damages
The amounts approved by a Torremolinos court will go to those injured in the crash and families of the victims
21.11.08 - 17:06 -
ACCIDENT. Nine people died in the crash in April. / EFE
A Torremolinos court has awarded damages amounting to 367,708 euros to a number of those injured and to family members of those who died in the bus accident on the A-7 on 19 April of this year. The accident, in which nine people died and another 42 were injured, took place in the municipality of Benalmádena. All those who died were Finnish tourists.
According to the sentence, which the Europa Press has had access to, 43,079 euros was awarded to one person who lost a family member in the accident, and 14,359 euros each to two other people for the death of the same victim.
One of the injured was awarded 17,058 euros, another awarded 243,715 euros for the injuries he received, and 20,603 euros and 14.532 euros to two other people injured in the accident. These amounts were agreed upon on analysis of the written statement made and presented at the end of last October by the insurance company representing the driver of the jeep that caused the accident.
Last June, the insurance company in question was designated a total of 1.4 million euros by the court to be placed at the disposition of all those affected by the accident, to be paid through a special commission in the case of the Finns.
Of this amount, 24,831 euros was awarded to the driver of the bus, represented by the lawyer Manuel Temboury, while 8,538 euros went to the occupant of the vehicle insured by the company, it stated in a written report presented by the legal representative of the insurance company.
Excess speed
The accident happened at 7.30 p.m. on the AP-7, in the Malaga City direction, and involved a jeep and a bus. The jeep was being driven by a man whose name is given as Jesús G. R., and he is being charged with driving under the influence of alcoholic drink. Witnesses to the accident say he was also driving too fast for the road conditions of the time, where the maximum speed is 120 kilometres per hour.
Initial Guardia Civil reports on the accident showed that the jeep was travelling at 155 kilometres per hour at the moment of impact, although a new study shows it had been travelling at 152 kilometres per hour when the accident occurred.
