Heirs of traffic victim awarded €150,000

The heirs of a 25-year-old man killed in a car accident in 1993 were yesterday awarded nearly €150,000 in damages.

Antoine Brincat was a passenger in a Suzuki being driven by Claudia Camilleri, who lost control of the car and crashed into an electricity pole in Aldo Moro Street in Marsa at 4.45 a.m. on November 1, 1993.

The car belonged to Ms Camilleri’s brother and at the time it was not covered by insurance, a court heard. Ms Camilleri’s brother had failed to renew the insurance policy when it lapsed a few days earlier.

Mr Justice Gino Camilleri, sitting in the First Hall of the Civil Court, heard that Mr Brincat and Ms Camilleri had arranged to meet after she finished work at the Riza Aparthotel in Qawra.

The two were joined by another friend, Susan Cauchi, and the three of them went to the Suncrest and then on to Paceville where they stayed until about 3.30 to 4 a.m.

No conclusive evidence was produced to show that Ms Camilleri was under the influence of alcohol when she was driving. No medical tests for alcohol were carried out on the scene.

Furthermore, Ms Camilleri did not testify in the proceedings as she had no memory of the accident, while Ms Cauchi, the other passenger, could not testify properly as she was asleep when the accident occurred.

However, the court concluded that Ms Camilleri was to blame for the accident as she had lost control of a car that she was driving too fast.

The court noted that Mr Brincat was 25 when he died and took into consideration his future earning potential. Ms Camilleri was ordered to pay Mr Brincat family €149,371.07 in damages.