Woman seeks compensation after TCM treatment goes wrong

A woman is seeking compensation after she sustained severe burns during a moxibustion treatment at a foot massage shop in Jalan Sultan.

Moxibustion is a traditional Chinese medicine therapy which consists of burning dried mugwort on particular points on the body.

The incident reportedly involved the sudden collapse of the moxibustion device stand, causing the red-hot metal plate to fall onto her bare skin.

The customer, Ms He, told Shin Min Daily News that she had visited the shop on May 10 and opted for a moxibustion session on the recommendation of the therapist.

During the treatment, the therapist left the room to retrieve a scraping board, and that's when the accident occurred.

The 24-year-old recounted that she was lying on the bed when the moxibustion device stand collapsed, sending the red-hot metal plate crashing onto her exposed skin. Hot ash from the plate also scattered around her.

"I jumped up immediately," she exclaimed, "I'd never experienced such pain in my life. I thought I was going to die."

Photos provided by Ms He show burns on multiple parts of her body, especially on her legs and back. Her skin was red and peeling.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) confirmed receiving a call on that day and that one person was taken to Singapore General Hospital.

The shop manager, Ms Zhu, denied Ms He's account, stating that the incident was not due to the therapist's negligence and that the cause is still under investigation.

The 48-year-old manager explained that the therapist was not present in the room at the time, and only Ms He was in the treatment area. She was confused as to how the moxibustion device stand fell over.

"We have over the years always prioritised safety measures and have never had a similar incident," she emphasised. "The stand was also a reinforced version purchased just last year, so it shouldn't have come loose."

Regarding the collapse of the moxibustion device stand, the two parties have differing accounts. Ms He insists that she did not touch the stand, while Ms Zhu suggests that there must had been a trigger for the incident.

The shop claims the customer kicked the moxibustion device stand, but the customer refutes the allegations and is demanding compensation.

Ms Zhu told reporters that the tray did not come loose but rather the stand collapsed from the middle, suggesting human error.

She stated that Ms He was repeatedly kicking the blanket or accidentally touching the stand during the treatment, which could have caused the accident, not negligence on the part of the employee.

Ms He was enraged by the shop's explanation, accusing it of trying to shirk responsibility.

"I have no reason to hurt myself," she argued. "I've suffered severe injuries and have scars all over my body. Am I going to frame her for no reason?"

The shop also accused the customer of extortion after she demanded $50,000 in emotional distress damages. Ms Zhu told the Chinese daily that she found the amount unacceptable.

"She claims it's emotional distress damages, but we are not at fault, so how can she make such an outrageous demand?" she asked.

She added that the shop was willing to cover the customer's medical expenses on humanitarian grounds, but other matters were up for discussion.

Ms He admitted to requesting $50,000 but explained that there were extenuating circumstances and that it was not self-harm or extortion.

She explained that she had been in and out of the hospital repeatedly, and the peeling skin on multiple parts of her body made it difficult to sleep at night, causing significant physical and mental stress. 

Now, she is asking for only the S$2,000-plus medical and lost wages, as well as the cost of scar removal medication. She has no other demands.

"I only want the compensation I deserve," she stated. "If the shop still refuses to take responsibility, I will seek legal recourse."