Fisherman's widow accepts six-figure compensation
The widow of a fisherman who drowned in a north-east harbour, has been awarded a six-figure compensation sum in an accident claims case.
The widow launched legal action against her husband’s employers after he drowned nearly five years ago at Peterhead.
The father-of-three, had been trying to get on board his employer's fishing boat when he fell in.
The exact amount of the compensation, which was settled out of court, has not been revealed, but it is understood to be a six-figure sum.
The widow said she was pleased with the settlement and said the payout would be shared equally among the couple’s three children.
“It has just been unbearable for us all, but I'm pleased now that it’s all over and we can all move on. This is closure for me," said the woman.
She had sued the fishing company for £500,000, claiming that the skipper's duty was to ensure her husband had safe means of getting aboard the boat.
The woman had earlier won an £18,500 out-of-court settlement against her husband's insurance company, which did not pay out on her husband's life insurance policies.
The skipper’s teenage son had jumped into the water and to save the man but could not keep him afloat, the court somberly heard.
Updated on 05/11/2009