French police are investigating a coach crash in the Alps which may have been caused by a fault with the brakes. The accident involved a coach owned by a firm based in County Durham, which was carrying 50 British youngsters who’d been on a skiing holiday in the area. Three of the passengers were critically injured and the 64 year old driver was killed.
Under French law, the bus should have been safety checked by local police before starting its journey down the steep mountainside. So far, investigations suggest that the safety assessment, which would have checked the brakes, didn’t take place. And whilst it hasn’t been confirmed that brake failure caused the crash, local police have said that ‘it is one of the strongest hypotheses.’
Statistically, coach travel is relatively safe but sadly, accidents like this happen every year – and not just during the skiing season. The outcome of this incident is still unknown, but if the investigation finds that it could have been prevented, the injured passengers and the coach driver’s family may be entitled to claim compensation.
The same rule applies to anyone injured in a coach accident that was caused by someone else’s actions, negligence or omission, whether the incident happened in the UK or abroad. Coach-related accidents don’t have to involve a crash or collision. Passengers can also claim for injuries caused by other things, such as luggage falling off a rack or unsafe steps that cause slips and trips when embarking or leaving the coach.
If you’ve been injured in a coach accident, don’t suffer in silence. Claiming compensation isn’t just about getting financial redress for your experience. By speaking up, you’ll also highlight the health and safety issues that caused the incident – helping prevent other people being affected in the future.
Find out today if you can claim
Injury Lawyers 4U are ready and waiting to help with your claim. We’re a national network of specialist personal injury lawyers who’ve dealt with dozens of successful coach accident compensation claims. Our aim is to get you all the compensation you’re entitled to, whilst helping you access the support and services you need to recover from your injuries.
Call us today on 0845 345 4444 – we’re open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Or complete our simple online form here and a legal expert will call you back.
