Worker who sued despite compensation offer loses case, ordered to pay $35k in costs

K.C. Vijayan
The Straits Times
Aug 11, 2017

An injured worker was offered compensation under the Work Injury Compensation Act (Wica) but declined the sum and opted to sue in court instead. He failed to prove his claim and now finds he must pay $35,000 in costs instead.

The case could serve as an eye-opener for workers who spurn the compensation that the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) offers them. The ministry has asked such workers to "consider carefully" before they opt to go to court as the burden of proof there may be different.

The issue has come under the spotlight following the case of Chinese national Xu Zhenbing, who claimed that he suffered injuries on his right wrist when carrying out reinforcement works of metal rebars in a lift shaft at an Alexandra View worksite in 2014. He was 43 years old at the time.

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