Tragic news broke over the weekend that a four piece band from Warrington and their manager were killed in a fatal car accident when their hired Nissan Qashqai had fallen more than 82 feet from a bridge landing into a canal below, in Sweden.  It was the band’s first trip abroad.

Viola Beach Car Crash
Viola Beach – Fatal Car Crash

Band members were:

  • Kris Leonard,
  • River Reeves,
  • Tomas Lowe,
  • Jack Dakin
  • Manager Craig Tarry,

who were aged between 19 and 32,

On the BBC website is is said that “Their families said they had been doing what they loved.

What Happened?

It is early staged yet and we would not like to speculate.  Certainly the Swedish authorities are investigating the causes of the fatal car accident.

The BBC website reports:

Swedish police have told the BBC there were two sets of safety barriers in place on the bridge, red warning lights were flashing, and other drivers were waiting.

The band’s car fell through a gap which had opened to let a boat pass through, police said.

Officers are examining the car to try to find the cause of the crash, which happened at about 02:30 local time (01:30 GMT) near Stockholm.

The Legal Point of View

Our heartfelt sympathies and condolences are with all those family members and friends affected by this personal tragedy.

As specialist fatal accident solicitors specialising in fatal road accidents the following are just a summary of what we can do to help bereaved families:

  • Liaise with the police concerning the accident investigation.
  • Correspond with other third parties such as the Local Government.
  • Deal with the law and necessary paper-work.
  • Fact find and get to the truth as soon as possible.
  • Interview witnesses.
  • Attend & deal with the Coroner & Inquest Hearing.
  • Advise the families throughout the investigation.
  • Anyone who is at fault to ensure justice prevails.
  • Obtain compensation for the families left behind.
  • All under a No, Win, No, Fee Solicitors service.

The Principal Solicitor, Ronnie Hutcheon explains the importance to him and the practice when handling a fatal accident claim:

“Every fatal accident claim is a tragedy. Whether the deceased is young or old. On a personal level, as a firm, we all bond with our clients and help them through every step of the claim. This can be getting to the facts of what happened such as attending the inquest or Crown or Magistrates Court if the accused is being prosecuted. Collating and obtaining all the evidence required to make a fatal accident claim including attending witnesses and getting copies of the police reports as soon as possible.”

He further explains the importance of each fatal accident claim that his firm handles:

“The legal issues following a fatal accident can be very complex. A Fatal accident compensation claim is not for inexperienced solicitors or solicitors with just a few years experience dealing with low value personal injury claims. Fatal accident claims demand the wide-spread experience of a solicitor forearmed with all the legal equipment necessary to get to the truth of what has happened. At the same time, ensure the deceased’s family are kept up to date, supported emotionally and ultimately financially by a maximum compensation award.”

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