Work accident victims call for justice

Victims of occupational accidents appealed yesterday to Judicial Yuan President Weng Yueh-sheng (翁岳生) to establish a special tribunal to handle legal disputes between workers and their employers over compensation and other issues related to on-the-job accidents.

The group also urged Weng to reconsider responsibility for providing evidence in such cases. Currently, responsibility lies not with the employer but with the injured and bereaved families to produce evidence in compensation cases.

Family members carrying photos of 20 dead workers and survivors in wheelchairs were accompanied by members of the Taiwan Association For Victims of Occupational Accidents and Diseases (工作傷害受害人協會) for a protest outside the Judicial Yuan.

Officials informed the protesters that Weng was away, but Hong Chang-hong(洪昌宏), a court deputy, received the group instead, saying the Judicial Yuan has been considering allowing experts in various fields to sit in on cases with judges.

Hong said such experts could make up for judges' lack of knowledge in specialized areas.

According to the victims association, nearly 1,500 people die each year in Taiwan in occupational-related accidents and that about 90 percent of compensation cases are dismissed.