Ang Leng Hock v Leo Ee An: Assessment of Damages for Road Traffic Accident
In the case of Ang Leng Hock v Leo Ee An, the High Court of Singapore assessed damages suffered by Ang due to a road traffic accident. Ang claimed for pre-trial loss of earnings, future loss of earnings, pain and suffering, future medical expenses, and miscellaneous special damages. The court awarded a total of $471,974.63, considering Ang's income as an independent sub-contractor, his inability to return to his previous job, and his injuries.
1. Case Overview
1.1 Court
High Court1.2 Outcome
Damages assessed for the plaintiff.
1.3 Case Type
Civil
1.4 Judgment Type
Grounds of Decision
1.5 Jurisdiction
Singapore
1.6 Description
Assessment of damages for Ang Leng Hock's road traffic accident claim against Leo Ee An, covering loss of earnings, pain and suffering, and medical expenses.
1.7 Decision Date
2. Parties and Outcomes
| Party Name | Role | Type | Outcome | Outcome Type | Counsels |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ang Leng Hock | Plaintiff | Individual | Damages assessed | Won | |
| Leo Ee An | Defendant | Individual | Damages assessed against | Lost |
3. Judges
| Judge Name | Title | Delivered Judgment |
|---|---|---|
| Joyce Low Wei Lin | Assistant Registrar | Yes |
4. Counsels
| Counsel Name | Organization |
|---|---|
| Sekhon Gurdeep Singh | K S Chia Gurdeep & Param |
| Lee Yuk Lan | Goh Poh & Partners |
4. Facts
- The plaintiff was involved in a road traffic accident on 29 January 1999.
- The plaintiff obtained interlocutory judgment for 95% of damages to be assessed.
- Prior to the accident, the plaintiff worked as an independent sub-contractor for Grand Court Vegetarian Restaurant Pte Ltd.
- The plaintiff also did despatch work for Smith & Nephew Pte Ltd on an ad-hoc basis.
- After the accident, the plaintiff was issued medical certificates for 70 days.
- The plaintiff started a coffee shop business called “68 Kopitiam” after the accident.
- The plaintiff terminated the lease of the coffee shop prior to its expiry because it was allegedly chalking up losses.
5. Formal Citations
- Ang Leng Hock v Leo Ee An, Suit 256/2000, [2003] SGHC 240
6. Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Road traffic accident occurred | |
| 68 Kopitiam business registered | |
| First period of medical leave expired | |
| Lease of coffee shop terminated | |
| Trial date | |
| Judgment Date |
7. Legal Issues
- Assessment of Damages for Personal Injury
- Outcome: The court assessed damages for pre-trial loss of earnings, future loss of earnings, pain and suffering, future medical expenses, cost of repairs, loss of use of motorcycle and transport expenses.
- Category: Substantive
- Sub-Issues:
- Pre-trial loss of earnings
- Future loss of earnings
- Pain and suffering
- Future medical expenses
- Loss of use of motorcycle
- Cost of repairs
- Transport expenses
- Mitigation of Loss
- Outcome: The court considered the plaintiff's efforts to mitigate his losses by starting a coffee shop business and assessed his potential earnings as a food and drinks assistant.
- Category: Substantive
8. Remedies Sought
- Monetary Damages
9. Cause of Actions
- Negligence
10. Practice Areas
- Personal Injury Litigation
- Motor Accident Claims
11. Industries
- Food and Beverage
12. Cited Cases
| Case Name | Court | Affirmed | Citation | Jurisdiction | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chinnathurai Raja v Kesavan Engineering & Construction Pte Ltd | District Court | Yes | Chinnathurai Raja v Kesavan Engineering & Construction Pte Ltd (unreported, DC Suit No. 6981 of 1997) | Singapore | Cited for the award of $13,000 for pain and suffering for upper limb injury involving the fracture of the clavicle. |
| Ku Sai v Lim Kheng Hock | District Court | Yes | Ku Sai v Lim Kheng Hock (unreported, DC Suit No. 131 of 1997) | Singapore | Cited for the award of $13,000 for pain and suffering for upper limb injury involving the fracture of the clavicle. |
| Aw Ang Moh v OCWS Logistics Pte Ltd | High Court | Yes | Aw Ang Moh v OCWS Logistics Pte Ltd (unreported, Suit No. 960 of 1996) | Singapore | Cited for the award of $3,000 for pain and suffering due to osteoarthritis. |
13. Applicable Rules
| Rule Name |
|---|
| No applicable rules |
14. Applicable Statutes
| Statute Name | Jurisdiction |
|---|---|
| No applicable statutes | |
15. Key Terms and Keywords
15.1 Key Terms
- Road traffic accident
- Assessment of damages
- Pre-trial loss of earnings
- Future loss of earnings
- Pain and suffering
- Medical expenses
- Mitigation of loss
- Independent sub-contractor
- Medical certificate
- Loss of earning capacity
15.2 Keywords
- road traffic accident
- personal injury
- damages
- loss of earnings
- medical expenses
- Singapore
- High Court
17. Areas of Law
| Area Name | Relevance Score |
|---|---|
| Road Traffic Accident Law | 95 |
| Assessment of Damages | 90 |
| Personal Injury | 80 |
| Automobile Accidents | 75 |
| Measure of Damages | 70 |
| Damages | 60 |
16. Subjects
- Personal Injury
- Damages Assessment
- Road Traffic Accident