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‘Haven’t received a single rupee’: Bengaluru accident victim hits out at Rapido
A woman who suffered horrific injuries in an accident involving her Rapido bike taxi has called out the company for allegedly refusing to pay her medical bills.
A Bengaluru-based interior designer who suffered horrific injuries in an accident involving her Rapido bike taxi has called out the company for allegedly refusing to pay her medical bills. Sani Krishna was injured on June 17 while commuting to office on a Rapido bike taxi. She fell from the bike when the driver allegedly tried to overtake a tractor while driving recklessly.
The tractor’s right wheel ran over 32-year-old Krishna, resulting in seven fractured ribs. She had to undergo emergency surgery to remove her spleen as well as plastic surgery for facial reconstruction, according to an Indian Express report.
Victim demands full reimbursement
Krishna then sent a legal notice to Rapido, demanding full reimbursement for her medical bills along with complete accountability from the ride-hailing app.
According to a Times of India report. Rapido’s insurance policy for customers and drivers (whom they call captains), is capped at ₹5 lakh. However, Krishna’s medical bills exceeded ₹20 lakh.
On August 10, a TOI report quoted Rapido as saying that the company would provide the maximum insurance claim under the policy, but it would not pay Sani Krishna’s entire medical bill.
Rapido later changed its stance, saying the accident was an exceptional circumstance, and the company would therefore foot the entire ₹20 lakh bill.
“Given the exceptional circumstances of this case, Rapido has also communicated its willingness to facilitate the processing of the entire eligible medical expense claim, without applying the standard policy cap, subject to the submission and verification of the requisite documentation by the insurer,” a Rapido spokesperson was quoted as saying by TOI.
‘Haven't received a single rupee’
While Rapido claims that it is helping Sani Krishna with her medical bills, the accident victim claims otherwise.
Krishna, who is recovering in her hometown Kozhikode, yesterday shared an Instagram video where she claimed that Rapido has not given her a single rupee till date.
“I really don't want to come in front of camera like this. But when I see news all over the internet that Rapido is helping me, I have no choice but to speak for myself,” she said. The video shows her with visible injuries on her face and neck, along with broken teeth.
The 32-year-old accused the ride aggregator of giving false statements to news channels about approving her medical claims.
“Rapido has been giving false statements to news channels that they have been actively helping me with my medical expenses and also they are stating that they have came to meet me in my hospital. But the reality is very different.
“As of today, I haven't received a single rupee as a financial support from them,” the interior designer said.
Accusing Rapido of forsaking all responsibility, she further claimed that “their only formal offer was to tell my lawyer to go fight with the micro insurance app.”
Krishna further said that Rapido wanted to avoid accountability and clean up its image through false press statements.
“When these statements are made publicly without any actual direct assistance provided to me, it is just an attempt to manage their image in the public, rather than genuinely helping a person whose life was destroyed on their platform.
“Every rupee of my medical expense and recovery has been borne by me and by my family. If Rapido wants to genuinely help me, I welcome that, but help cannot be simply existing press statements,” she said.
(Also read: Uttar Pradesh teen alleges sexual harassment during Rapido ride, records video. Company ‘permanently bars’ driver)
