Case Overview:
A long-serving street cleaner (A) was found collapsed in a break room before starting work and later died from a brain hemorrhage. The court ruled that his death was not a work-related industrial accident.

Court & Case Details:

Court: Seoul Administrative Court, Division 9 (Presiding Judge Kim Guk-hyun)

Case No.: 2022GuHap67357

Decision Date: August 18, 2025

Outcome: Plaintiffs (A’s children) lost; the court upheld the denial of survivor’s benefits and funeral expenses.


Background Facts:

A had been working as a sanitation worker since April 2007.

On July 25, 2020, at around 5:00 a.m., he was found bleeding from the nose and collapsed in a rest area before his shift began.

He was hospitalized but died three days later due to intracerebral hemorrhage.


Workers’ Compensation Decision:

The Korea Workers’ Compensation & Welfare Service (KCOMWEL) denied the family’s claim for benefits.

It reasoned that while A’s job had some stress factors (early morning work, long service), there was no sudden increase in workload or stress before his collapse.

The agency concluded that personal health factors—such as preexisting conditions, lifestyle, and habits—played a greater role in his death.


Court’s Judgment:
The court agreed with KCOMWEL, citing insufficient causal connection between work duties and death.

A had taken extended medical leave (Nov 2019–Sep 2020) for a shoulder injury.

His work route was later adjusted to a less demanding area.

He had recently taken three additional sick days before collapsing.

Medical records showed chronic high-risk health conditions (e.g., hypertension, dyslipidemia) since 2011, without proper treatment.

He also had a history of heavy drinking (three bottles of soju weekly) and smoking (10–15 cigarettes daily) — both major risk factors for brain hemorrhage.


Medical Expert Opinion:

The court’s medical review agreed with the neurologist’s view that A’s hemorrhage was spontaneous, triggered mainly by internal risk factors (not work-related stress).


Key Takeaway:

Even for physically demanding jobs like sanitation work, courts require clear, direct evidence linking work conditions to medical events like stroke or hemorrhage.

Personal health and lifestyle factors can outweigh occupational stress in determining eligibility for workers’ compensation benefits.

Article: https://www.lawtimes.co.kr/Case-curation/212124