NRMA Insurance [2024] NSWPIC 418 on 16 August 2024
Hold On! What Precautions Should I Take When Boarding a Bus? | Hidalgo v Allianz Australia Insurance Limited [2024] NSWPIC 356
Drivers not maintaining a proper lookout prior to performing a U-turn may be mostly at fault for an accident | Hamid v Insurance Australia Ltd t/as NRMA Insurance [2023] NSWPIC 157
Threshold Injury Disputes
Medical Review Panel Addresses Bone (Bruising) of Contention | Fahim v Insurance Australia Limited t/as NRMA Insurance [2026] NSWPICMP 355
Court of Appeal Finds no Error in Delegate’s Decision Refusing to Refer Threshold Injury Dispute for Assessment | Kewin v AAI Ltd t/as GIO Insurance [2026] NSWCA 86
Extension to Annular Tear Found to be Non-Threshold | Jung v Allianz Australia Insurance Limited [2026] NSWPICMP 128
Defining the Scope of a Threshold Psychiatric Dispute | Allianz Australia Insurance Limited v Meilak [2025] NSWPICMP 980
Consequential Surgery is not an “Injury” in the Absence of Harm | Allianz Australia Insurance Limited v Mandoukos [2025] NSWPICMP 844
Abawi Applied – Injury to Skin a Threshold injury | Insurance Australia Limited t/as NRMA Insurance v Rababi [2025] NSWPICMP 744
Can Injury Sustained During Consequential Treatment be a “Non-Threshold” Injury? | Allianz Australia Insurance Limited v Miles (No 3) [2025] NSWPICMP 565
Review Panel finds Rotator Cuff Tear Sustained During Treatment is a Non-Threshold Injury | Gibbin v AAI Ltd t/as GIO [2025] NSWPICPM 523
Review Panel Wrong-Footed by Wingfoot | Insurance Australia Ltd t/as NRMA Insurance v Cahill [2025] NSWSC 828
Threshold Injuries – Court of Appeal Settles the Skin Injury Debate | Allianz Australia Insurance Limited v Estate of the Late Summer Abawi [2025] NSWCA 85
Mandoukos Sidestepped? Review Panel Selects own Psychiatric Diagnosis | Insurance Australia Limited t/as NRMA Insurance v Kavakci [2025] NSWPICMP 227
Understanding PTSD Criteria in Non-Severe Accidents | Ozucargil v QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited [2025] NSWPICMP 102
Disc Herniations – Need for Radiculopathy Ruptured? | QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited v Azar [2024] NSWPICMP 701
Threshold Injuries – Temporary Aggravation and Recovery | Sims v Insurance Australia Limited t/as NRMA Insurance [2024] NSWPICMP 657
Twin Peaks – David and Lynch Affirmed | QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited v Chebat [2024] NSWPICMP 611
Great Scott! Where does surgery fit on the injury continuum? | Bridgefoot v Allianz Australia Insurance Limited [2024] NSWPICMP 194
Causation Test: Hey dude, the movement you need is on your shoulder | Isaac v AAI Limited t/as AAMI [2024] NSWPICMP 364
The Mandoukos Principle in Practice – Injury excluded from Medical Dispute | Elammar v AAI Limited t/as AAMI [2024] NSWPICMP 280
Shouldering the Onus of Proving a Non-Threshold Injury | Toomey v Insurance Australia Limited t/as NRMA Insurance [2024] NSWPICMP 209
Sharpen your Pencil – the Scope of Medical Disputes | Mandoukos v Allianz Australia Insurance Limited [2024] NSWCA 71
The Mysterious Case of the Additional Lumbar Vertebra | Verscio v Insurance Australia Limited t/as NRMA Insurance [2024] NSWPICMP 57
Sliding Doors – did an accident cause fractured ribs or not? | Ghaznawi v Allianz Australia Insurance Limited [2023] NSWPICMP 603
Threshold Injury Disputes Involving Multiple Accidents | Aleksic v AAI Limited t/as GIO [2023] NSWPICMP 466
Statutory Benefit Liability Disputes
Serious Driving Offences – Claimant Injured During Psychotic Episode Entitled to Statutory Benefits | Flanagan v Allianz Australia Insurance Limited [2026] NSWPIC 79
Claimant Convicted of Negligent Driving Causing Death Denied Statutory Benefits | Alhussein v QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited [2026] NSWPIC 23
Injury Sustained on Bus not Sustained in a “Motor Accident” | Liebert v Allianz Australia Insurance Limited [2025] NSWPIC 458
WPI Disputes
Spinal Nerve Root Injury? Show Me the (Radicular) Signs! | Morrison v QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited [2026] NSWPICMP 79
Sharpen Your Pencil – Care Required in Defining the Scope of Medical Disputes | Fitzsimmons v Insurance Australia Limited t/as NRMA Insurance [2026] NSWPICMP 37
Reviewing the (Narrow) Role of the Review Panel | Allianz Australia Insurance Limited v Bell [2025] NSWCA 187
Review Panel Sidesteps the Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc Fallacy | AAI Limited t/as GIO v Zjalic [2025] NSWPICMP 180
How to Assess a Brain Injury | Antonio v Insurance Australia Limited t/as NRMA Insurance [2025] NSWPICMP 60
The Persuasion of Biomechanical Evidence in the Causation Equation | Transport Accident Commission of Victoria v Kelyana [2024] NSWPICMP 148
Establishing Psychiatric Impairment | AAI Limited t/as GIO v Adnan [2024] NSWPICMP 89
Weekly Payment Disputes
Merit Reviewer Finds Damages Claim not “Pending” Because Driver Can’t Sue Himself | Thomas v QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited [2026] NSWPICMR 16
Weekly Benefits Not Allowed Where Post-Accident Earnings Exceed PAWE | Cameron v Allianz Australia Insurance Limited [2026] NSWPICMR 15
Claimant Fails to Discharge Onus of Proof that they were An Earner | Cisera v Insurance Australia Limited t/as NRMA Insurance [2026] NSWPICMR 4
Redundancy Payments and Early Termination Payments Should Not Be Included in PAWE | CPP v Youi Pty Limited [2025] NSWPICMR 27
Husher Up – Company Profits Irrelevant to the Calculation of PAWE | Klironomos v Insurance Australia Limited t/as NRMA Insurance [2025] NSWPICMR 17
“Earner’s” Earnings Disputed | Kozlov v Insurance Australia Limited t/as NRMA Insurance [2025] NSWPICMR 2
PAWE – When do the “Significant Change” Provisions Apply? | Kumar v Allianz Australia Insurance Limited [2024] NSWPICMR 73
Necessary Modifications – Claims for Statutory Benefits Based on Mental Harm | Borrow v Insurance Australia Limited t/as NRMA Insurance [2024] NSWPICMR 67
Business Losses and the Calculation of PAWE | Zou v QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited [2024] NSWPICMR 4
Mental Harm and Statutory Benefits | Zhao v AAI Limited t/as GIO [2023] NSWPICMR 62
Does a company’s registration sufficiently demonstrate that a Claimant is “an earner”? | Alzate v Insurance Australia Limited t/as NRMA [2023] NSWPICMR 51
No tax payable in Third Entitlement Period | Allianz Australia Insurance Ltd v Jenkins [2020] NSWSC 412
Treatment Disputes
English Language Course found to be Rehabilitation | Perez v AAI Limited t/as AAMI [2026] NSWPIC 264
Pointless Physiotherapy Found Not Reasonable and Necessary | AAI Limited t/as AAMI v Zawit [2026] NSWPICMP 186
Pet Care is an Attendant Care Service | Insurance Australia Limited t/as NRMA Insurance v Chowdhury [2025] NSWSC 1392
Who Ruled the Dogs Out? Review Panel Finds Pet Care Is Not “Treatment or Care” | Irani v Insurance Australia Limited t/as NRMA Insurance [2025] NSWPICMP 832
Removalist Services are Not an “Everyday Task” | Choi v QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited [2025] NSWPIC 433
What Factors Are Relevant to Whether Treatment is Reasonable & Necessary? | Allianz Australia Insurance Limited v Mataraci [2025] NSWPICMP 536
What’s Up, Pussy Cat? Is Pet Care a Treatment Expense? | Chowdhury v Insurance Australia Limited t/as NRMA Insurance [2025] NSWPIC 167
When is Treatment “Reasonable and Necessary”? | AAI Limited t/as AAMI v Shoyeb [2025] NSWPICMP 122
Can Preparing a House for Sale be an “Attendant Care Service”? | Lau v QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited [2024] NSWPIC 724
Common Law Liability Decisions
Bird Stike – Driver Left With Nobody to Sue | Mousawi v Insurance Australia Limited t/as NRMA Insurance [2025] NSWPIC 557
Single Vehicle Accidents – How Liability is Assessed Differently in Statutory Benefit and Common Law Claims | BVV v QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited [2025] NSWPIC 496
Nominal Defendant Disputes
Due Inquiry & Search Conducted Before Scent Went Cold | Raad v Nominal Defendant by its agent Allianz Australia Insurance Limited [2026] NSWPIC 173
When is Due Inquiry & Search Reasonable? | Palmer v Allianz Australia Insurance Limited [2025] NSWPIC 440
Nominal Defendant Not Liable in Claim for Statutory Benefits | Wright v Insurance Australia Limited t/as NRMA Insurance [2024] NSWPIC 268
Procedural Disputes
Claimant’s Explanation for Delay not Full and Satisfactory | Arab v Allianz Australia Insurance Limited [2026] NSWPIC 317
Inconsistencies Depicted in Surveillance Constitute “Exceptional Circumstances” | Angileri v Allianz Australia Insurance Limited [2026] NSWPIC 139
Threshold Injury Found Not to Apply to Public Transport Accidents | Russell v Allianz Australia Insurance Limited [2026] NSWPIC 129
Frivolous & Vexatious Medical Assessment Dismissed | Contarino v Insurance Australia Limited t/as NRMA Insurance [2025] NSWPIC 636
Claimant’s Duty to Co-operate with the Insurer is Mandatory | AAI Limited t/as AAMI v Elias [2025] NSWPICMR 31
Exemption Applications – My Dispute is Unsuitable, Get Me Out of Here | Atkinson v Insurance Australia Limited t/as NRMA Insurance [2025] NSWPIC 134
Internal Review Determination Not Binding on Insurer | AAI Limited t/as GIO v Leverrier [2024] NSWPIC 548
Proceedings Dismissed – A Drain on the Commission’s Resources | Drane v Insurance Australia Limited t/as NRMA Insurance [2024] NSWPIC 338
Claim Lacking Substance Dismissed | Park v Insurance Australia Limited t/as NRMA Insurance [2024] NSWPIC 225
Can No Endeavours be Best Endeavours? | Kaur v Transport Accident Commission [2024] NSWPIC 177
Personal Injury Commission Not An All-Terrain Forum | Pout v Shipway [2024] NSWPIC 41
