Ford v Baker & Another
[2025] QDC 43 · Holliday KC DCJ
Gregory Ford was riding a moped on a Gold Coast road in October 2020 when a car turning right collided with him. He suffered a fractured and dislocated left ankle, a broken right little finger, and a thigh injury that later healed. The car's insurer admitted fault, so the trial was only about how much money he should receive. Mr Ford ran the case himself after parting with his lawyers, and did not call any medical experts. The judge found him to be an unreliable witness whose evidence often contradicted his hospital and GP records, and noted he had significant long-standing back and sciatic problems before the crash. The court accepted he had genuine ongoing ankle problems and awarded general damages based on an injury severity score of 15. However, claims for psychological injury, paid and unpaid care, future treatment, and lost income were rejected as unsupported by evidence. The judge entered judgment for $32,807.96, made up of $28,700 general damages and around $4,100 in special damages.
Incident & injury
Plaintiff was riding a moped when the first defendant, driving a Ford Ranger utility, turned right across the plaintiff's path and collided with the moped
- Body regions
- Ankle / foot, Left lower leg / ankle, Right thigh, Right little finger (Left)
- Diagnoses
- Bimalleolar Weber C fracture dislocation of the left ankle, Right thigh contusion (Morel-Lavallee lesion), Right little finger middle phalanx fracture
- Incident date
- 10 October 2020
- Location
- Nerang Connection Road, Nerang, Queensland
Quick facts
- Date of judgment
- 17 April 2025
- Claim type
- MAIA
- Proceeding
- Damages assessment
- Plaintiff outcome
- Successful
- Plaintiff age at injury
- 57
- Occupation
- Unemployed (formerly operated a property and maintenance business; on disability pension) Unemployed
- Liability
- Admitted
- ISV assessed
- 15 uplift applied · Item 142 — Serious ankle injury (CLR Schedule 4)
- Total damages
- $32,808
Outcome
Liability was admitted; the trial was confined to quantum. The self-represented plaintiff was found not to be a credible witness and failed to substantiate claims for psychological injury, past and future care, and most special damages. The court assessed an ISV of 15 for the dominant serious ankle injury and entered judgment for $32,807.96 (general damages plus modest special damages).
Defendant
1 Amanda Renee Baker and Allianz Australia Insurance Ltd
Driver / CTP Insurer
- Judgment against this defendant
- $32,808
Heads of damage
| General damages | $28,700 |
|---|---|
| Past special damages (plaintiff) | $4,108 |
Key issues
Ford v Baker & Another [2025] QDC 43
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