The bus company involved in a road accident last month that killed 19 people in Svay Rieng province has requested that the provincial court delay negotiations for compensation to the victims, a court official said Tuesday.
Eighteen garment workers and a driver died after a bus belonging to the 15 SH Transport company tried to overtake a car and slammed head-on into the van that was carrying them to work on May 19.
Svay Rieng Provincial Court director Pech Chhoeut said Tuesday that he had met with company representatives to begin compensation negotiations for those injured in the crash and the families of the dead.
“The bus company representatives came to meet us and they asked us for a delay in discussing the compensation because they are now looking for a lawyer and they will enter negotiations in early July,” he said.
Duong Ratha, the owner of the bus company, said he has left the negotiations to his insurer, Caminco.
“I gave this affair to the insurance company to negotiate the compensation to the victims and they are now looking for a lawyer to work on this case with authorities,” he said.
