Migrant worker from India sues employers in Singapore seeking $73,500 in damages, and wins: Report

A migrant worker from India successfully sued his employers in Singapore for negligence after he fell off the back of an overcrowded lorry in 2021. According to a report by CNN on Sunday (August 27), 37-year-old Ramalingam Murugan's lawyer Muhamad Ashraf Syed Ansarai said that the accident caused him immense pain. “He injured himself coming down from a lorry which was overcrowded – a simple thing that turned out to be risky,” Ansarai said.

“But it is not uncommon for companies, especially those involved in heavy construction, to take risk assessments for granted,” he added.

The accident

On January 3, 2021, Murugan, who belongs to the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, fractured his leg while disembarking from an overcrowded truck. Citing court documents, the report said that Murugan was ferried with at least 24 other workers on the back of the lorry from their dormitory to a work site and was the fourth to alight from the vehicle. It was raining that day.

He testified in court that he was pushed by another worker who was in a hurry to seek shelter from the rain, causing him to lose his balance and fracturing his right leg. The 37-year-old underwent surgery and was on medical leave for five months.

Last year, Murugan launched a lawsuit against Rigel Marine Services (his employer), seeking $73,500 in damages. Murugran argued that his employers failed to institute or enforce a safe system of transport for himself and other workers and did not carry out risk assessments to identify potential hazards.

However, Rigel Marine Services denied the claims and said that the accident was caused by the man's own carelessness. The company also counter-claimed for the medical expenses and medical leave wages that had been paid to and for Murugan, CNN reported.

Judge rules in favour of migrant construction worker

District Judge Tan May Tee ruled in favour of Murugan despite the company's justification. Dee said there was a clear breach of duty by the company, adding that without proper supervision and the maintenance of some order or discipline in alighting, the man was pushed by his co-workers which resulted in him losing his balance and falling.

She added that she found no contributory negligence on Murugan’s part, and there had been no way for him to avoid the accident as the vehicle was “not meant to carry more than 22 persons at the time.”

In a statement released through his lawyer, Murugan said he was “looking forward to the closure of this matter, and hoped he gets a reasonable compensation for his injuries. Judge Tee, meanwhile, said the damages awarded to the man will be assessed at a later stage.

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