A woman whose brother used a machete to chop her on her right hand is contemplating suing him to get compensation for pain and suffering.

She said, on the day she was attacked and chopped, she and her brother had a dispute over money she had lent him.

"My brother borrowed $5,000 in 2012 and promised to pay me back within two weeks. He did not pay me back at the end of two weeks and I did not say anything to him.

"However, three months later, I telephoned him and asked him about the loan. He told me he would come and pay me later that day. He did not turn up to pay me. I telephoned him two weeks later to ask him what had happened. It seemed my brother was going crazy that day. He cursed me most disgracefully and cut off the call.

"Well, in September 2012, I went to visit my mother and he was at the house. I said hello to him and he did not answer. My mother asked him why he did not respond and he replied that I was "too ungrateful". I asked him what he had ever done for me so he could have the right to say I was ungrateful.

"He began shouting that I was a prostitute and I should stop bothering him about money. I told him that I worked very hard for my money, so he should pay me. I told him that he was a common thief because he borrowed my money and he had no intention to repay me.

"He ran for a machete which he had in his car. He said "gal a who you a call thief?" and chopped me on my right hand. I tried to run and fell and my mother and sister had to hold him to prevent him from chopping me again.

"I went to the hospital and was treated for the injury. I can hardly use my hand to wash or cook. The hand pains me constantly and I have to be going to the doctor regularly. My brother was arrested and charged for wounding me.

"The case is still pending in court. I want to sue him so I can get back all the money I spent in medical expenses, as well as be reimbursed for future medical expenses. I am wondering if I should wait until the wounding case is over before I sue him".

You do not have to wait until the criminal case against your brother is included to file the civil suit. There is a time limit in which to file civil cases. The Limitations of Actions Act states that a civil suit must be filed within six years of the cause of the action. It means that, if you do not sue him before six years from the date you were injured, you will not be able to sue him.