Law firms unite to act for Super Puma crash families

Published on Monday 22 June 2009 22:52

THREE of Scotland's leading legal firms have united to form a joint advisory group to represent a number of the families bereaved in April's Super Puma disaster in the North Sea in which 16 men were killed.

The group, which is representing an undisclosed number of the victims' families, has been formed by two Aberdeen legal companies – Balfour and Manson, and Raeburn Christie Clark and Wallace – and Digby Brown in Edinburgh.

Lisa Gregory, a partner with Balfour and Manson, yesterday confirmed that the three firms were acting for a number of parties who had been affected by the tragedy.

She said: "It is premature to speculate who will bear ultimate responsibility for this tragic incident and we must await the findings of the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB). No formal legal proceedings have been lodged but by forming the advisory group, we hope to smooth the legal process for those affected."

A spokesman for the Super Puma Legal Advisory Group said: "The group has been set up to manage legal procedures arising from the crash on behalf of families of the bereaved.

"The group will ensure a co-ordinated approach to forthcoming proceedings and minimise the stress experienced by families of the victims."

An interim report on the disaster was released by the AAIB in early April. It stated that the disaster had been caused by a "catastrophic failure" which resulted in the loss of the helicopter's main rotor blades.