Korean Job Discussion Forums

drydell · Joined: 01 Oct 2009

It's at the end of November, having just moved into my new apartment complex I set off for work one morning about 8:10am- wrapped up, bicycle helmet on - gloves/scarf and start off for work...

I start out of the ground floor car park and just as i'm leaving the entrance I turn to the right to exit ..normal turning curve - nothing unusual. however. as I turn, I feel my bike slip from my left side underneath me as though I were literally on ice..no time whatsoever to react. I'm on the ground before I even have time to think..What the heck happened? I'm pretty busted up from the impact of the crash ..but not too bad (I've been unconscious before from a high speed bike crash and know what bad is) but I'm limping a bit and shaken up. The front gate ajoshhi comes over to me and asks if I'm ok... I say fine fine.. and hobbled back 2 meters to the place where I slipped.this is the plastic surface area you get on many of the car parks here and point out to him that it is extremely slippery...

now at the time I thought there must have been some oily cleaning stuff on there to make it so dangerous..but in hindsight I think just a thin surface layer of water makes that surface really really dangerously slippery...I know this because i've been in taxis since then that have been spinning their wheels round the car park after a slight rain..it's that dangerous...

Anyway I parked up my bike after the fall and hailed a cab to work... at work I decided I wasn't up for classes and went to the local hospital which did some x-rays and found I had a fracture in my wrist and in my patella (knee cap) and then they gave me the bad news..
knee needed operation - 2 pins in it - minimum 6 weeks on crutches with leg cast (5 days overnight in hospital)
wrist - at first they thought ok cos I had old fracture in it..but after 1 day swelled up - mri - fracture in worst place - 3-6 months for wrist!
The accident was on a friday...
Did I mention I was getting married the following Saturday? parents flying over etc meeting them in Seoul etc..planning everything for ages...plans plans plans..all gone to crap

So to cut a long story short...I am facing a long time on crutches and with with leg and arm in casts for the next few months - It pretty much screwed up my wedding - although it was great anyway it was definitely marred by my being on crutches - and that will definitely impact our honeymoon in New Zealand (anything other than sightseeing ain't going to be happening - i.e no bungee or skydiving) and it's made my life in Korea extremely expensive for the next few months also - taxis everywhere..

The question is this>

Have any of you experience with No-Win-No-Fee lawyers that you get advertising for this situation (back home) in Korea? - I think we have a good case - would like to hear anyone's input for this situation...?

Location is Busan and the apartment is owned by 'Lotte'..

nosmallplans · Joined: 10 Oct 2008 Location: noksapyeong

Gotta watch out for those slick surfaces. While we Americans joke about over-litigation in our country it does have the side effect of making things quite a bit safer.

I had a similar experience when I attempt to take a short cut through a speed skating court after a light rain. Hit the surface at 20mph and immediately felt all traction go out the door. Managed to hit the ground a little softer and slid some 20 yards or so.

conbon78 · Joined: 05 Jun 2008

I broke my foot while walking by Save Zone. In America - people would have sued. Here - people can't. Its really a "survival of the fittest" here. Not much you can do. I was on crutches for 4 weeks when my friend flew here from the states, needless to say...not fun for me. It is what it is. Not much you can do. Sorry to hear about what happened.

Fishead soup · Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Location: Korea

Four wheels good, two wheels bad. Motocycles offer no protection from crashes. Concider yourself lucky you are not quadropelegic because some lady wanted to text message her boyfriend and didn't check her real view mirror.

Sell the bike.

nosmallplans · Joined: 10 Oct 2008 Location: noksapyeong

drydell · Joined: 01 Oct 2009

Yeah it was only a bicycle.. I actually think cycling here is no worse or better than back home. Drivers give good space here most of the time - despite the roads seeming a chaotic free for all when driving. .. not going to pack in in cos of one spill - just don't get blas� concerning safety etc..

Last night my wife and I ran into the apartment residents association organizer who was very sympathetic to our cause - she showed us her scars from a very similar fall..same apartment - same problem.. she said shes willing to be a back up case if we do get anywhere legally..

I do think back home (uk in my case) we've gone a bit litigation mad, but if ever anyone was in need of those cheap endless daytime adverts for small claims - exactly what we need now..

Hyeon Een · Joined: 24 Jun 2005

I think if you won money suing them it'd set an amazing precedent. That awful surface is in thousands and thousands of carparks up and down the country. I can't see it all getting replaced any time soon, and if YOU won money then there are probably hundreds of other people who've been injured by the surface who'd sue too.

Luckily I realized how slippery that stuff was soon after arriving. I'm always extra careful on a bike or motorbike on that surface.

The fake marble flooring that's used on stairwells here is also extremely slippery when it gets wet. Another accident waiting to happen.