by Anish Chand
The Suva High Court has ordered the Fiji Sugar Corporation to pay $126,656.92 to an employee who was injured at work.
FSC had admitted the liability, according to the court judgement that was handed down on 4th July by Justice Deepthi Amaratunga.
Mithun Raj was 33 years old when he was injured on 2nd April 2014.
He was a carpenter and injured his hand by a rotating blade of the saw he was working with.
Raj lost two fingers on his left hand.
He had claimed in the court that after the injury he was in lot of pain and no medication was given to him for about 30 minutes, although he was taken to the hospital 15 minutes after the injury.
He said he was treated with general anesthesia and a surgery was performed and that he had lost a lot of blood.
The court judgement notes Raj went back to work after 5 months and that he was paid 2/3 salary for that period of 5 months he did not attend to work due to the injury.
“Though he had resumed work he said that he had lost the use of 2 fingers in his left hand and he said he cannot grasp things. He said that his left-hand mussel is not working to the strength that is required for carpentry work,” the judgement notes.
The court noted that FSC had eventually terminated his employment.
“Considering the age of the Plaintiff (Raj) at the time of the accident and selection of suitable multipliers in judgments, the multiplier of 8 would be suitable considering the contingencies of life and also unpredictability of future events,” states the Judge.
“No amount can be granted for supplementary loss as claimed by the Plaintiff as there is no certainty as to availability of such work and the amounts earned to consider further loss,” adds Justice Deepthi Amaratunga.
FSC has been ordered to pay $2482.60 in special damages, $75,000.00 in pain and suffering, $42,831.36 for future earning loss and $6342.96 as interest for 498 days.
FSC will also have to pay $3000 in court costs to Mithun Raj.