A former Canto-pop singer who escaped death in a car accident on the mainland but is now in a wheelchair and has brain damage is claiming damages from the driver.
The wife of Tsoi Kwok-kuen, Yee Tat-hing, is taking legal action on his behalf against Chan Wah-hin, who was driving his company car with six passengers on board from Yunfu city in Guangdong to Hong Kong at the time of the accident on November 12, 2002.
Two passengers were killed and the others were injured when the vehicle flipped over on the Guangzhou to Shenzhen expressway. The weather at the time was fine, the Court of First Instance was told.
Chan, who owns a flour trading company under which the jeep was bought, suffered broken bones and was in hospital for months.
Barrister Robin D'Souza told Recorder Mr Patrick Fung Pak-tung that Tsoi suffered from dementia due to the head injury he received and he has been diagnosed with symptoms of Parkinson's disease. The barrister described him as 'severely disabled' with irreversible damage to his health.
De Souza said the jeep had been travelling in the middle lane when it suddenly skewed to one side and to another before it fell down a slope into water.
Chan said Tsoi was one of five passengers sitting behind him. He said none of them were wearing seat belts even though he had reminded them to do so before they set off. A woman sitting next to him was the only one to buckle up, Chan said.