Thai teen girl who lose leg offered $5k compensation
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Originally posted by Wiser:
SMRT offered the 5k as a token of goodwill.
If a Singaporean should have such a freak accident in Thailand, you think the Thai will send well wishes, donations and even gave a new wheelchair to the victim?
you cannot compare that way. it depends on the law of the country.
in US you can sue even if you slipped in a shopping mall. (a bit extreme to my point of view)
i wonder what our law says. is it smrt's fault in not having a door on the track?
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Originally posted by ditzy:
The above ground stations along the north south line have been around since 1987, and they didn't even start putting those half farked platform doors since last year, so since 1987 till 2010, how many people have lost their legs waiting for an MRT train in an above ground MRT station? To be frank with you, I've been around even before then, and this is the first time I come across one person who lost her legs. The schoolboy who broke his at bishan MRT admitted it was his fault coz of his horseplay.
It was reported this girl wasn't feeling well, and fainted into the path of an incoming train. I ask you who in their right mind who isn't feeling well be standing just before the yellow line so in case they faint, they fall right into the farking path of an incoming train?
SMRT shouldn't even give a damn cent of compensation IMHO.
you arent feeling well doesnt mean you'll faint isnt it?
smrt should compensate coz its their duty as a transport operator to have doors installed as a safety feature for commuters.
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Originally posted by dragg:
you arent feeling well doesnt mean you'll faint isnt it?
smrt should compensate coz its their duty as a transport operator to have doors installed as a safety feature for commuters.
I'm only quoting what the papers reported.
Do you think the transport operator should compensate everytime someone falls unintenionally? If SMRT were to compensate an even larger sum, it would have set the precedence everytime someone falls onto their tracks unintentionally, then the blame falls on the transport operator, and they should compensate instead, which is seemingly stupid.
Again I'd like to ask,the past 2 decades and 4 years, how many people have lost their legs waiting for an MRT train to arrive on an above ground station? I'm telling you this is the first I ever come across. Maybe more mother sons would like to lose their legs wating for the train and expect the transport operator to give a huge payout?
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Originally posted by ditzy:
I'm only quoting what the papers reported.
Do you think the transport operator should compensate everytime someone falls unintenionally? If SMRT were to compensate an even larger sum, it would have set the precedence everytime someone falls onto their tracks unintentionally, then the blame falls on the transport operator, and they should compensate instead, which is seemingly stupid.
Again I'd like to ask,the past 2 decades and 4 years, how many people have lost their legs waiting for an MRT train to arrive on an above ground station? I'm telling you this is the first I ever come across. Maybe more mother sons would like to lose their legs wating for the train and expect the transport operator to give a huge payout?
since its the first ever case in 2 decades we give the thai girl the benefit of the doubt and settle with a decent compensation. i am not suggesting a 100k payment btw.
losing both legs means you lose the ability to get work that pays a decent salary. considering smrt is offering only 5k. even if it jumps 10x its only 50k. which mother son would choose to lose both their legs just to get this kind of compensation? i am sure in the long run you lose more than you gain!!
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SMRT and LTA already acknowledge that they need platform door for the following after numerous incident.
1) To prevent people from jumping into the track and commit sucide.
2) To prevent people from falling into the track( accident ).
Yet they take donkey years to install platform door for above ground station.
With the increase in passengers and especially during peak hour where the station is overcrowded, I wonder hove many cases need to happen before they wake up.
If this is to happen in a factory, MOM will want the factory operator to fix up the safety feature ASAP.
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So what next? Spend more public money and make the trains out of platiscine (sp.) so that people won't get hurt when they get hit?!
As mentioned, its a once in a blue moon thing and if you're going to safeguard against everything, then everyone may as well stay home (but even then....). One can fall or end their own lives at many other places other than at the MRT tracks....c'mon.
Legs for money.....? As dragg mentioned, its an unlikely source of golddigging. At worst - if it becomes more common than believable, then they can set some kind of precedent to avoid standard-payouts.
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Perhaps SMRT should really put up those barriers or if not, re-draw the yellow lines such that it's further back and have patrol officers as minders.
Then again, from a business perspective, SMRT owes the girl nothing. $5000 is kind enough. If they pay her anything substantial, not only does it not make business sense, but it may set a precedent towards future accidents. This is not the first, certainly not the last.
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I rather i keep my two legs then get 200k Compensation by SMRT . With my two legs i can run walk for the rest of my life . Without it my life would be much more horrible
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Girl who lost legs in MRT accident returns to Thailand
SINGAPORE: The 14-year-old Thai girl who lost both legs in an MRT accident, has left Singapore for home with her father.
Nitcharee Peneakchanasak, affectionately known as Nong Than, appeared chirpy as she emerged from an ambulance Monday morning. Having spent more than two months recuperating, the 14-year-old, who turns 15 on Thursday, is staying positive.
She said: "When I get home, I'm going to do whatever needs to be done. That includes organising my birthday!"
She also intends to visit centres for the disabled and use her situation to encourage others.
Strangers and volunteers turned up at the airport to bid farewell to Nitcharee - with some offering money.
However, the stream of donations might not be enough to cover Nitcharee's hospital bills for the past two months - estimated to be about S$46,000.
"Currently the family members cannot afford (the bills). The father is an insurance broker and the legs that are going to be fitted are special legs, and it's going to be very expensive," said Mr Christopher Bek, president-elect of the Rotary E-Club of Singapore.
The Rotary E-Club of Singapore has been assisting the family since the accident, having paid for Nitcharee's motorised wheelchair. They are currently trying to collect donations for the family.
"Our Rotarians have a legal department also, so they also come to give some advice. They've got some lawyers from outside who specialise in injury claims to help out. But the claim is still ongoing and we hope everything will be fine," said Mr Bek.
Nitcharee's father, Kittanesh Peneakchanasak said he has already engaged a lawyer, and is hoping for a fair compensation. He said: "I believe my daughter Nong Than did not fall because she fainted, she could have been pushed among the crowd."
SMRT has declined to comment on the sum of money given, citing confidentiality as investigations are still going on. But it has been reported that the transport operator has offered the family an initial S$5,000.
Mr Peneakchanasak said: "S$5,000? S$5,000 can't even buy you a finger. The prosthetic legs cost around S$100,000 and must be changed every three to five years. It's a huge sum of money...life won't be normal for Nong Than anymore, but my daughter is strong and doesn't give up. But I need justice to be done for Nong Than."
It is believed the microchip-controlled prosthetic legs could cost more than S$50,000 each.
The family will see a specialist in Thailand, to determine if the legs can be made and fitted at home. Otherwise, Nitcharee would have to return to Singapore in two months for another check-up.
Nitcharee hopes to start walking again in three months and return to Singapore to complete her studies.
- CNA/cc/ac -
What about the auntie who sells tissue with a severe hunchback? What about those kids born with aids? What about those african starving kids with houseflies on their backs? This is all due to the power of the media, hence the donations to this thai girl.
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Originally posted by dragg:
use some common sense lah.
the thai girl lost her legs to a fall. a suicide is intentional. a fall isnt. thats the difference!!!! you compensate for accidents but not suicide.
great common sense !!!
By the way, I fall outside your house, yes it was an accident, so can you pls out of compassion pay me some money ?
Please let me know how much you paying me and by when !!!
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Originally posted by storywolf:
great common sense !!!
By the way, I fall outside your house, yes it was an accident, so can you pls out of compassion pay me some money ?
Please let me know how much you paying me and by when !!!
since its outside my house how can it be my responsibility?
amazing common sense you have!!!
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Originally posted by dragg:
since its outside my house how can it be my responsibility?
amazing common sense you have!!!
It was the girl's choice to take the MRT train, she could have taken a bus, or taxi, but chose to take a train that fateful day.
SMRT didn't force her to take the train. Accident didn't happen in the train, nor when she was on board. So why should it be the transport operator's responsibility?
You can argue it happened in a train station, then I can only reply you, its was her choice to be there. There will always be a risk of something happening, whether you stay home or not, and the risk of taking it, is by choice.
She stood behind the yellow line, but still something happened, why should it again fall on SMRT's reponsibility?
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Originally posted by ditzy:
It was the girl's choice to take the MRT train, she could have taken a bus, or taxi, but chose to take a train that fateful day.
SMRT didn't force her to take the train. Accident didn't happen in the train, nor when she was on board. So why should it be the transport operator's responsibility?
You can argue it happened in a train station, then I can only reply you, its was her choice to be there. There will always be a risk of something happening, whether you stay home or not, and the risk of taking it, is by choice.
She stood behind the yellow line, but still something happened, why should it again fall on SMRT's reponsibility?
frankly, its useless arguing.
since they did not sue i assume under singapore law smrt is not in the wrong. its unfortunate but we have to accept 5k is a fantastic goodwill gesture by smrt.
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I heard that the father has engaged a lawyer and didn't seem pleased with the $5K. Wonder where it'll go.
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Originally posted by ditzy:
It was the girl's choice to take the MRT train, she could have taken a bus, or taxi, but chose to take a train that fateful day.
SMRT didn't force her to take the train. Accident didn't happen in the train, nor when she was on board. So why should it be the transport operator's responsibility?
You can argue it happened in a train station, then I can only reply you, its was her choice to be there. There will always be a risk of something happening, whether you stay home or not, and the risk of taking it, is by choice.
She stood behind the yellow line, but still something happened, why should it again fall on SMRT's reponsibility?
I only have basic knowledge of the law but I can tell your argument does not hold.
Even if someone volunteers for an activity, the activity cannot be mortally dangerous. Even if SMRT puts up a sign saying "At your own risk" it will be useless in cases of bodily injury or death. No business can escape responsibility for personal safety.
Yes she stood behind the yellow line, but stll fell on the track as the gap is not wide enough. SMRT knows millions of people of all kinds, ages, states of health etc take the train and there is a risk of one of them fainting and falling, they chose to ignore this risk instead of widening the gap or providing doors.
The number of suicides show SMRT is fully aware of the risk but chose to take its sweet time installing doors.
As for the $5K, SMRT is just trying to act compassionate and hoping the Thai family doesn't know how to sue for more or is too poor to do so.
If more people try to amputate their legs for money, it is for SMRT to prove they did it on purpose.
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Put door barriers....then what's next? Someone falls off the escalator and gets maimed, SMRT should have thought of "something".
For so many years, I have never heard of people falling into mrt tracks and getting crushed until mid 2000s. Now I wonder why for more than two good decades no accidents happened and now it keeps happening on an as if regular basis.
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actually its mrt fault really .its stations are downright dangerously designed.they should move the bloody line like 3 metres behind the stopid edge where the train stops .its simply too near the train.... and laser alarms should be made in the danger zones etc etc.....
mrt in spore isnt safe...just another 3rd world kinda unsafe style.....
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when i see the train stop in front of me i sometimes wonder............."isnt the train kinda near me?what if i fell?what if i fainted?what if some drunk pushed me onto the moving train.....i think the line instead of it being 1.5 metres..should be moved back from train door so if i fell or someone pushed me..i would not be killed by stopping train....its common sense really.......time spore scholars used some cow sense.....
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Now that's true, redraw the lines. Perhaps they shd consider putting those barriers once and for all. It's detrimental to the economy and society when people cannot travel due to such mrt accidents or suicides. She said she's giddy, god knows? Teens are easily unstable especially when they face self perceived armageddon-style problems. And the timing's so perfect that she had to fall when the train approached? Well, don't get me wrong, not discounting that she could have been a genuine faint case but I'm strongly against all the media hype given to this.
Don't count on this being the last, there's a lot of media news on donations to her.
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Just build smaller trains, bigger platform waiting areas, and redraw the yellow lines all the way to the escalators. I will not go on to elaborate about the new York city subway and their platform waiting areas.
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bad design means unhappiness.
good design means happiness.
its very simple really.i should be a m9nister!!!
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but my asking price would be like 10 chiobus.
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if the line was way7 back to 3 metres from the door of the moving train.....if the gal fell...she would still be on the station with every limb intact but she ended up with a few limbs missin after it got entangled with the mrt train..
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would love to go everywhere using a sedgeway.....its probably like a flying carpet.