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Judge attacks worker over 'fall insanity'

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A textile worker fooled doctors, lawyers and investigators with her 'incredible' claim that a fall during a factory fire had driven her insane, a judge said yesterday.

Cheng Lai-kwan, 46, launched a damages action arguing that she had suffered a 100 per cent loss of earnings potential.

But Mr Justice David Yam Yee-kwan said the woman had been secretly working in another factory since the accident.

She had even made two further compensation claims in relation to other accidents which she said had befallen her in the new job.

'I find the plaintiff incredible in her account of her suffering. In fact, during this period of time, she managed to deceive her legal advisers, her doctors, the Official Solicitor and private investigators appointed by the defendant to observe her,' the judge said in the Court of First Instance.

Ms Cheng tripped and bumped her head while trying to help put out a fire at the Nan Fung Textiles Ltd factory on January 8, 1989. She claimed she suffered a spontaneous abortion during the accident and that her head became swollen 'as big as a cow's'.

Ms Cheng said she fainted and needed 19 stitches to her wounds during 10 days of treatment in hospital.

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