The families of garment factory workers who died in a traffic accident on National Road 1 on June 24 said on Monday that they will sue the company that employed the lorry driver at fault.
The families are seeking $5,000 and $8,000 respectively.
The accident happened at Koki Thom commune in Kandal and police investigators at the scene said the lorry driver was careless and crashed into a worker transport van travelling in the opposite direction, injuring 50 workers, killing two, and himself as well.
The deceased garment workers were Yem Vanna and Lun Chenda.
Vanna’s husband Pha Sophorn, 31, who lives in Romchek commune, Preah Sdech district, Prey Veng province, told The Post on Monday that he plans to file a suit against the owner of the lorry in the Kandal Provincial Court. He is seeking $8,000 in compensation.
Sophorn said he and his wife married in 2012 and have two children, but they never signed a wedding certificate.
“I filed a complaint on the day the incident happened, but I did not clarify the amount of money. I will now file a new complaint and ask for $8,000 from the owner of the lorry that caused this accident,” he said.
Lun Sambath, 56, the older sister of Chantha told The Post she is discussing with siblings the idea of filing a suit seeking $5,000 in compensation.
“I know that the driver who caused the accident also died, but I must ask for $5,000 from the company to prepare a 100-day ceremony and build a proper grave for my younger sister,” she said.
The National Social Security Fund (NSSF) in Prey Veng on June 26 offered four million riel ($980) to support the family and prepare the funeral, she said.
NSSF deputy chief in Prey Veng Veasna Chivy told The Post that his team visited and gave four million riel to each family, according to NSSF policy.
“Besides the four million riel, my team is checking on other benefits the families could receive from NSSF,” he said.
NSSF has to give some monthly salary to raise two of Vanna’s children until they turn 21, even though their parents did not sign a wedding certificate. The children are nine and three years old, Chivy said.
