MAJOR online food delivery service Ele.me has issued a public apology to the family of a revered doctor who died after a scooter crash several months ago that was caused by one of its couriers in downtown Shanghai.

The apology from the Alibaba-owned company comes amid a public outcry for delivery drivers to show more respect for traffic rules and lives.

Doctor Li Mouqiu, who co-founded the emergency departments at Shanghai’s two major hospitals, Ruijin and Huashan, was knocked off his electric scooter by a courier carrying takeout orders for Ele.me on Feb. 24 near the crossroads of Zhongshan South Second Road and Caoxi Road.

Li, who struck his head when he fell, was rushed to the hospital but never regained consciousness. He died in intensive care on March 26 at age 75.

The family sued the company for damages, with a hearing held at Xihui District People’s Court on Aug. 8. The courier accepted blame for the incident, and his employer’s insurance company agreed to cover the compensation.

The court’s verdict is pending. However, Li’s family has said it was unsatisfied with Ele.me’s defense and the behavior of its representatives.

On Wednesday, Li’s daughter, Rita Li, aired her complaints on Sina Weibo, writing that Ele.me had denied that it was accountable for the accident, which was caused by an employee of its third-party logistics service supplier, and that the family had not received any apology from the company after the accident.

She said the grieving family was deeply hurt by the claim made by the company’s lawyer in court that “each life is worth the same,” referring to the same compensation standard for every victim.

She added that the family was even more disappointed by the indifference shown by the company’s employees in court. She cited the company’s representatives receiving phone calls during the hearing and having a lighthearted discussion outside the court after the session ended, smoking and laughing.

The post quickly spread online. It was forwarded more than 1,000 times and attracted hundreds of comments, many in support of the family.

In response, Ele.me apologized to the family Thursday for its representatives’ “inhumane” attitude and use of language, attributing the delay in its apology to inefficient communication between the company and its logistics service supplier.

The company also promised stricter training and reviews of its couriers to ensure they abide by traffic rules to prevent similar tragedies in the future.

(China Daily)