All Shaw cinemas are being inspected as a precautionary measure following an incident on Sunday afternoon where ventilation ducts in a cinema hall at Nex shopping mall fell from the ceiling during a screening, injuring two moviegoers.
A spokesman for Shaw Theatres told The Straits Times yesterday that the company is in the process of inspecting cinema halls at six other locations with their respective building managers.
The chain has cinema halls in Orchard Road, Jewel Changi Airport, Paya Lebar Quarter, Waterway Point, Seletar Mall and JCube, all of which remain open.
The Nex branch is currently closed for investigations, and the Building and Construction Authority has instructed the building owner to appoint an engineer to investigate Sunday's incident and assess the condition of the other ducts in the affected cinema.
ST understands that the two injured moviegoers have since been discharged from hospital.
They were in the cinema to watch the movie Tenet and both were believed to have been struck by falling plaster debris.
Several lawyers ST contacted said the injured moviegoers could seek legal redress as they were owed a duty of care by the cinema or the mall.
Ms Gloria James-Civetta, head lawyer at Gloria James-Civetta & Co, said the injured patrons could pursue a "tort action" against the cinema for negligence, adding that they could possibly get compensation for pain and suffering or even loss of income because of the incident.
Mr Raphael Louis of Ray Louis Law Corporation said the amount of compensation would depend on the severity of the injury or suffering by the patient.
For example, the amount awarded for slight injuries such as abrasions or "knocks" can range from about $500 to $1,000, but this would be higher for more severe injuries like fractures, said Mr Louis.
"Interestingly, in theory, it is also possible for those who are not physically injured to submit a claim, if they had experienced some form of trauma from it... like if they have been psychologically affected by it."
This would have to be backed up in a medical report, he added.
The question of which party to be sued will have to be determined by a lawyer for the plaintiffs.
Mr Rajan Supramaniam, a consultant with Edmond Pereira Law Corporation pointed out that the legal process may be a long-drawn one, as efforts have to be made to ascertain who should bear the responsibility for the incident.
For example, the cinema may be named as a defendant in the suit, but the building management under Nex may also be called up as a co-defendant, he said.
"The cinema does have a duty of care, to ensure safety. But the building management may be also equally responsible for the maintenance of the structure, and that could be beyond the cinema owner's scope," added Mr Supramaniam.
