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She had asked for $ 20 million in damages before adjusting her claim to $ 5 million. Now, there is a possibility that the costs of your lawsuit against the Public Service Board (PUB) could affect your damages.
Chan Hui Peng, 47, who took PUB to court after falling into a sewer in 2015, accepted a confidential settlement offer from lawyers for the statutory board on Thursday night (November 26), they told lawyer journalists on both sides.
That same morning, he had told the Superior Court that his claim was “honest and legitimate” and confirmed that he would pursue it.
Following both parties’ appearance before Judicial Commissioner Andre Maniam this morning to address the cost issue, Chan is expected to file a discontinuation notice against PUB, officially withdrawing his claim.
Chan decided to accept the offer as the trial, which began Monday, has “affected his mental health and emotional well-being,” his lawyer Ivan Lee told The Straits Times.
PUB will seek costs against Chan for legal proceedings due to his conduct and the delay in accepting the offer, which was made on November 10, his lawyers confirmed to Today in an email.
“It is to send a strong signal of deterrence, after having spent four days in court, what happened,” Anparasan Kamachi, one of PUB’s lawyers, told CNA.
The costs could “reduce the damage,” he added.
The fall resulted in fractures, bruises, and psychiatric illness: Chan
On December 1, 2015, Chan fell into a 1.8 m deep sewer near the intersection of Simon Road and Upper Serangoon Road.
According to his attorney L. Devadason, the sewer was open and there were no curbs or signs around it.
She suffered a broken ankle and contusions to her hip and was admitted to the hospital for five days.
According to Chan, the accident also caused post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and schizophrenia.
Chan “making a sham”: PUB’s lawyers
However, during the four days in court, PUB’s lawyers questioned Chan’s various claims.
On Wednesday, they noted that he had a highly-rated Carousell account that was active for the past three years and seven months despite his claim that he was afraid of meeting strangers.
In response, Chan said it was “not always” that she handled the account herself, adding that her psychiatrists and psychologists had encouraged her to have a “normal life.”
They also alleged that she had lied about her employment.
[[nid:510421]]Chan, who said he had started business development work a month before the accident, claimed a loss of income of more than $ 1 million, basing the amount on his monthly salary of $ 11,500.
However, the company he worked for was controlled by Chan, Anparasan told the court.
Her mother-in-law is reportedly a former director of the company, while her husband is a representative of the shareholder.
Chan also admitted in court on Wednesday that the current shareholder, Tan Yew Tiak, is his maternal uncle.
The day before, she had denied knowing him.
Asked to stop his “lies”, Anparasan told Chan, “We have been through three days of cross-examination. You have shown us so many things to show that you are making a sham.”
On Thursday, Grace Tan, another of PUB’s attorneys, told the court that Chan had tried to get a psychologist to modify his reports in 2016, citing notes from Tan Tock Seng Hospital.
However, the psychologist had rejected Chan’s request, arguing that Chan showed symptoms of PTSD, but the symptoms did not constitute a disorder.
During Monday’s hearing, Anparasan claimed that Chan “has a tendency to obtain and amend medical evidence to his satisfaction.”
It also alleged that she did not suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder and that “there could have been a certain degree of beautification,” according to the defendant’s psychiatry and psychology experts who had set out to take the stand.
