Man awarded €7,300 in compensation for disability caused in fatal tal-Barrani crash

A man who was left with a permanent disability as a result of a car crash in 2012 which claimed the life of a young priest has been awarded €7,300 in compensation from the latter's insurer.

Justice Lawrence Mintoff, presiding the First Hall of the Civil Court, handed down a judgement earlier this week in the case filed by Vincent and Maria Mizzi against Untours Insurance Agents Limited.

Vincent Mizzi had suffered a 2% permanent disability as a result of the accident, which occurred on the Tal-Barrani Road in Zejtun in 2012.

Reports from the time say the accident had occurred when a Vauxhall Zaphira which was being driven by 27-year-old Renè Cilia towards Zejtun hit the centre strip and crossed into the opposite lane, where it struck two oncoming vehicles. Cilia died at the scene.

Cilia's insurers, Untours Insurance Agents Limited, had accepted liability for the incident but no agreement was reached as to the amount it was due to pay in damages.

The plaintiffs filed the court case after the insurance company had reimbursed the Mizzis' insurer for the damage caused to the vehicle, but had failed to do the same with the damages incurred personally by the plaintiffs. The court noted that the damages incurred as a direct result of the accident amounted to €2,771. After taking into account the plaintiff's salary, adjusted according to accepted principles, it established the amount of earnings lost by the plaintiffs to be €4,586. The court ordered the insurer to pay the couple the total of €7,357 in damages.