A Limpopo woman who claimed millions from the Road Accident Fund following her daughter’s accident has had to settle for far less following a court ruling.
The child was involved in a car crash in 2015; she was four-years-old at the time.
The mother filed a claim at the RAF for R11 million.
“This was fuelled by documentary evidence from psychologists, surgeons, and a therapist, which were used by lawyers to support the claim,” the RAF said in a statement.
It said the girl was taken to a clinic by the driver of the car, treated, and discharged the same day.
“In their submission, the mother’s legal representative argued that various specialists had suggested various ways in which the accident had affected the child, compiling reports that the mother used to claim R11m for her child’s loss of earnings,” the fund said.
The court found disparities in the various reports and that the girl’s injuries were unlikely to impact her school performance or future loss of earnings.
The RAF said the only information the court found credible was that of the clinical psychologist, who stated the child has post-traumatic disorder and psychosocial problems.
“The court found these problems probably only have a slight effect on the child’s future income,” the statement read.
Judge E Mashamba decreased the claim from R11m to R800,000.
The fund slammed the legal firm that represented the family, adding that it created expectations for the mother, that she was in for a huge cash windfall. “The disparity between the R11m and R800,000 is proof enough that there was probably unethical conduct involved,” the RAF said.
It said it is vindicated by the court’s ruling.
“Our position is that claimants, primarily guided by lawyers, are involved in the grand-scale looting of the public entity. From 2021 to 2023, the Fund stopped R2.6 billion’s worth of claims from being paid.
“This is a result of the commendable work done by the organisation’s forensic investigation department, in partnership with various law enforcement agencies,” the RAF said.
-IOL
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