radioshack
High Supremacy Member
- Joined
- Aug 16, 2005
- Messages
- 28,899
- Reaction score
- 14,537
NTUC Income has been ordered to pay around S$417,000 in damages to the family of a recently-deceased elderly man, who became bedridden after a car accident in 2019.
Ko Wah, then 78, suffered severe brain injuries, required several surgeries, and became permanently mentally incapacitated after the accident.
He died five years later in October 2024.
In a written judgment issued Oct. 1, Deputy Registrar Kim Bum Soo said that NTUC Income, the driver's insurer, had demonstrated "wholly unreasonable behaviour" in response to the family's attempt to make claims.
For instance, they'd resisted certain "uncontroversial claims" by Ko's son, the plaintiff, including denying claims for pain and suffering, and rejecting Ko's ambulance-related expenses.
Ko was knocked down by a car driver, Samikannu Manickavasakar, in a traffic accident on Jun. 21, 2019.
He was rushed to the Emergency Department and underwent multiple operations, including brain surgeries.
He was discharged on Aug. 31, 2019.
While initially unconscious, the judge said that it appeared that his consciousness recovered after his discharge.
He continued to be in possession of his faculties until 2023, and his children observed that he would "raise his hand when in pain".
A psychiatrist also noted that Ko was alert, though mute and unable to communicate verbally.
He had previously been fully independent and could handle all day-to-day activities.
However, NTUC Income "completely den[ied]" Ko's family's claim for pain and suffering and loss of amenities.
"Loss of amenities" refers to a sense of deprivation or loss, whether or not the patient is aware of it.
The insurer argued that Ko had been comatose "the entire time", and as such could not feel any pain or suffering, or deprivation, at all.
They declined to explain themselves.
NTUC Income also "inexplicably" refused to pay for any ambulance-related expenses, despite them being for legitimate reasons.
"I cannot understand why NTUC Income would be willing to pay for hospital expenses, but not transportation to the hospital," the registrar said.
The ambulance rides were "obviously necessary", and included an occasion in which Ko was conveyed to the hospital urgently in the dead of the night.
"Ambulance rides are not joyrides," he added, and noted that the rides are expensive.
Furthermore, NTUC Income refused to pay for any of Ko's medical expenses that were covered by payouts from MediShield Life.
The registrar called their position "baffling", and the objection "callous and meritless".
He pointed out that as long as the medical expenses were reasonably incurred, the insurer would have to compensate the patient — whether it was paid for by cash, card, or MediShield Life.
No distinction should be made between these, he said.
In total, Kim awarded Ko's family S$417,304 in total damages.
This included S$218,000 in damages for pain and suffering and loss of amenities, S$1,992 in ambulance services, and S$131,938 in pre-trial medical expenses.
Kim rebuked NTUC Income for its response to the insurance claims, calling their objections "unfounded".
On their denial of damages related to pain of suffering, he said it was "reasonably apparent" that Ko had been able to appreciate pain and suffering for at least some periods of time.
He further pointed out that legally, an injured person is entitled to damages for loss of amenities, even if they cannot feel the pain.
The insurer had also repeatedly refused to explain themselves, despite being questioned, he observed.
This "read like the sort of casually impersonal stonewalling that some would associate with the worst administrative processes".
"The earnestness of the beleaguered plaintiff (Ko's son) offered heartbreaking contrast," he added.
Top image from Google Maps
https://mothership.sg/2025/10/ntuc-...NVKYDn1twCEVxm_-8w_aem_CVQ3deBas1dA6KOxhk1_eg
Ko Wah, then 78, suffered severe brain injuries, required several surgeries, and became permanently mentally incapacitated after the accident.
He died five years later in October 2024.
In a written judgment issued Oct. 1, Deputy Registrar Kim Bum Soo said that NTUC Income, the driver's insurer, had demonstrated "wholly unreasonable behaviour" in response to the family's attempt to make claims.
For instance, they'd resisted certain "uncontroversial claims" by Ko's son, the plaintiff, including denying claims for pain and suffering, and rejecting Ko's ambulance-related expenses.
Severely incapacitated
Ko was knocked down by a car driver, Samikannu Manickavasakar, in a traffic accident on Jun. 21, 2019.
He was rushed to the Emergency Department and underwent multiple operations, including brain surgeries.
He was discharged on Aug. 31, 2019.
While initially unconscious, the judge said that it appeared that his consciousness recovered after his discharge.
He continued to be in possession of his faculties until 2023, and his children observed that he would "raise his hand when in pain".
A psychiatrist also noted that Ko was alert, though mute and unable to communicate verbally.
He had previously been fully independent and could handle all day-to-day activities.
Denied pain and suffering claim
However, NTUC Income "completely den[ied]" Ko's family's claim for pain and suffering and loss of amenities.
"Loss of amenities" refers to a sense of deprivation or loss, whether or not the patient is aware of it.
The insurer argued that Ko had been comatose "the entire time", and as such could not feel any pain or suffering, or deprivation, at all.
They declined to explain themselves.
Denied ambulance expense claims
NTUC Income also "inexplicably" refused to pay for any ambulance-related expenses, despite them being for legitimate reasons.
"I cannot understand why NTUC Income would be willing to pay for hospital expenses, but not transportation to the hospital," the registrar said.
The ambulance rides were "obviously necessary", and included an occasion in which Ko was conveyed to the hospital urgently in the dead of the night.
"Ambulance rides are not joyrides," he added, and noted that the rides are expensive.
Denied MediShield Life claims
Furthermore, NTUC Income refused to pay for any of Ko's medical expenses that were covered by payouts from MediShield Life.
The registrar called their position "baffling", and the objection "callous and meritless".
He pointed out that as long as the medical expenses were reasonably incurred, the insurer would have to compensate the patient — whether it was paid for by cash, card, or MediShield Life.
No distinction should be made between these, he said.
Total award
In total, Kim awarded Ko's family S$417,304 in total damages.
This included S$218,000 in damages for pain and suffering and loss of amenities, S$1,992 in ambulance services, and S$131,938 in pre-trial medical expenses.
Kim rebuked NTUC Income for its response to the insurance claims, calling their objections "unfounded".
On their denial of damages related to pain of suffering, he said it was "reasonably apparent" that Ko had been able to appreciate pain and suffering for at least some periods of time.
He further pointed out that legally, an injured person is entitled to damages for loss of amenities, even if they cannot feel the pain.
The insurer had also repeatedly refused to explain themselves, despite being questioned, he observed.
This "read like the sort of casually impersonal stonewalling that some would associate with the worst administrative processes".
"The earnestness of the beleaguered plaintiff (Ko's son) offered heartbreaking contrast," he added.
Top image from Google Maps
https://mothership.sg/2025/10/ntuc-...NVKYDn1twCEVxm_-8w_aem_CVQ3deBas1dA6KOxhk1_eg
