Photo: Glacier Media

A judge has awarded over $700,000 in damages to a Richmond man who was struck by a car while crossing the road three years ago.

According to a B.C. Supreme Court judgement released Dec. 20, Joseph Ho, a retired bank manager and real estate agent, was awarded $763,393.41.

“The award should be sufficient to ensure that he can live as complete and independent a life as reasonably attainable through an award of damages,” wrote Justice Trevor Armstrong.

On Dec. 24, 2016, Ho was walking to the bus stop after shopping at Rona Building Supplies, near Alderbridge and Elmbridge ways, when he was hit by a car on his left side.

Ho, who was 76 years old at the time of the accident, was crossing a crosswalk on a “walk” signal when he was struck.

The driver and defendant, Kam Cheung Ip, stayed at the scene, according to the court documents.

“He (Ho) said he was in extreme pain with fractures to his pelvis, knee and back,” read the documents. “He said any small movement he made caused a stab-like pain. He said, at that time the pain was at a level of 10/10.”

Ho had a mild concussion and his pelvis, left knee and vertebrae were fractured as a result of the accident. The documents note that Ho was also “vulnerable to having increased cognitive symptoms” as he had previously suffered a traumatic brain injury approximately 10 years ago.

Ho was first taken to Richmond hospital, but was later transferred to the intensive care unit at Vancouver General Hospital “because of a serious setback in his health,” according to the judgement.

He had surgery performed on his pelvis and was returned to Richmond hospital. In total, Ho was in hospital for 48 days following the accident.

Ho told the court that his thinking is slightly slower since the accident, and he is not able to read as regularly as he used to. He also said he walks more slowly because of pain in his pelvis, which worsens the longer he walks, according to the documents.

A doctor told the court that Ho’s overall quality of life has been impacted because of the accident and he is at risk of developing osteoarthritis.