[ad_1]
Southern Response, the government insurer responsible for settling the Christchurch earthquake claims, has failed to have a court decision against it overturned.
Your playlist will load after this announcement.
The test case against Southern Response could cost taxpayers more than $ 300 million. Source: 1 NEWS
Today’s Court of Appeals ruling potentially leaves the Treasury liable for claims worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
Last year, the Superior Court found that the agency had misled and misled the Christchurch couple, Karl and Alison Dodds, by holding a higher estimate to rebuild the secret of their earthquake-damaged home.
Therefore, the pair settled for $ 895,000, considerably below the actual estimate.
The Dodds received costs from the Superior Court of nearly $ 179,000.
Your playlist will load after this announcement.
Ali Jones told TVNZ1’s breakfast that there are potentially hundreds more of the 200 that Southern Response has identified. Source: Breakfast
Southern Response appealed against that decision, but in a ruling published today, the Court of Appeals dismissed that decision.
However, he reduced the amount awarded to the Dodds by $ 10,656. And he dismissed the Dodds’ own appeal alleging general stress damages.
1 NEWS understood that the original Superior Court judgment against Southern Response could cost taxpayers $ 300 million, as Southern Response withheld information from up to 3,000 homeowners in a similar manner.
Finance Minister Grant Robertson, confirming the appeal last year, said the decision had not been made lightly but was in the best interest of taxpayers.
This afternoon, a spokesman for the minister said: “We have received the decision of the Court of Appeals for the Karl Gregory Dodds et al. V. Southern Response case, and we will now take some time to evaluate the Court’s findings.
“Ministers will not comment further until all parties have had a chance to consider the findings and determine their next steps.”
