法律援助署五十周年紀念特刊 | Legal Aid Department 50th Anniversary Commemorative Publication

法治基石、彰顯公義 Legal Aid for the Rule of Law and Justice P.94 Immediate Response and Continuous Support As their parents had already retired, Leung and her sister were the only two bread-winners of the family, so friends suggested that they apply for legal aid to claim compensation. She submitted her application in mid-2005, which was approved by the Department. “My experience with the Department was great. My sister submitted the application on my behalf, and all she needed to do was to provide medical proof,” Leung says. “And soon after she handed in the forms, my application was approved.” A lawyer was then assigned to Leung’s case who began negotiations with the insurance company. In the next two years, Leung and her sister received two interim payments, and around six months before the court action was commenced, the insurer proposed to settle the case with them. “An offer of compensation was mentioned in the first round of negotiations in mid-2010, but it was so meagre and neither of us found it acceptable. Two months later, the insurance company approached us again,” she explains. “By that time, the mounting financial pressure was crushing us, especially my sister who had come under immense mental and emotional stress.” In the end, after discussion with their lawyer and careful consideration, they decided to accept the settlement sum even though it was not the best they could get. 迅速跟進 全力支援 由於Catherine的父母當時已退休，她和妹妹是家庭的經濟 支柱，朋友於是建議她們申請法援追討賠償。2005年年中， 她正式向法援署遞交申請，並最終獲署方批准。「申請法援 的過程很順利，即使我由妹妹代為申請，也只需提交醫生證 明便可。」Catherine指：「妹妹協助我遞交表格後不久， 申請便獲批准。」 其後，Catherine的個案獲安排由外委律師處理，並由律師 與保險公司展開交涉。在其後的兩年，她們先後獲得兩筆臨 時賠償，而在展開法院訴訟前約半年，保險公司提出與她們 商討和解。 「2010年年中的首次談判曾提及賠償，但金額太少，我和妹 妹都無法接受。兩個月後保險公司再次聯絡我們。」她表 示：「由於當時家中的經濟壓力越來越大，家人特別是妹 妹，因這事承受着莫大的精神壓力。」最後，雖然賠償金額 不盡如人意，但與律師商討並仔細考慮過後，她們決定接受 該筆和解賠償。 Catherine與一直悉心照顧她的妹妹感情深厚。 Strong bonding between Catherine and her caring sister.