Walking Backwards and Suddenly a 'Thud'... A Couple Asking for "Hospital Bills," Why They Laughed Then Cried

The insurance company, having lost in the first trial, proceeds with an appeal
The court rules in favor of the insurance company in the second trial
Han Moon-cheol: "Must pay 20 million won including lawyer fees"

A couple walking backward side by side on the sidewalk was hit by a car while crossing an intersection without traffic lights. Although it was a minor contact, the couple demanded money from the driver's insurance company, and the case eventually went to court, where they lost and had to bear all the costs. On the 30th, a post titled "Han Moon-cheol Legend Backstep Couple Lawsuit Update" was uploaded to an online community. The post summarized a video uploaded to the YouTube channel "Han Moon-cheol TV" in early September. The author, Mr. A, explained that his colleague, a driver, was involved in an accident on a road in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul, around 4 p.m. on March 21, 2022, while slowly passing through an intersection without traffic lights.

[Photo by YouTube channel 'Han Moon-cheol TV']

According to the black box footage reported by Mr. A, a man and a woman were walking backward side by side from the right side of the car. They continued walking without looking back as they crossed the intersection without traffic lights and collided with Mr. A's colleague's vehicle. Mr. A said, "They appeared to be a couple in their 50s, and they requested insurance compensation claiming they were injured after hitting the rear of the car while walking backward." He added, "The accident was so minor that the driver did not even realize it happened." He continued, "The man ran to grab the car and came to the (driver's) office. The woman said she injured her leg," and lamented, "They were even hospitalized together, but it feels very unfair."

Insurance Company Files Lawsuit Denying Debt Over Hospital Bill Demand

In response to the couple's demand for hospital bills, the driver's insurance company filed a lawsuit to confirm the non-existence of debt. A lawsuit to confirm the non-existence of debt is a legal action concerning disputes over debt, filed by a debtor against a creditor who denies that the debt has been fully paid or demands performance.

[Photo by YouTube channel 'Han Moon-cheol TV']

In the first trial, the court stated, "The Road Traffic Act does not specify that pedestrians must look forward when crossing a crosswalk. Therefore, it is difficult to hold the driver responsible," and added, "Not because the driver admitted fault, but to resolve the dispute quickly, the insurance company must pay 1 million won each to the victims."

The insurance company, having lost the case, appealed, and the ruling was overturned. The second trial stated, "Although the driver saw the defendants (the couple) when entering the crosswalk, it is difficult to conclude that the driver recognized they would walk backward toward the car," and "There was no circumstance forcing the defendants to cross the crosswalk backward, so it is hard to say the driver caused danger to their passage." The couple appealed the ruling, but it was dismissed, confirming the original judgment.

Attorney Han Moon-cheol said, "The losing party in a lawsuit must bear all attorney and litigation costs," adding, "Both the first and second trials had lawyers involved. Including the appeal costs, the total expenses amount to about 20 million won." The case, which reached a final judgment last April, recently gained renewed attention after being shared again on online communities. Netizens who saw the case commented, "If the couple had won, all the fraudsters who self-injure would have walked backward to cause collisions," and "Walking backward on a narrow sidewalk, not even a wide open space, is itself a nuisance."