Legal Impact and Dispute Resolution of Disaster in Taiwan: Lessons Learned from Typhoon Aere

Abstract

The combination of a natural disaster and human ignorance, such as Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, can incur enormous property damage and loss of life. In August 2004, Typhoon Aere hit Taiwan and flooded over one-third of Sanchung City, in Taipei County. The attempt by a contractor to save New Taiwan Dollar 1,000 (about United States Dollar 30) resulted in enormous loss of property and as many as 18,941 claims. This case study examines the following possibility of tort claims, criminal charges, and administrative action in Taiwan. Alternative dispute-resolution (ADR) methods and processing proposition of disasters would be other issues discussed in this paper. The catastrophe revealed how government agencies and contractors deal with victims and restore order to society. Years of research expose that an integration of various dispute-resolution methods is constructive to achieve favorable outcomes, and a stepwise approach consisting of ADR methods is effective in resolving disputes after Typhoon Aere as well.