Woman fined ₹8 lakh after accidentally bumping into pedestrian who suffered hip fracture
A court in China ruled that a woman must pay ₹8 lakh to a pedestrian she accidentally injured after walking into her.
A court in eastern China has ordered a woman to pay compensation of 70,000 yuan (approximately ₹8 lakh) to a pedestrian who suffered hip fractures after a collision between the two, reported South China Morning Post.
The incident took place in May 2023 in a residential complex in Qingdao, Shandong province. Surveillance footage released by the court showed the victim, a 59-year-old woman surnamed Liu, walking through the area when she answered a phone call and stopped abruptly, turning around in the process.
A 29-year-old woman, surnamed Wang, who was walking behind her, did not notice Liu had stopped and bumped into her. The impact caused Liu to fall and injure her hip. Medical reports later confirmed that Liu had sustained fractures and was diagnosed with a Grade 10 disability.
Pedestrian took matter to court
Liu took the matter to court, demanding 188,000 yuan (around ₹21.5 lakh) as compensation to cover her medical bills, nursing expenses, and damages for her disability. She claimed Wang was fully responsible for the accident.
Wang, on the other hand, argued that the accident wouldn’t have occurred if Liu had not suddenly stopped.
After reviewing the surveillance footage, the judge determined that both parties shared responsibility. While Liu was at fault for stopping suddenly in the middle of the path, Wang was also negligent for not paying attention to her surroundings.
Following a series of mediation sessions, the court settled the case with Wang agreeing to compensate Liu 70,000 yuan in instalments.
The case sparked heated debate on Chinese social media, with many users puzzled by the decision to hold the person walking behind accountable.
Some were especially critical of the court’s initial reasoning. The judge had originally cited China’s Road Traffic Safety Law, saying that Wang failed to maintain a “safe distance,” a requirement that applies only to vehicles. This misinterpretation was later corrected by a member of the court’s adjudication committee, surnamed Guo, who issued an apology and pledged to improve the court’s legal communication.
One online user wrote, “I do believe people should keep a greater distance from one another while walking or queuing when there is enough space.”
Another user commented, “It would be a different case if the person in front not only stopped but also walked back, but judging from the video footage, the person behind should be responsible for the accident.”
According to the outlet, criticism was also directed at the judge’s public statement. “The judge should be more cautious when speaking publicly about the case; otherwise, it might have a negative social impact,” one observer said.
