1.5Mil compensation not enuff for mom of accident victim

[Apollo]

Man bedridden after road accident awarded $1.5m in damages

By Selina Lum

 

A 33-YEAR-OLD MAN, left incapacitated and mentally disabled after a road accident seven years ago, has been awarded $1.5 million by the High Court, believed to be one of the highest for personal injury claims here.

 

But his 54-year-old mother believes that her son should get more money.

 

'I'm not satisfied,' Madam Ramiah Naragatha Vally told The Straits Times on Thursday in between sobs on Thursday.

 

'My son's life is gone.'

 

Mr Ramesh Ayakanno, a former lorry driver who held a blackbelt in taekwondo, is now unable to move or talk and requires life-long medication for epileptic seizures.

 

He spends most of his day in bed and is moved to a reclining chair for a couple of hours a day, said Madam Vally. He cannot feed himself and has to wear adult diapers.

 

Mr Ramesh is entitled to get 95 per cent of the award, as well as interest and legal costs.

 

This is because in 2002, the driver of the van that crashed into Mr Ramesh had agreed to take 95 per cent of the blame for causing the accident on the Kranji Expressway on March 9, 2001.

 

The payout will be made by the van driver's insurers. Mr Ramesh had been hit after he stopped his lorry along the road shoulder to check a noise coming from the back of the vehicle.

 

Then 26 years old and due to get married, he was flung to the ground and suffered serious head injuries.

 

http://www.straitstimes.com/Latest%2BNews/...ory_214058.html

[Toyo]

no amt of money will bring his life back

but then $1.5mil is really alot

[Nhyone]

Do people drive so closely to the road shoulder?

 

In one of the theory lessons in BBDC, we were shown a news article of a car being hit from behind on the road shoulder. The idea was not to park at the road shoulder except for emergency.

 

I find it amazing that a car can bang into another car on the road shoulder. Maybe the road shoulder should be made more bumpy so that people don't use it as an extra lane.

[Silver_blade]

Actually, assuming she will use all the $$$ on her son. $1.5mil may not be enough. If the son is to live for another 60yrs....he will get around $25k/yr. That's not a lot of money...especially if he need special help and pay people to take care of him after his mum pass-on. This doesn't not factor in inflation and his future medical needs (should he fall ill, etc)

[Apollo]

eh... usually annie wan who kena paralyzed. chances of living beyond 10 yrs is really really low.

[Silver_blade]

You are right lah...

[Law_ong]

why not?

 

my neighbour's husband who was a trailer driver was crashed to death by the trailer he was towing.

 

he was parking his lorry on the shoulder, checked what was the noise from his trailer and the trailer got banged, ran over his head.. if its fate you cant run..a trailer is damn big not to be spotted and yet can get banged. also his fate, dunnoe why bother to sneak his head in to check...

[Evoluzio]

Count my dad lucky that it was his leg that got run over, everything else was the same. It was a F****ING CONTAINER truck and the guy could ram into it. Even now the lawyers are still waiting for the guy's insurers reply.

[Rjmsfire]

Do people drive so closely to the road shoulder?

 

In one of the theory lessons in BBDC, we were shown a news article of a car being hit from behind on the road shoulder. The idea was not to park at the road shoulder except for emergency.

 

I find it amazing that a car can bang into another car on the road shoulder. Maybe the road shoulder should be made more bumpy so that people don't use it as an extra lane.

 

People do not drive on the road shoulder. But those who are not alert tend to follow what's in front, in a mentally half-numb state. So they see this vehicle in front (it's the road shoulder but they do not realise), so follow ..... follow..... follow..... suddenly, why is it so close?! BANG!!

 

So moral of the story is don't ever stop on the road shoulder and if you should, then get out of the vehicle and stand behind the armco barriers.

Edited March 6, 2008 by Rjmsfire

[Blu_g]

Nothing can change the fact bt 1.5m is quite alot of $$$$....

[Apollo]

he checking the lorry lor.. but then hor, it neber fail to amaze me how many monkeys out there, even when some1 coming out fr road shoulders, the monkeys will not give way, step accelerator somemore. like w+f... does it kill to spare a few tens of seconds just to let some1 come out?

[Denosha]

It's not a lot of $$$ if you consider that the the victim was in the prime of his life and has essentially lost a good 40 years of income. Not only that, his yearly medical expenses is going to be pretty high as well. And not to mention the emotional grief.

[Zanter]

For people who love money more than life then its can sooth the pain of the lost but for people who love life more than money then its surely not enough. Who will wish for a million dollars to lose their children? Well some would perhaps

[Apollo]

sooth simi pain. his worst period is over. i can imagine swollen head, broken rib.. stitches fr north to south. drip drip follow by more blood. my unker went thru this before.

 

if she keep haggling over for more, she will forever b stuck down the point of pain only.

 

in a way he is released fr the stress of day to day life. and those painful day.

 

it will neber b enuff until she decides to move on.

[Kranjipioneer]

"The payout will be made by the van driver's insurers."

 

This will indirectly result in higher motor insurance premiums for other motorists.

[Simply_lex]

partially is the high medical bills here, the suffering is the process of seeing his son

laying on the bed for the rest of his life that is heartbreaking.

 

The thought in his mum's mind is a healthy and strong son,

however infront of her is her helpless son.

[Zanter]

Yup . Now u know why premiums are going up! That is why i favor jail terms for reckless driving.

[Law_ong]

Count my dad lucky that it was his leg that got run over, everything else was the same. It was a F****ING CONTAINER truck and the guy could ram into it. Even now the lawyers are still waiting for the guy's insurers reply.

 

lucky...dun worry he get lots of good fortune + luck after such narrow escape..