Shanghai’s Putuo District People’s Court ordered a man on August 1 to pay 120,000 yuan ($18,640) to a bicyclist he accidentally hit with a car door while getting out of a taxi, according to a court spokesman.
The settlement was the largest that a Shanghai court has ever awarded for this type of case, said Zhang Zhen, a press officer for Putuo District People’s Court.
The size of the settlement was due to the severity of the female bicyclist’s injuries, Zhang said. The woman had to have a medical device surgically implanted in her knee and may still require additional medical treatment.
The court wanted the settlement to cover her medical expenses, including out-patient care, as well as mental distress, Zhang said.
After the accident, the man, who was only identified by his surname Xu, denied that he was responsible for the woman’s injuries and refused to pay any compensation when questioned by traffic police, Zhang said.
When the case went to trial, Xu did not bother to go to court. “He gave up his right to defend himself when he failed to show up,” Zhang told the Global Times.
Global Times.