Driver who hit Korean junior badminton player sued

About the Case

On Dec 15, 2005 around noon, Kim Mi Seon, 15, was crossing Guillemard Road to the Singapore Badminton Hall with two teammates when whe was hit by a car.

The car was driven by Madam Shi Sool Hee, then 52, also a Korean.

The impact flung Mi Seon more than 20m. She died from multiple injuries.

Madam Shi pleaded guilty to inconsiderate driving in April last year. She was fined $6,000 and banned from driving for six months.

Mi Seon's parents, Mr Kim an Seok and Madam Jeon Sang Sun, are suing Madam Shi, seeking compensation.

The hearing started yesterday and is scheduled to run till Friday.



The Straits Times
Sep 7, 2009

Couple sue driver after 4 yrs

http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking+News/Singapore/Story/STIStory_426671.html

By Selina Lum

A KOREAN couple who lost their 15-year-old daughter in an accident along Guillemard Road nearly four years ago are here to sue the driver who hit her.

Mr Kim Anseok, 46, and Madam Jeon Sangsun, 43, are seeking about $500,000 in lost earnings and for funeral expenses from Madam Shi Sool Hee, 56, who is, coincidentally, also Korean.

Madam Shi, a Singapore permanent resident, was at the wheel of the car that hit the couple's daughter, Kim Miseon, who was on her way to the Singapore Badminton Hall to play in her first international tournament. The accident took place at the junction of Guillemard Road and Lorong 22 Geylang.

The couple, represented by Ms Lynette Chew, claims that Madam Shi is wholly liable for Miseon's death.

But Madam Shi, represented by Mr Edwin Chua, asserts that Miseon had contributed to the crash by dashing across the road. A point of contention is whether the traffic lights were then in favour of the teenager or Madam Shi.

The couple's case is that the light for pedestrians was flashing green as Miseon and two teammates started to cross the road, but turned red before they could get to the other side. But Madam Shi contends that the lights were green in her favour and red for pedestrians.

Mi Seon's teammates Bang Eun Hye and Yoo Hyeon Yeong on Monday said the flashing green man was on at the time.

The couple also accuse Madam Shi of speeding, but she maintains she was going no faster than 60 kmh.


More details appeared in the same paper on Sep 8:

The bulk of the bereaved parents' claims is for the loss of dependency: They say their daughter was talented badminton player and a member of the Korean national junior team. As a national player, her salary would have been about US$6,000 (S$8,650) a month had she lived to earn it.

And if she played for a club, she would have made about US$5,000 a month; later, as a coach, she would have been paid US$6,000 monthly. She would also have had sponsorships amounting to US$10,000 a year for 15 years.

The couple, who also have two sons, are also claiming some $30,0000 in funeral and travel expenses.