Although judges do their best, no amount of money can ever make up for the death of a loved one as a result of someone else's negligence. In one case, the grieving family of a Spanish businessman who died in a horrific road accident in the UK were awarded seven-figure compensation for their loss.
The 50-year-old man was a front-seat passenger in a minibus when it collided with an articulated goods lorry being driven on the wrong side of the road. He died almost instantly. Proceedings were launched on behalf of the man's widow and four children – the youngest of whom was aged 11 when her father died. The lorry's driver having been convicted of causing the man's death by careless driving, liability for the accident was not in dispute.
Quantifying the value of the family's personal injury claim, the High Court noted that the man, who ran a construction business, was well-liked and much respected in his community. More than 2,000 people attended his funeral. Hard-working and devoted to his home and loved ones, he would probably have carried on working to the age of 67. A frugal man, he would have spent most of his earnings on his family. The Court awarded a total of 1,173,975 euros in damages.