Can This Happen In Nigeria? Woman wins 2.2 billion payouts from car insurance after catching STD while having sex in partner’s car

A court case sitting at the Jackson County Circuit Court ruled in favour of a woman only identified as M.O  and she was given a 2.2 billion naira (£4.1 million) settlement, as insurance payout for catching HPV in her partner’s car. 

It’s noted that the woman contracted the STD while having sex behind the partner’s car. Documents in court said she contracted the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), from her romantic partner while having sex at the back of the car. 

However, the court documents revealed that the man knew he had HPV, in addition to throat cancer, yet continued to have sex with M.O without making any attempt to inform her of the risks involved, which the infection ‘directly or indirectly contributes to.’

In favour of M.O, the Jackson County Circuit Court ruled that the man was liable, and the woman was given the sum of 4.1 million pounds as an insurance settlement, to be paid by his insurance company, GEICO.

Court documents also show that after the Jackson County Circuit Court ruled in the favor of M.O, GEICO took the case to the Missouri Court of Appeals to dispute the ruling. 

Their claim was that the judgement violated their rights to due process, and the settlement was unenforceable. 

Still, a panel of three judges at the Missouri Court of Appeals looked into the case and concluded that the result was valid and the insurance company must pay the 4.1 million pounds settlement. 

GEICO is an automobile insurance company and since the man’s automobile insurance policy provides covers for injuries and losses, the arbitrator found that the man negligently infected M.O with HPV and awarded her the 4.1 million pounds in damages. 

For many Nigerians who have come across this news on social media, the question has been, “is this realizable in Nigeria where it’s almost impossible to follow due process?”

For others, the question has been “how many Nigerian car owners have enough car insurance that covers such negligent and purposeful acts?”