Suicide Among Cases Not Eligible for Compensation
Suicide cases will not be covered by Accident Compensation Commission Fiji (ACCF) says ACCF chief executive officer Parvez Akbar.
Mr Akbar said it was one of the many exclusions when claiming for compensations. “Compensation cannot be claimed when there is an attempted suicide or successful suicide, especially when the victim runs in front of a vehicle,” Mr Akbar said. “Now there is no fault needed when applying for compensation. So even when it is like this our investigation team will investigate to get to the bottom of this.
“Applicants need to fill the application form and in that application form they provide details of the accidents.
“Our team will investigate the details provided and the team will process it in accordance with all the requirements of the Act and Regulation to establish whether it is an eligible claim of the compensation or not.
“When they fill the application form one of the things they sign is the declaration in the end. In the declaration that they sign they acknowledge that it is an offence to provide false information under the False Information Act 2016.” Mr Akbar said everyone found giving false information when filling the application form would face the consequences. “When they give false information it may result in them having to pay back any money or benefit they received from us,” he said.
“There is a fine of up to $20,000 and imprisonment of up to 10 years. The provisional of false information is serious and this will be taken seriously by the commission.”
He said if the driver who was the owner of the car does not pay the motor vehicle accident levy then he would not be eligible to get any compensation.
“All passengers in the vehicle will be compensated, but the driver will not be compensated as to penalise him or her for not paying the motor vehicle accident levy,” Mr Akbar said.
“The owners of the car should be paying the motor vehicle accident levy to the Land Transport Authority (LTA) which will then be given to us.”
Exclusions-Compensations cannot be claimed in the following situations:
Attempted suicide/successful suicide
Driving under the influence of alcohol/drugs or refusing a breathe/blood test.
Not holding a valid driving licence authorising that person to drive the motor vehicle of the class or use for which it is registered.
Failing to comply with all the conditions of your driving licence.
Being convicted for any act or omission that directly caused the accident.
Claiming compensation for any injury or death that did not directly arise from the accident.