▲ Incheon District Court
A construction worker in his 50s who was left completely paralyzed in both legs following an accident at an officetel construction site has been awarded over 900 million won in damages.
According to legal circles on June 18, the Incheon District Court's Civil Appeals Division 6-1 (Presiding Judge Yoon Hyun-jung) ruled partially in favor of the plaintiff in an appeal filed by the worker, identified as A, against the construction company Hyundai Engineering and his subcontractor.
The appellate court ordered the defendants to jointly pay approximately 940 million won to A.
The compensation includes projected medical expenses, costs for medical assistive devices, and nursing care expenses.
In April 2017, A was severely injured after being struck by a falling fire extinguishing pipe during a lifting operation at an officetel construction site in Gangseo-gu, Seoul.
The accident left him with paralysis in both legs and significant cognitive impairment due to a traumatic brain injury.
The first-instance court previously ruled, "It can be concluded that the project owner, Hyundai Engineering, caused the accident by failing to take necessary preventive measures when working in areas where there is a risk of construction materials falling."
The court added, "The subcontractor, which was A's employer, is also liable for damages as it caused the accident by neglecting its duty to ensure safety."
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.