Woman Who Sues PUB for $5 Million Accused of Faking Mental Illness

Make no mistake; mental illness is a very serious matter.

And yet at the same time, you can’t help but deny the subjectivity of the issue as well.

See, while psychiatrists may be able to ascertain your state of mind from outward symptoms and other factors, the fact remains that in the end…

You are the only one who’s aware of your mental condition.

And as certified as certain individuals may be…

They do not possess the ability to read your mind – a notion that would’ve certainly been useful in the following piece.

How It All Began

But before we proceed with the main gist, here’s a quick update on the events to date.

On 1 Dec 2015, Chan Hui Peng was walking along Simon Road at 10.30am when she fell 2m into an open manhole at an intersection with Upper Serangoon Road.

The fall left her with multiple injuries, including a fractured ankle, multiple bruises, spinal disc bulges, and abrasions in 11 areas of her body.

Consequently, the 47-year-old could not run, and suffered altered gait. She also had scars over her limbs and lower back pain from time to time.

The incident purportedly affected her mental health as well.

In her affidavit, Chan said she suffered from post-traumatic headaches, and had anxiety and panic attacks.

She subsequently took PUB to court to sue for damages of a whopping $5 million.

However, PUB had a different version of events to tell.

According to the defense counsel, Chan had been using her phone at the time of the incident.

Meanwhile, three PUB officers were inspecting the open manhole in question.

“As she approached the open manhole, she saw the three officers and attempted to barge through the same instead of walking around them and the open manhole, resulting in her fall into the manhole,” PUB’s lawyers said.

PUB lawyers also denied that Chan’s accident led to the diagnosis of various alleged injuries, as well as the extent of her residual disabilities.

They believe that the 47-year-old “has been dishonest in formulating her claim”.

Woman Who Sues PUB for $5 Million Accused of Faking Mental Illness

And now, additional evidence – supports PUB’s defense – has come to light.

According to The Straits Times, Chan has been accused of feigning her mental illness in the ongoing trial.

The claim was made by K. Anparasan – a defense lawyer representing PUB – on Tuesday (24 November).

According to the news report, Anparasan had put forth the assumption after Chan purportedly displayed a presence of mind during her stay at the Institute of Mental Health (IMH).

She was admitted into IMH between 29 June and 25 July this year, after she allegedly flung a bamboo pole out of the window following a dispute with her partner – who she claimed to be possessed.

Nearing the end of her stay, she had requested for her phone, in order to communicate with her lawyers about the lawsuit.

The lawyer also noted that she had possessed enough mental clarity to arrange for the filing of a company’s annual returns.

In addition, she’s alleged to have impersonated her own mother in a phone call back in 2019.

Officials had dialled her home number to contact her mother, but the call was purportedly redirected to Chan’s device.

Pretending to be her mother, Chan then informed officials of her refusal to send “her daughter” to IMH, instead opting for the services of a private psychiatrist.

Denial

However, Chan has since refuted the claim.

She stated that she had only asked for her mobile phone because her lawyers were looking for her, and that even then, she could only use it under staff supervision to gather contact details.

“I’ve been inside for three weeks without contacting a soul outside,” she explained. “My lawyers are looking desperately for me.”

As for the filing of annual returns, Chan alleged that it was her husband who had sent text messages to one of the company’s directors, in regards to the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (Acra) filing.

She also directed attention to clinical notes – which supposedly showed how she had doubted she had schizophrenia when warded.

“I thought I was well but the doctors thought I was not and they did not want to let me go home,” she said.

Last but not least, Chan stated that she was unable to recall what happened during the alleged impersonation.

“When I’m in psychosis, I do not know what is real and not real,” she said.

However, Anparasan said that it was a “convenient excuse”.

He also stated that Chan had intended to file a lawsuit against PUB soon after the accident.

To back up the claim, he looked at a letter dated 9 December 2015 – eight days after the accident – that Chan’s MP had sent to PUB.

Apart from requesting for the agency to look through their work protocols, the letter also conveyed Chan’s claim for compensation.

“I don’t think I have the mental capacity to do so many things,” stated Chan. “My foot was in a cast.”

To which Anparasan reportedly said: “But your mind is working.”

The trial will continue.

Image: Radovan1 / Shutterstock.com (Image is for illustration purpose only)