How I Claimed Free Medical Assistance after a Motorcycle Taxi Accident

I recently had the unpleasant experience of figuring in a vehicular accident on the way to an important personal errand.

Worse, at the time, I had no HMO to cover me.
 
I met with the accident while being a rider on a TNVS (Transport Network Vehicle Service). The TNC (Transport Network Company) had their own insurances, but unfortunately, they gave me a hard time accessing medical care.

Let’s bear in mind that in our culture, Filipinos hardly ever complain. We let things go, mostly inappropriately, especially with authorities. We’re too afraid of being labelled “difficult” or “entitled.” Also, sometimes the hassle of fighting for your rights just feels like too much work.

Being a Karen is one thing, and knowing what your rights are, are another. So below I will share my experience in the hopes that it will help people in a similar situation.

So when we were in a major thorough fare, he cut in front of a white car, and the white car came within 5 inches of crushing my leg. I yelped in surprise, but from his perspective, he couldn’t see how close the car was to us.

Given his habit of switching lanes at a 45-degree angle, the accident was bound to happen. 7 minutes to our destination, he attempted to cut in front of a cab, who also did not give way to him.

He hit the cab, and we both fell sideways onto the window of the car, my right forearm hitting the taxi window, and my left arm whiplashing to hit his delivery box behind me.

He immediately asked if I was hurt. I was more dazed than hurt, because these are the kinds of injuries that don’t cause pain until hours later.

Unfortunately, in the shock of the event, I wasn’t even able to get a picture of the collision. I didn’t have the presence of mind to do so.

Traffic enforcers also asked if I was hurt. But those who figure in minor accidents know that the injuries will not immediately hurt, they will hurt after a few hours. So, I said, I just fell on the taxi. It really didn’t hurt much yet.

The opportunity was right there, and the authorities had already come to me, but I did not want to spend hours in a police station, just to file a police report and a witness statement.

When we reached our drop-off, the driver again apologized and sprayed alcohol on my injured elbows (which stung because my right one had scratches too from hitting the cab).

I was so focused on finishing my urgent errand for the day so I just moved on.

I also received an email notification with 2 insurance options and a template detailing what I needed to provide in order to claim the insurance, and that the ticket will close in 4 days if there was no feedback from me.

I was very intimidated by the list, as you can see below. Remember, I didn’t get a police report, and now there were so many other requirements they were asking of me.

Another thing, this insurance would be reimbursable. I’d have to pay out of pocket and get all these documents in order to get reimbursed. I’d heard of somebody who had to wait 6 months for the TNC to reimburse him after constant follow-ups, so this was not an option for me.

In principle, I refused to pay out of pocket for an accident that their rider had caused, and go through the stress of preparing documentation and following up their insurance.

I asked about the other insurance because it did not mention that I needed to reimburse. When I asked for more details, such as if a specific hospital close to me is accredited, and assurance that the hospital will entertain me when I went so I don’t waste time on my trip, they didn’t respond.
 
I sent 4 follow-up emails to 4 different agents with no substantial response.
 
I finally self-medicated with an ice pack as I was already unable to close my right fist, put any weight on it, and even write with a pen, by this time.
 
After my self-medication, I received an email from them that they had investigated the driver’s records and decided to suspend him.

With no mention of the medical care I requested.

I responded telling them that if it was that easy for them to suspend a driver, it should have been easy for them to provide me medical assistance.

Again, no response.

The Resolution

Since I had already self-medicated, I didn’t follow them up anymore since their non-responses were only causing me even additional stress.

I wanted to get back to my normal routine which included regular weights and occasional contact sports.

But three weeks later, I tried to put weight on my injured wrist and it caused sharp pain, again.

This wasn’t normal, and suddenly I was afraid that the damage to my wrist was structural in nature.
So in spite of my previous disappointments with the TNC, I opened a new ticket.

But this time, I did my research online and found out that complaints to TNCs in the Philippines, if not resolved between the parties, can be escalated to the LTFRB (Land Transportation Franchising And Regulatory Board). When you escalate to the regulator, they will assist you by issuing a show-cause order and imposing sanctions if warranted.
 
I was ready to email them at ncr@ltfrb.gov.ph/pacd@ltfrb.gov.ph and/or complaints@ltfrb.gov.ph. But I decided to give them another chance. So I emailed them that I was going to escalate my complaint to the LTFRB since we couldn’t resolve my issue after three weeks.

I received an auto-notification then the next day, a customer support agent called me the next day. When our line got cut, she immediately called again, so that we could complete the resolution.
 
And they did, by providing me instructions and endorsement for their insurance which did not require my cash out, and did not require even more documents. I guess the pictures of my injuries sufficed for their own documentation.

They eventually covered my doctor’s consultation, and standard post-traumatic injury tests like x-rays and blood tests.

Lessons Learned:
1)At the start of the trip, gently remind the driver that you are not in a hurry. During the trip, be brave enough to tell the driver when you feel unsafe. Safety is their responsibility as the driver, and you can demand it.

2)If the accident had already taken place, take a picture of the collision and the scene.

3)Ask more questions from the authorities on the best course of action, so you can assess if going to the police station is necessary.

4)Assert your right to medical treatment and other support.
Remember that in similar situations when you feel ignored, you can escalate the matter to a regulator/government body for action. In this case, the LTFRB is available to help.

Will I ride another motorcycle taxi in the city? Probably not. The doctor whom I consulted, chided me gently and told me that motorcycles are generally unsafe as there is no protection from outside elements.

You may want to share this article, or share similar experiences in the comment section below, for others to benefit as well. But in the meantime, hope my story is helpful to our community!