Lawyer Welcomes Opportunity To Improve Rail Safety

26/10/2011

An inquest into the death of a woman killed in the Grayrigg train crash more than four years ago began this week.

The hearing will examine the death of a Margaret Masson, an 84-year-old passenger who was travelling on the Virgin Pendolino train which derailed on the West Coast Main Line in February 2007.

More than 20 other passengers were injured in the crash, which an official inquiry ruled was caused by the train travelling over points which were not maintained correctly.

The inquest at the County Offices in Kendal is expected to last for two weeks.

Serious injury experts at Irwin Mitchell helped a number of people who were hurt in the devastating crash gain justice over the injuries they suffered.

Georgina Sheldon, a solicitor at the firm’s Sheffield office who worked on the cases and represented 11 victims and their families, said: “It has been an incredibly long wait for this inquest to come around and, while official reports have provided some answers, it is vital that all of those affected by this incident are given more information about how this terrible incident occurred.

“We also hope that the details revealed in the inquest go some way towards improving rail safety in general, as well as preventing such a shocking crash from ever happening again.”