Read More
The District Court on Monday ordered a dance studio to pay approximately HK$6.29 million in employee compensation to dancer Mo Li Kai-yin, who was severely injured by a falling video screen during a 2022 concert by the popular boy band MIRROR.
ADVERTISEMENT
SCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT
District Judge Phillis Loh Lai-ping had previously ruled in favor of Li after his former employer, Studiodanz Company Limited, failed to appear in court to contest the liability, leaving only the final assessment of damages to be determined.
While Li’s father had originally planned to testify at the trial, he passed away in April. The court admitted his written statement, which detailed the extent of Li’s injuries and his daily care routine following the accident, as evidence that the dancer is unable to resume his normal daily life.
Li himself testified during the trial via video, stating that his average monthly income before the accident was around HK$63,000, with remuneration paid by check, bank transfer, and partly in cash.
In her ruling, Judge Loh noted that the 31-year-old dancer has been left permanently disabled with a total loss of earning capacity. With a statistically projected remaining lifespan of 53 years, Li's condition demands lifelong care, which currently requires the assistance of three people.
Studiodanz was ordered to pay around HK$6.29 million in total compensation plus interest calculated from the date of the accident. Taking into account Li’s fluctuating pre-incident monthly income ranging from HK$20,000 to HK$100,000, Loh extended compensation for temporary loss of earnings to 36 months without deducting public holidays, amounting to HK$1.97 million.
Other compensation components include HK$3.41 million for permanent total loss of earnings calculated based on the current statutory monthly cap of HK$35,600 over eight years, over HK$640,000 as the statutory maximum for future care expenses, and more than HK$250,000 for hospital expenses capped at HK$300 per day across 848 days of hospital stay.
Studiodanz is also required to pay Li’s legal costs.
