The family of Irish expat Donough Andrew Keane, who died after a traffic accident on the Central Expressway (CTE) in 2015, is seeking compensation of more than $1 million from the two drivers involved.
Mr Keane's brother and administrator of his estate, Mr Colin Joseph Keane, has filed a claim against taxi driver Ko Ngak Phweng and part-time driver Tan Yeow Kim for damages and the loss suffered by his parents from their negligence.
According to court documents filed by the plaintiff, the late Mr Keane was working as a director of information technology at Singtel and earning a monthly average of $20,372, including allowances.
As a result of the accident, his life was "considerably shortened" at age 41 and his aged parents who were dependent on him have suffered, said his brother, who is represented by Mr Nandakumar Renganathan and Ms Shalini Mogan from RHTLaw Taylor Wessing.
On May 6 that year, Mr Ko was ferrying Mr Keane and another passenger, Mr Anthony Gerard John Hall, from the airport to Cairnhill at around midnight.
While travelling on the CTE, the taxi driver failed to see a limousine that had stopped in the left-most lane, and crashed into the black Mercedes-Benz driven by Ms Tan.
Ms Tan was driving Mr Charles Robert Allenbach Jr to his Bukit Timah home when she missed the Bukit Timah Road exit, stopped the car, and reversed against the flow of traffic to get to the exit.
In October 2016, Mr Ko admitted failing to keep a proper lookout and by the time he saw the Mercedes, it was too late to stop. His taxi hit the back of the car, which surged forward and hit a bollard.
While the other two passengers survived the collision, Mr Keane was pronounced dead at Tan Tock Seng Hospital at around 2.20am.
Mr Ko, then 58, was sentenced to three weeks' jail and banned from driving for five years, while Ms Tan, then 57, was sentenced to four weeks' jail and banned from driving for five years for dangerous driving.
Relying on the fact that they had pleaded guilty to their offences, Mr Keane's brother is seeking damages in excess of $1 million, including a monthly $1,500 allowance to each parent since the death of Mr Keane in 2015 and up to 10 years following the completion of the lawsuit, as well as funeral expenses and grief counselling for his parents.
Mr Ko, represented by lawyers from United Legal Alliance, and Ms Tan, represented by lawyers from Tan Kok Quan Partnership, have denied the claims. They both note that Mr Keane was himself negligent in not wearing a seat belt.
Ms Tan added that while she had pleaded guilty to the offence of dangerous driving in relation to the same accident, this does not amount to an admission of liability.
A High Court pre-trial conference will be held today.
