Compensation a way to make some amends

A video clip of a tragic accident went viral on social networking sites on Tuesday. It shows an elderly woman standing by the roadside when two dogs, one leashed, rush past her. Suddenly, the leash gets entangled in the elderly woman's foot, pulling her forcibly till she falls, her face hitting the ground.

Soon after, a girl comes running, looking for the dog. On finding the woman badly hurt, she drags the dog away. As bystanders gather at the site, the girl quickens her pace until she is out of the frame.

The police in Foshan, Guangdong province, issued a news release on Tuesday saying the elderly woman died in hospital. The dog belonged to a nearby restaurant and the girl, 12, untied it and was playing with it when tragedy struck.

The police are treating the incident as an accident while the dog owner and the elderly woman's family are negotiating with each other. The family is within its right to seek damages for the woman's death. Some on social networking sites said the compensation was of no use now, because it will not bring the woman back. However, it can be a kind of small consolation for their losses. For the one who is responsible for the accident, the money is a kind of penalty, warning such people against being irresponsible in the future. The girl's guardians and the dog owner might need to shoulder the compensation amount.

However, if the girl took the dog away without its owner's knowledge, the owner may not be held responsible.

For society, the compensation should serve as a reminder to be mindful of others' safety and ensure similar accidents do not recur.