Family Sues Prasarana For RM1.8mil After LRT Collision Victim Sustains Head, Face & Spinal Injuries

Rescue personnel tending to the injured passengers after the collision (source: Malay Mail)

The family of a passenger who was critically injured in last week’s light rail transit (LRT) crash has sent a legal notice of demand to its operator, Prasarana Malaysia Berhad, with an RM1.8 million claim for damages and negligence.

In a statement released by the family’s lawyer, the victim, Wong Chee Foong sustained serious head, face and spinal injuries in the crash and is currently undergoing multiple surgeries and treatments.

The 52-year-old father of four is still being treated in the intensive care unit (ICU) and has not regained consciousness, according to lawyer Jazzmine Khoo, adding that the claim would consist of medical expenses, physical damage, mental and emotional stress, trauma, loss of income, special and general damages and for the negligence caused.

“On 24 May, the unfortunate day of the accident, the victim was returning home from work whereby he boarded the train from KLCC station and was supposed to exit at Masjid Jamek station for train interchange to Cheras… The victim works as a Kitchen Chef in a five-star hotel. He has four daughters aged between 15 and three years old. The victim is also the sole breadwinner of the family,” she said in a statement.

(source: Malay Mail)

Khoo also addressed Prasarana’s statement whereby the company said it would offer compensation of RM1,000 to each victim and take care of their medical expenses and loss of income.

“Disappointingly, till today there is no proper response or approach by Prasarana in liaising with the victim’s family. Nevertheless, the family also expressed that the said RM1,000 is not a justified amount of compensation for the victim as the damages suffered by the victim is greater.

“The family hopes that Prasarana will respond to the letter and would come forward for an amicable and more justified settlement proposal from them soon,” she urged.

ICYMI, Malaysians were shocked to receive the tragic news of a collision between two trains on the Kelana Jaya light rail transit on 24 May. Apparently, an out-of-service train collided with another train carrying 213 passengers in the tunnel between the Kampung Baru and KLCC LRT stations.

There were also many gory photos and videos of injured passengers surfacing the internet which added to the shock. It has been reported that 47 people suffered serious injuries while 166 others escaped with minor injuries.