An English-speaking barrister meets with a Chinese-speaking client about a motor vehicle accident compensation claim.
- Barrister · turn 1
Mrs Wu, the insurance company has accepted liability for the accident, which means we don’t need any witnesses to give evidence about who was responsible.
吳太太，保險公司已經承認需要為事故負責，這表示我們不需要任何證人就責任誰屬提供證據。
- Mrs Wu · turn 2
這是甚麼意思？是這場官司我一定會贏？我能拿到我想要的賠償金嗎？
What does that mean? Does it mean I’m certain to win the case? Will I receive the amount of compensation I want?
- Barrister · turn 3
No. They’ve just admitted that they have a responsibility to cover the damage caused by the accident, but they don’t consider your injuries to be quite as serious as you do. I’d advise you to settle the matter out of court rather than proceed to a hearing.
不是。他們只是承認有責任賠償事故造成的損害，但不認為您的傷勢像您所說的那麼嚴重。我建議您庭外和解，而不是繼續進行聆訊。
- Mrs Wu · turn 4
我不明白。不是說我不需要證人了嗎？那就說明我的要求是合理的。我打贏這場官司的可能性很大，為甚麼還要庭外和解呢？
I don’t understand. Didn’t you say that I no longer need witnesses? That shows my claim is reasonable. I have a strong chance of winning the case, so why should I settle out of court?
- Barrister · turn 5
Accepting liability and agreeing on the amount of compensation are two different things. The problem is that your wrist didn’t start to bother you until six months after the accident. If the matter goes to court, the judge may decide that your wrist injury wasn’t caused by the accident and only award you a small sum of money for the injury to your leg.
承認責任和同意賠償金額是兩回事。問題在於，您的手腕在事故發生六個月後才開始出現不適。如果事件訴諸法院，法官可能裁定手腕受傷並非由事故引致，只就腿部受傷判給您一筆小額賠償。
- Mrs Wu · turn 6
這不是真的。當救護人員把我從車裡抬出來的時候，我的腿部已經受了傷，正在流血，而且傷得很嚴重。在醫院接受 X 光檢查時，醫生發現我的手腕也受了傷。
That isn’t true. When the paramedics carried me out of the car, my leg was already injured, bleeding and badly hurt. When I had X-rays at the hospital, the doctor also discovered that my wrist was injured.
- Barrister · turn 7
Why didn’t you tell me this earlier, Mrs Wu? I didn’t even know X-rays were taken. This is very important information. If the hospital records show that your wrist was injured immediately after the accident, that could strengthen your claim considerably.
吳太太，您為甚麼沒有早點告訴我？我甚至不知道當時拍過X光。這是非常重要的資料。如果醫院紀錄顯示您的手腕在事故後立即已經受傷，可能會大幅增強您的申索。
- Mrs Wu · turn 8
我怎麼會知道這麼重要？我壓根兒忘了提這件事。你應該幫助我，你是律師，你應該知道法律在這個國家是怎麼運作的。這跟我以前的國家完全不同，我甚麼都不懂。
How was I supposed to know it was so important? I completely forgot to mention it. You should help me. You’re the lawyer, and you should know how the law works in this country. It is completely different from my former country, and I don’t understand anything.
- Barrister · turn 9
I understand, but I can only give you advice based on the information and evidence available to me. We’ll request your hospital records and X-ray reports. If they support what you’ve just told me, we can provide them to the insurance company as further evidence.
我明白，但我只能根據目前掌握的資料和證據向您提供意見。我們會索取您的醫院紀錄和X光報告。如果這些資料支持您剛才所說的內容，我們可以把它們交給保險公司作為進一步證據。
- Mrs Wu · turn 10
那是不是有了這些醫院的資料，他們就會同意賠我要求的金額？我因為這場事故吃了很多苦，而且到現在手腕還會痛。
Does that mean that, once we have the hospital information, they will agree to pay the amount I’m claiming? I’ve suffered greatly because of this accident, and my wrist is still painful.
- Barrister · turn 11
Not necessarily. Medical evidence may help establish that the wrist injury was caused by the accident, but we still need evidence about the extent of your injuries and your financial loss. For example, we’ll need medical reports, receipts for treatment and evidence of any income you lost because you couldn’t work.
不一定。醫療證據可能有助於證明手腕受傷由事故引致，但我們仍需要有關傷勢程度和經濟損失的證據。例如，我們需要醫療報告、治療費用收據，以及您因無法工作而損失收入的證明。
- Mrs Wu · turn 12
這些我大部分都有。我做了好幾個月的物理治療，而且事故之後有一段時間不能上班。那現在保險公司到底願意賠多少？
I have most of those documents. I underwent physiotherapy for several months and couldn’t work for a period after the accident. How much is the insurance company currently willing to pay?
- Barrister · turn 13
I put forward an offer to them of $15,000 inclusive of all costs, but they didn’t agree to it. They’ve come back with a counteroffer of only $7,500. After paying your medical expenses and legal costs, that would leave you with approximately $1,500 clear.
我向他們提出一份包括所有費用在內的15,000澳元和解建議，但他們沒有同意。他們提出的還價只有7,500澳元。扣除您的醫療費用和法律費用後，您實際大約只剩下1,500澳元。
- Mrs Wu · turn 14
律師費和醫療費要 6,000 澳元？簡直不可思議！這和搶劫有甚麼分別？人人都想從中撈一把，我才是真正的受傷者！
Legal and medical costs are 6,000 Australian dollars? That’s unbelievable! How is that any different from robbery? Everyone wants to take a share, yet I’m the person who was actually injured!
- Barrister · turn 15
Please calm down. This figure is based on the evidence we currently have. You can’t simply ask for whatever amount you want. Any settlement figure needs to be supported by evidence of your injuries, treatment expenses and other losses resulting from the accident.
請冷靜下來。這個數字是根據我們目前掌握的證據計算。您不能任意要求任何金額。任何和解金額都需要有證據支持，包括您的傷勢、治療費用，以及事故造成的其他損失。
- Mrs Wu · turn 16
可是 1,500 澳元實在太少了。我受了傷，又不能上班，還要花時間去看醫生和做物理治療。如果我不接受他們的還價，是不是就一定要上法庭？
But 1,500 Australian dollars is far too little. I was injured, couldn’t work and had to spend time attending medical appointments and physiotherapy. If I don’t accept their counteroffer, will I definitely have to go to court?
- Barrister · turn 17
Not necessarily. We can reject their counteroffer and continue negotiating. Once we obtain the hospital records and X-ray reports, I can make another offer on your behalf. However, there’s no guarantee that the insurer will increase its offer.
不一定。我們可以拒絕對方的還價並繼續協商。取得醫院紀錄和X光報告後，我可以代表您提出另一份和解建議。不過，我們不能保證保險公司會提高出價。
- Mrs Wu · turn 18
如果他們還是不肯多賠，那我們就去法院。我不怕麻煩，我只是希望得到公平的賠償。
If they still refuse to pay more, we’ll go to court. I’m not afraid of the trouble. I only want to receive fair compensation.
- Barrister · turn 19
That is an option, but you need to understand the risks. If the matter proceeds to court, the judge will determine how much compensation, if any, should be awarded. You could receive more than the insurer is offering now, but you could also receive less. There may also be additional legal costs.
這是一個選擇，但您需要了解其中的風險。如果事件進入法院程序，法官會決定應該判給多少賠償，甚至是否應該判給賠償。您可能獲得比保險公司目前出價更多的賠償，但也可能更少，並且可能需要支付額外法律費用。
- Mrs Wu · turn 20
那如果最後法官判給我的錢比現在的 7,500 澳元還少，我是不是還要自己付更多律師費？
If the judge ultimately awards me less than the current offer of 7,500 Australian dollars, will I also have to pay more legal fees myself?
- Barrister · turn 21
Potentially, yes. Costs can become complicated, particularly if a reasonable settlement offer has been rejected. That’s why I’m recommending that we consider an out-of-court settlement carefully rather than assuming that going to court will produce a better result.
有可能。費用問題可能變得複雜，特別是在拒絕了合理和解建議的情況下。因此，我才建議我們仔細考慮庭外和解，而不要假設上法庭一定會帶來更好的結果。
- Mrs Wu · turn 22
好吧，我現在明白了。接受責任並不代表保險公司接受我要求的賠償金額，對嗎？
All right. I understand now. Accepting liability doesn’t mean that the insurance company accepts the amount of compensation I’m claiming, correct?
- Barrister · turn 23
Exactly. Liability concerns who is responsible for the accident. The amount of compensation is a separate issue and depends on the evidence of your injuries and losses.
完全正確。責任涉及誰需要為事故負責，而賠償金額是另一個獨立問題，取決於有關您傷勢和損失的證據。
- Mrs Wu · turn 24
好吧，事已至此，我還能怎麼樣！那你先幫我拿到醫院的 X 光報告，再跟保險公司談一次。如果他們還是不肯提出合理的賠償，我們再考慮要不要打官司。請你盡量幫我爭取。
All right. What else can I do at this point? Please obtain the hospital X-ray report first and negotiate with the insurance company again. If they still refuse to offer reasonable compensation, we can then consider whether to go to court. Please do your best to negotiate on my behalf.
- Barrister · turn 25
Certainly. I’ll obtain the medical records first and then reassess the strength of your claim. Once we have all the evidence, I’ll advise you whether accepting a settlement or proceeding to court is likely to be in your best interests.
當然可以。我會先取得醫療紀錄，然後重新評估您的申索力度。等我們掌握所有證據後，我會向您提供意見，說明接受和解還是進行法院訴訟更可能符合您的最佳利益。
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