"Whole Body Bruised but Husband's Funeral... Can I Get Help?"
Han Moon-cheol "Must File Civil Suit... But Compensation Likely Around 600 Million Won"
During the Chuseok holiday, a fatal accident occurred on a national highway in Yeongwol, Gangwon Province, where a vehicle driving in the wrong direction collided with another car. An acquaintance of the victim's vehicle has requested help regarding the handling of the incident.
On the morning of the 16th, the start of the Chuseok holiday, at around 1:27 AM, a Carnival van was driving in the wrong direction in the Yeongwon 2 Tunnel on National Road No. 38 in Yeongwol-gun, Gangwon Province, and collided head-on with an oncoming Seltos sport utility vehicle (SUV). [Image source=Yonhap News]
On the 20th, a video titled "Please help my friend's wife. The family is seriously injured and in shock, so I am asking on their behalf" was uploaded on the YouTube channel 'Han Moon-cheol TV.' The informant, Mr. A, who is a longtime friend of the deceased driver, said, "The parents also suffered serious injuries and underwent emergency surgery. It is uncertain whether they will have disabilities. The wife (my friend’s wife) is bruised from head to toe, yet she is holding the funeral for her husband," adding, "She is still young, but she has lost her husband and may lose her parents as well."
Mr. A continued, "There were three other passengers in the Kia Seltos driven by the driver in his 20s who was driving in the wrong direction. The Seltos driver died, and the police said it will take about three weeks to complete the alcohol test," and explained, "Both the Seltos and the Carnival’s black boxes were damaged by the impact, so no front or rear footage was recorded. The police confirmed through closed-circuit television (CCTV) that the Seltos was driving in the wrong direction up to the tunnel entrance, so the wrong-way driving is certain, but there is no video showing the exact circumstances."
He added, "According to the wife, my friend driving the car made a surprised sound like 'Huh?' and at that moment, he saw a car coming straight at him. The accident happened instantly after that," and said, "This is a tragic and shocking event during Chuseok. The perpetrator died, so please help us understand what compensation or assistance the wife can receive." He asked for advice.
Attorney Han Moon-cheol, who saw this story, said, "The accident spot is a slight curve. Could anything have been done to avoid it here?" and stated, "(The fault is) 100 to 0." He added, "Although it is a fatal accident, since the perpetrator also died, the criminal case cannot proceed further. You should pursue a civil lawsuit," but regretted, "However, even if you win, the compensation you can receive will be about 600 million won."
Earlier, at 1:27 a.m. on the 16th, the first day of the Chuseok holiday, a Carnival van driven by Mr. A’s friend was driving in the wrong direction on National Route 38 at the Yeongwol 2 Tunnel in Yeongwol County, Gangwon Province, and collided head-on with a Kia Seltos sport utility vehicle (SUV) coming from the opposite direction. As a result of this accident, the Carnival driver, a man in his 30s, and the Seltos driver, a man in his 20s, died. The police secured witness statements suggesting that the Seltos driver was driving under the influence and requested a detailed analysis from the National Forensic Service to confirm whether alcohol was involved.
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