Online simulator to estimate accident-claims outcomes for motorists

SINGAPORE — Motorists embroiled in disputes over traffic accidents will soon have an idea of the strength of their cases with the help of an online simulator, which generates possible outcomes using information provided, precedent cases and historical data.

This was announced by Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon on Friday (March 17) at the State Courts’ workplan seminar.

The simulator, targeted to be launched in the first quarter of 2019, is part of an online platform for motor-accident claims aimed at resolving motorists’ grievances more efficiently and at a lesser cost.

By end-2019, the platform will also be enhanced to propose settlement amounts, based on input from parties and results from the outcome generated by the simulator.

Motor-accident claims were picked to launch the inaugural online dispute-resolution platform, because they account for a significant proportion of civil writs — nearly one-third — filed in the State Courts.

Since alternative dispute-resolution methods, such as mediation, were mandated for such claims in 2010, about 92 per cent of the cases referred through such methods each year have ended in settlement, Chief Justice Menon said.

In time to come, the online platform can be expanded and adapted for use in a wider range of disputes.

“This will reduce the need for physical facilities or face-to-face meetings,” he said.

By the end of next year, fines and fees might be payable through the Justice @ StateCourts mobile application, as part of the State Courts’ efforts in using technology to reduce reliance on human resources.

Other new initiatives to make court proceedings more affordable and effective include a short mediation and hearing process that aims to fast-track simple cases in the Small Claims Tribunal — to resolve them within a day, where possible. This is expected to launch in the third quarter of this year.

At the moment, it takes up to four court attendances from the time a case is filed at the Small Claims Tribunal to its conclusion — a timeframe that “seems unsatisfactory for factually simple cases with no complex legal issues”, the Chief Justice said. Under the new process, cases will be screened once they are filed and placed on the expedited track where suitable.

From next month, help will also be made available to victims of crime who are awarded compensation, but do not get it because the offenders are unable to pay.

This will be done via a scheme that disburses up to S$1,000 in medical claims.

TODAY first reported last September about the Victim Assistance Scheme as an “emergency scheme” mooted by judges. It is a collaboration between the State Courts, the police and the Community Justice Centre.