THE FACTS
NOMASONTO Bopela from Naledi, Soweto, contacted the SunDefender regarding her son’s Road Accident Fund claim.
She said her son Patrick was involved in a hit-and-run and was hospitalised for a long time.
When he was discharged, Patrick could no longer speak and was mentally handicapped.
Patrick’s nephew
submitted a claim on his behalf without his mum’s knowledge.
When she realised a claim had been submitted, she decided to investigate the matter and was told a lawyer was involved.
The lawyer asked Nomasonto to send them her banking details so he could deposit R20 000.
He said the rest of the fund payout would be placed in a trust fund.
Nomasonto wanted to know how much her son was paid, as well as the name of trustees who received his money.
WHAT I DID
I contacted the fund.
SOLUTION
The fund’s spokeswoman Boniswa Matshoba said details of the claim were confidential and could only be given to a custodian or an attorney.
She said the fund couldn’t disclose any information as the lawyer’s notes couldn’t be given to anybody.
Attorney-client privilege protects communication between a client and their lawyer.
Nomasonto was advised to approach the lawyer or the curator if the claimant is under curatorship.