Court approves settlement after safeguards put in place for brain-injured victim

On Tuesday, the Melaka High Court approved a road accident settlement that had previously been declined due to the victim's severe brain injury. The settlement, proposed by Sharifah Nizamuddin, the wife and legal representative of Sultan Nur Mohamad, involves a payment of RM1.7 million, with an additional RM170,000 in costs. The court's decision to move forward with the settlement was based on evidence demonstrating the value of the victim's claims and the reasonableness of the agreement.

The judge, K Raja Segaran, noted that the compromise represented a reduction of about 14.07% in damages, and 7.38% of the victim's total entitlement including costs. The settlement also protects the victim's interests by holding the money in a fixed deposit account, with interest accruing to the victim's fund. The court also approved separate payments to the victim's wife to cover personal claims, past nursing care, and expenses.

The settlement agreement includes provisions for court oversight and regular accounts to ensure the victim's needs are met, including medical treatment, psychiatric care, therapy, and nursing. The appeal by the parties challenging the settlement has been withdrawn.