Law firms representing injured and traumatised Liverpool fans who attended the chaotic Champions League final are pushing ahead with a legal claim against UEFA.
Several law firms are pursuing claims in the belief that Reds fans should be recompensed for the trauma they experienced as they were forced into dangerous crushes on their way to the final at the Stade de France on May 28 2022.
An independent report has this week said UEFA bears primary responsibility for the chaos that unfolded and heavily criticised the footballing body for its safety failings and its shameless attempts to blame Liverpool fans for what unfolded.
READ MORE: READ MORE: LFC fans protected each other as French police nowhere to be seen
Law firm Leigh Day says it will send a formal Letter of Claim to UEFA within the next two weeks. After the 158-page report was leaked yesterday (Monday 13 February), UEFA said it would be announcing a special refund scheme for fans. However, the legal team representing more than 600 Liverpool FC fan said that while this news was promising, fans deserved proper compensation for what they had endured.
Leigh Day is currently bringing a group claim on behalf of fans against UEFA on the basis that they failed to ensure a safe and secure environment for those attending and could owe a legal liability to those who suffered physical and/or psychological injuries.
Clare Campbell and Jill Paterson, partners at Leigh Day, said: “After such a damning report, UEFA needs to take responsibility for the significant part it played in the chaos that unfolded at last season’s Champion’s League final and recompensate the fans who have had to deal with the aftereffects.
“Finally, fans have been given some clarity on how and why the events they experienced on 28 May 2022 happened but, while the report is robust, it cannot undo the damage that was done on that day.
“It is promising to hear that UEFA are considering a special refund scheme, but it’s important to understand that what is required here is more than a ticket refund. This is about accountability, learning lessons for the future and ensuring that fans who have been injured and traumatised receive proper compensation for what they’ve endured.”
Another firm running a legal case against UEFA is Pogust Goodhead. Speaking about the results of the independent report, firm partner Tony Winterburn said: “This is a hugely damning report for UEFA which clearly strengthens the case we are bringing on behalf of Liverpool fans.
“We are calling on UEFA and in particular its President Aleksander Ceferin personally, to do the right thing and publicly accept responsibility. There must be compensation for all those fans affected by this horrific event.
“It is clear UEFA’s safety plan was written around a myth that Liverpool fans were going to cause trouble that day and it is imperative that myth stops now to avoid further unacceptable incidents occurring in the future, with possibly tragic consequences.
“An apology is a start, but it simply does not go far enough. We want our clients, alongside all other fans, who have been proven to be blameless, to be compensated for the psychological and physical trauma they experienced on that day, and for the subsequent trauma they experienced after the event when authorities continued to place blame at their door despite knowing this was untrue."
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