PATRICIA OPPONG vs. MAERSK LINE TEMA

The Plaintiff was the wife of one John Clement (deceased) who until his death was an employee of the Defendant Company. In the course of his duty as a driver of the Defendant Company he died in a motor accident on 29th November, 2004. On his death the Defendant paid out GH¢16,407.77 on 28th August, 2007 to dependants of the deceased, including the Plaintiff herein, as workmen’s compensation. The Plaintiff herein was informed by some ex-union members that the sum due her was her husband’s earnings times 60 as stated in the Workmen’s Compensation Law, 1987 (PNDCL 187). Plaintiff as a result engaged Counsel who intervened by writing to the Defendant on the issue. Upon Counsel’s intervention, the Defendant paid additional amount of GH¢8,904.43 on 6th January, 2009 to the Plaintiff. However, using the deceased’s November, 2004 salary statement of GH¢453.87, Plaintiff computed the compensation due her per section 3(1) (a) of the Workmen’s Compensation Act, 1987, (PNDCL 1...