ENG BENG v LO KOK JONG

[2023] SGHC 63 High Court (General Division) 20 March 2023 HC/RAS 30/2022

8 cases cited (6 SG, 2 foreign) Cited by 2 cases

Outcome

Appeal allowed

“I allow the appeal.”

Source: [2023] SGHC 63, High Court (General Division), decided 20 March 2023. Read directly from the judgment.

Key facts

Court	High Court (General Division)
Decided	20 March 2023
Judge	Tan Siong Thye
Charges / claim	Damages
Outcome	Appeal allowed
Counsel	Allen & Gledhill LLP, Hoh Law Corporation, Legal Solutions LLC, Akramjeet Singh Khaira, Jonathan Kenric Trachsel, Mark Cheng Wei Chin, VM Vidthiya

Source: [2023] SGHC 63, High Court (General Division), decided 20 March 2023 — eLitigation. Updated 10 July 2026.

Catchwords

Damages — Rules in awarding

Practice Areas

Damages

Judges (1)

Tan Siong Thye Delivered

Counsel (7)

Allen & Gledhill LLP Firm Hoh Law Corporation Firm Legal Solutions LLC Firm

Akramjeet Singh Khaira Counsel for the respondent

Jonathan Kenric Trachsel Counsel for the independent counsel Mark Cheng Wei Chin Counsel for the respondent VM Vidthiya Counsel for the appellant

Parties (2)

Eng Beng Appellant

Lo Kok Jong Respondent

Case Significance

Eng Beng v Lo Kok Jong [2023] SGHC 63 was decided by Tan Siong Thye J in the General Division of the High Court on Registrar's Appeal from the State Courts No 30 of 2022, with reserved judgment delivered on 20 March 2023. The appellant, Eng Beng, an 84-year-old Singapore citizen and member of the Pioneer Generation, was injured when the respondent Lo Kok Jong's motor car collided into her, and she claimed general and special damages including full medical expenses without deducting the government subsidies and grants she received. The Deputy Registrar and, on appeal, the District Judge had both refused her claim for the full medical expenses on the ground that it would amount to double recovery; the excerpt frames the central issue on further appeal rather than stating its final outcome.

Summary

Eng Beng, an 84-year-old pedestrian injured when struck by a car driven by Lo Kok Jong, appealed against decisions refusing her claim for full medical expenses that had been substantially reduced by government subsidies and grants. The central issue was whether she could recover the full amount without deducting those subsidies. The High Court awarded an additional sum of $39,515.08 in special damages, subject to her returning that amount to the Ministry of Health less legal costs, to avoid double recovery.

What was the issue in Eng Beng v Lo Kok Jong [2023] SGHC 63?

The issue was whether Eng Beng, an 84-year-old Pioneer Generation member injured in a car collision by Lo Kok Jong, could claim full medical expenses without deducting government subsidies and grants, or whether that would amount to double recovery.

What did the lower courts decide before Eng Beng v Lo Kok Jong reached the High Court ([2023] SGHC 63)?

The Deputy Registrar refused Eng Beng's claim for the full medical expenses on the ground of double recovery, and on appeal the District Judge refused the claim on the same ground, after which she appealed to the High Court before Tan Siong Thye J.