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Australian man critical after hit and run in Samui, family told no license invalidates insurance


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Australian man critical after hit and run in Samui, family told no license invalidates insurance

 

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An Australian tourist is in a critical condition after being involved in a suspected hit and run on Koh Samui.

 

Benjamin French, 36, was on the island to attend a friends wedding when he was hit by a car while riding a motorcycle at around 4am on 28th March. 

 

"It appears that way. He was found at four o'clock in the morning — someone rang to call an ambulance and they turned up there was no-one there so they're finding that very suspicious," his sister Kirsty told ABC News.

 

"He is currently in a coma. He has all his ribs broken, he has punctured lungs, a broken spinal cord in four places, several brain injuries and he has already died twice," she said.

 

Benjamin’s parents are at his bedside and are working with the authorities to try and establish what happened but initial investigations are yet to yield any suspects.

 

Kirsty said the police on Samui had been “absolutely brilliant” in trying to find those responsible.

"Mum said she can't fault anyone. Everyone has been great."

 

The family also revealed that because Benjamin did not have an Australian motorcycle license his insurance company are refusing to pay out.

 

They claim the lack of a license invalidates Benjamin’s insurance policy leaving him with hefty medical bills, which currently stand at more than $20,000 per day.

 

"The hospital bills are about $20,000-plus a day because he is having to have CT scans, he's had a few brain surgeries and he is on life support," Kirsty told ABC News.

 

The family have now set up a Go Fund Me page to raise the funds needed to get Benjamin transferred to a hospital in Perth.

"Once his brain stabilises and the swelling goes down, we can get him back to Perth via Medivac but that is about $100,000," she said.

 

"In 24 hours [it has raised] $47,000. We need to reach about $300,000. There's extensive costs," she said.

 

 
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-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2018-03-31
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Posted
4 minutes ago, Just Weird said:

Who hit him, then?

I dont know yet, but the article says it is a hit and run. That normally means you have been hit by someone else. Hopefully the cops will find something on CCTV.

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Posted
1 minute ago, PoorSucker said:

13th year as Samui expat, I'm still alive because I avoid driving after dark. 

I am happy that here in BKK i can safely (relatively) drive my motorbike at night. 

 

Though i once almost got T boned at 4 am (coming back from fishing) and going through a green light. 

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Posted
10 minutes ago, robblok said:

Of course they do as you need a separate license to operate a bike. 

Okay just asking:blink: I don't know because I would never dream of operating a motorbike and particularly in Thailand.

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Posted
Just now, midas said:

Okay just asking:blink: I don't know because I would never dream of operating a motorbike and particularly in Thailand.

You are a smart man. :thumbsup:

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