A woman in China filed a lawsuit against her colleague who allegedly broke three of her ribs by hugging her too tightly.

The woman from Yueyang city in China’s Hubei province was reportedly talking with a co-worker in May 2021 when a male colleague approached her and gave her a tight hug, which allegedly left her screaming in pain. 

She said she experienced discomfort in her chest after the hug, but she only resorted to applying some oil to her skin after work as she thought the pain was temporary.

However, she visited the hospital when the pain in her chest reportedly intensified five days later.

An X-ray scan revealed that she had three broken ribs: one left rib and two right ribs. The woman was forced to pay for her medical treatment and take leave from work, which resulted in her loss of income. 

The woman claimed that she met with the male colleague to negotiate compensation for her medical bills; however, they could not come to a settlement as he argued that his hug was cordial and that she had no evidence that her injury was a result of his hug.

This led the woman to file a lawsuit in Yunxi court and seek compensation for the money she lost due to her broken ribs.

As the court stated that there was no evidence to prove that the woman’s broken ribs were caused by other physical activities, the colleague was ordered to pay the woman 10,000 yuan (approximately $1,473) as compensation. 

Featured Image (representation only) via Priscilla Du Preez