ABHA, 25 May 2006 — The families of six teachers killed in a road accident in February in southern Saudi Arabia are claiming compensation for the loss of their loved ones.
Six teachers, a driver and two children died when the minibus they were traveling in fatally collided with a truck carrying concrete. A third child who was also in the minibus survived the crash in Wadi Hashbal.
Ali Al-Qahtani, father of one of the teachers, said paperwork relating to the accident remained with the traffic department in Wadi Hashbal for two months while the police issued death certificates and inheritance papers.
Al-Qahtani explained that the case was then transferred to the judiciary in Khamis Mushayt. A judge there said he would review the case and schedule a date for a hearing.
Al-Qahtani added that a separate lawyer represented each of the dead teachers. In the meantime, he had filed a lawsuit against the company that owned the truck.
Saad Al-Abeedi, the husband of one of the dead teachers, said that it was impossible to file a lawsuit against the truck company. He added that the dead driver should rather be sued for compensation.
The families of two of the teachers, who were five months pregnant, were also seeking compensation for the dead fetuses.
Al-Abeedi said the education department in Asir had failed to issue compensation checks for the dead teachers.
Lawyer Abdul Aziz Al-Kasim said employees injured or killed at work are entitled to financial compensation.
A spokesman from the Education Ministry verified the claim and said the delay in families being awarded money was due to a delay in death certificates being issued.
The spokesman added that there was a delay in proving that the teachers had died while at work. He said retirement checks will be issued from the date the teachers died.
