German coach crash
Following the fatal coach crash on the Motorway between Ludwighausen and Kaiserslauten in Southern Germany on 19th February 2005, National Solicitors Irwin Mitchell repeated their calls for improved safety standards to protect passengers on coaches travelling abroad. Clive Garner, Head of International Travel Litigation at Irwin Mitchell says,
"In the last 5 years Irwin Mitchell has acted for the victims of 14 separate coach crashes abroad. Literally hundreds of English tourists have been killed or seriously injured in these incidents. Many will have to live with pain and disability for the rest of their lives, while others have had their lives taken away or have lost their children, parents, husbands or wives through no fault of their own and without any warning or justification. If that was not bad enough, the number of these tragedies seems to be on the increase."
We have dealt with fatal coach crashes involving English holidaymakers in Austria, Gran Canaria, Jordan, Peru and now Germany. In another case Irwin Mitchell represents more than 20 English holiday makers who were injured in a coach crash during bad weather conditions in Bulgaria in 30th January 2005.
In a further incident on 13th February 2005, Two young English Women were killed and six other English passengers were injured in a coach crash in Mexico.
Garner, has been calling for increased coach safety measures for many years. Suggestions include stricter licensing and monitoring of coach drivers and operators, more rigorous maintenance and coach construction standards and the avoidance of dangerous routes by operators particularly in adverse weather conditions.
"Of course some accidents are unavoidable, even if the best care is taken. However, frequently the clients we act for have been seriously or even fatally injured due to poor driving, poor supervision or inadequate maintenance of tour coaches. Despite the tremendous responsibility upon coach drivers and operators who literally hold the fate of passengers in their hands, we are still seeing accidents like this which could and should have been avoided if only reasonable care had been taken."
"Whilst the injured passengers and the families of the deceased will recover damages following the coach crash in Germany, nothing will ever fully compensate them for the injuries they have suffered and the personal losses which they have sustained."
To contact Clive Garner please call 0870 1500 100 or e-mail at clive.garner@irwinmitchell.com.