WOMEN who each lost a leg in the Alton Towers Smiler rollercoaster crash are suing the owners for millions of pounds.
Leah Washington, 20, and Vicky Balch, 23, are claiming “catastrophic personal injury”, after they became injured when their carriage ploughed into another stationary one.
The Mirror reports Vicky’s claim, lodged at the High Court this week, accuses the firm of: “Failing to take any or any adequate care to ensure the reasonable safety of the Claimant whilst on the Smiler.”
The pair could get about £2million each in compensation, experts believe.
Vicky’s claim also states: “In his sentencing remarks, the judge said the accident was foreseeable and he was satisfied the Defendant fell far short of the appropriate standard.”
The accident in June 2015 was put down to human error and Alton Towers owner Merlin Attractions was fined £5million for health and safety breaches.
An investigation found an engineer had wrongly restarted the Smiler ride while a stationary carriage was on the track in front of it.
Judge Michael Chambers QC described the accident as a “catastrophic failure” and said it was entirely avoidable.
Interim payments have been paid to cover medical and physio bills.
Vicky is now registered as disabled and must replace her prosthetic leg every few years – but found love with athlete and BBC countryfile star Steve Brown, and took to the catwalk as a model.
Leah was on a date with boyfriend Joe Pugh when the accident happened – Joe suffered shattered kneecaps in the accident.
Others hurt included Daniel Thorpe, 27, from Buxton in Derbyshire, was treated for a collapsed lung and lower leg injuries.
Chanda Chauhan, 49, from Wednesbury, had surgery after suffering internal injuries.
Last month we reported how Alton Towers’ general manager Ian Crabbe, who has worked at the Staffordshire theme park for eight years, said he is haunted by the disaster.
In a Channel 4 documentary “Inside Alton Towers”, Mr Crabbe opened up about how staff reacted to the crash.
Merlin told the Mirror: “From the outset we have admitted liability and have engaged fully at all times to achieve settlement for all the claimants as quickly as possible.”
The Sun Online has approached Alton Towers for additional comment.
Leah, from Barnsley, South Yorks, was learning to run earlier this year at a Pace Rehabilitation centre under the guidance of a professional physiotherapist.
The centre tweeted: “Leah is learning to run again on her running trial prosthesis with physio Carolyn.”
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The teenager shared the video and added: “This is my first time running since my accident. It felt amazing.”
Describing the incident, she recalled: “I can remember everything. It was like driving a car into a brick wall.
“I knew my knees were bad because I could feel flesh but I couldn’t feel pain and just thought I had broken some bones.”
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News Pictures Alton Towers Smiler crash amputees Vicky Balch and Leah Washington sue theme park owners for millions over ‘safety failings’
You don’t have to pack away your bikini just because you’re the wrong side of 20. These body-beautiful stars reveal their secrets to staying in shape and prove you can smoulder in a two-piece, whatever your age. Read on and be bikini inspired!
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Hayden Panettiere
Size: 8
Age: 18
Height: 5ft 1in
Weight: 8st
To achieve her kick-ass figure, Hayden – who plays cheerleader Claire Bennet in Heroes – follows the ‘quartering’ rule. She eats only a quarter of the food on her plate, then waits 20 minutes before deciding whether she needs to eat again.
Hayden says: “I don’t have a model’s body, but I’m not one of those crazy girls who thinks that they’re fat. I’m OK with what I have.”
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kim cattrall
Size: 10-12
Age: 52
Height: 5ft 8in
Weight: 9st 4lb
SATC star Kim swears by gym sessions with Russian kettle bells (traditional cast-iron weights) and the South Beach Diet to give her the body she wants. To avoid overeating, Kim has a radical diet trick – squirting lemon juice on her leftovers – so she won’t carry on picking.
Kim says: “I am no super-thin Hollywood actress. I am built for men who like women to look like women.”
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