A 72-YEAR-OLD Australian tourist injured in a car accident on the first day of an eight-day trip to Hongkong is seeking damages for being deprived of her holiday. In a writ filed in the Supreme Court, Ms Lolita Kuketz, a pensioner from Shepparton, Victoria, has named as defendants the drivers of the car she was travelling in and a government car, the Attorney-General and Goodway Express Tours. Ms Kuketz was in a car belonging to the tour company and driven by Mr Li Kwok-hung in Waterloo Road, Kowloon, at about 9 pm on October 18, 1990. A government vehicle driven by Mr Wong Man-chiu was travelling behind it. The writ says that as the car carrying Ms Kuketz passed the junction with Cornwall Street, it drove into the rear of a private car. The government car then hit the rear of Ms Kuketz's car. She claims the accident was caused by negligence on the part of Mr Wong and/or Mr Li for which the Attorney-General and/or Goodway Express are liable. The writ says Mr Wong and Mr Li were convicted in San Po Kong Court in January 1991 on charges of careless driving. Ms Kuketz said she suffered from daily headaches and neck pain as a result of the accident. She also suffered restriction of cervical spine movement and tenderness to both sides of her cervical spine. A medical report said she still had restricted neck movement and neck pain. She needed to wear a supporting collar at times and use special pillows. Ms Kuketz is claiming special damages of A$2,756 (HK$15,330), which was the cost of her Hongkong holiday. She is also claiming further damages, interest and costs.
