A month on from the tragic accident involving Lisbon’s famous Glória funicular, which left 16 dead and at least 22 injured, the families of the victims are still waiting for the formal compensation process to begin.
Fidelidade, the insurer responsible for the lift’s operation on behalf of Carris, has set up an independent technical commission chaired by Duarte Nuno Vieira, a professor at the University of Coimbra. However, the group has yet to meet.
According to Público, compensation for the families of those killed will vary depending on age and annual income. For survivors, the payout will be determined by the severity of injuries and degree of disability. Because of the complexity of the cases, victims with injuries are expected to receive advance payments to cover immediate recovery expenses, which will later be deducted from the final compensation.
Fidelidade has stated that compensation will take into account factors such as age, income, dependants, medical expenses, and non-material damages. Families of the deceased must provide proof of inheritance rights and income declarations, while injured victims will only be assessed once their clinical condition has stabilised.
The situation is further complicated by the fact that victims come from different nationalities. Among the dead are five Portuguese citizens and 11 foreign nationals from eight countries. Of the 24 injured recorded in the police report, four are yet to be located by the insurer.
Three of the victims of the tragedy were British nationals. Theatre director Kayleigh Smith and her partner Will Nelson were named as victims of the Lisbon funicular crash. MADS Theatre in Macclesfield posted a tribute last month following the crash, acknowledging their deaths in the tragedy, writing that Ms Smith was "a dear friend to many and will be greatly missed". On the morning of the crash, Ms Smith had posted a series of photos of their trip to the Portuguese capital on social media.
Moreover, David Young, described by his family as a "lifelong transport enthusiast", was named as the third British victim killed in the accident. The 82-year-old, known to most as Dave, was raised in Auchterarder, Perthshire but moved to Holyhead in Anglesey in 1980 where he had a "long career as a customs officer".
"In retirement he enjoyed visiting heritage railways and tramways around the world," his family said, adding that it was a comfort to know "his final moments were in pursuit of the hobby which gave him so much happiness".
Some cases involve overlapping cover, such as Portuguese victims also protected by workplace accident insurance. In these situations, families must decide which policy to activate. If they choose the workplace route, the claim will move to the labour court, which will then determine compensation. In the meantime, Fidelidade says it is covering day-to-day expenses including funerals, repatriations, family travel and accommodation, and medical reimbursements.
Meanwhile, four separate investigations remain underway: one criminal, one preventive, and two led by Carris – an internal review and an external audit.
