SATURDAY, MAY 25, 1985
5
TRAFFIC ACCIDENT VICTIMS GET $31M
THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT PAID OUT MORE THAN $31 MILLION TO TRAFFIC ACCIDENT VICTIMS AND THEIR DEPENDANTS IN THE 1983-84 FINANCIAL YEAR.
ACCORDING TO THE 1983-84 REPORT ON THE TRAFFIC ACCIDENT VICTIMS ASSISTANCE (TAVA) FUND, TABLED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL LAST WEEK, THE NUMBER OF NEW APPLICATIONS RECEIVED IN THE YEAR WAS 6 398.
OF THESE, 327 INVOLVED DEATH, 4 571 SERIOUS INJURIES AND 1 500 SLIGHT INJURIES.
THE HIGHEST SINGLE PAYMENT OF $42 000 WAS MADE IN A CASE IN WHICH THE DECEASED WAS THE SOLE WAGE EARNER AND WAS SURVIVED BY 10 FAMILY MEMBERS.
+THERE WERE 33 SERIOUS TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS IN THE YEAR WITH THE WORST OCCURRING ON JANUARY 28, 1984 WHEN A DOUBLE DECKER BUS RAN ONTO THE PAVEMENT IN FRONT OF A SCHOOL AT WONG NEI CHUNG ROAD, HAPPY VALLEY, THE REPORT NOTED.
SIX PERSONS WERE KILLED AND EIGHT OTHERS INJURED IN THE INCIDENT.
OF THESE 14 CASES, 12 WERE PAID ASSISTANCE AMOUNTING TO 170 480, WHILE TWO VICTIMS GAVE UP THE IR CLAIMS.
IN MAJOR TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS, STAFF FROM THE TAVA SECTION INITIATED CONTACT WITH VICTIMS OR THEIR DEPENDANTS TO ASSIST THEM WITH THEIR APPLICATION.
DURING THE YEAR, THE AVERAGE TIME REQUIRED FOR PROCESSING A CASE - FROM APPLICATION TO ARRANGEMENT OF PAYMENT - WAS ABOUT 23 CALENDAR DAYS.
THE REPORT STATED THAT 72 PER CENT OF THE CASES WERE COMPLETED WITHIN THREE WEEKS AND ONLY FOUR PER CENT WERE NOT COMPLETED WITHIN TWO MONTHS.
+WHERE CASES PROCEEDED SMOOTHLY AND APPLICANTS WERE IN NEED OF URGENT ASSISTANCE, PAYMENTS WERE ARRANGED WITHIN A FEW DAYS, IT ADDED.
16
I