Seventy people returning from Alton Towers Theme Park in Staffordshire were injured and one man killed when their coach crashed on Monday 18th August 2008. Two people were airlifted to hospital with serious injuries while others were taken by ambulance or were treated in a temporary treatment centre set up at Alton Towers.
Staffordshire Police are investigating the cause of the crash which happened shortly after a heavy downpour of rain but it is believed that the bus failed to make the bend on a steep hill, rolled down an embankment before landing in a garden.
The passengers were immigrant workers who are believed to have been from the Peterborough area. The man who was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident was 26 years old and from Poland
The crash happened in the country village of Alton where residents have been expressing concern for some time at the volume of traffic that passes through their village on the way to and from Alton Towers. They claim that at the height of the season “coaches gridlock nearly every day” and one resident added that “it takes something like this to make people realise how silly it is to bring all this heavy traffic through such a quiet country village”.
Major coach and bus accidents like this hit the headlines because of the numbers of casualties involved but there are many, less serious incidents on coaches and buses that result in injury to passengers, for example where a bus has had to brake suddenly or swerve causing passengers to be thrown about. If you have been injured when travelling on a bus or coach you may be able to make a claim for personal injury compensation and should seek the advice of a specialist solicitor.
Macks Solicitors are Personal Injury Specialists and can give you expert opinion on whether you have a valid case to make a claim for compensation. Our solicitors have extensive experience in helping injured bus and coach passengers to make successful claims for personal injury compensation and if you have suffered an injury in the last 3 years we can help you. Contact Macks Solicitors on 01642 252 828 or, if you would prefer simply complete the online compensation claim form and one of our solicitors will contact you as soon as possible.
