Victims of Moscow Metro Crash Eligible for up to $58,000 Compensation

By Delphine d'Amora

July 15, 2014

An injured woman lies on a stretcher outside Slavyansky Bulvar metro station after an accident in the Moscow metro that left at least 16 people dead. Alex Naryshkin / Twitter

The victims of Tuesday morning's crash in the Moscow metro, which has killed at least sixteen and injured 150, will be eligible for up to 2 million rubles ($58,000) in compensation, depending on the severity of their injuries, according to Russia's National Union of Liability Insurers, or NCCO.

The families of the 16 known deceased are eligible to receive the full 2 million rubles plus 25,000 rubles ($730) to cover the cost of burial, NCCO president Andrei Yuryev said, according to a statement on the union's website.

Three metro cars derailed at about 8:35 am between Moscow's Slavyansky Bulvar and Park Pobedy metro stations Tuesday morning. Victim counts have risen steadily throughout the day, reaching 16 dead and 150 injured in the early afternoon, Interfax reported.

The accident is believed to have been caused by a decrease in the electrical voltage running through the metro's tracks, a spokesman for Moscow's Emergency Situations Ministry told Interfax.

"In the event of sudden braking, the most common injuries are various kinds of contusions. Dislocations, fractures and concussions are also possible," Yuryev said.

In the case of broken limbs, the victims stand to receive up to 500,000 rubles ($14,600) in compensation, while payment to those with concussions will depend on the length of their treatment: for more than 10 days of outpatient care, they will receive 60,000 rubles ($1,700); for more than a month of care, with at least a week spent in the hospital, they can receive up to 100,000 rubles ($2,900), Yuryev said.

To receive the benefits, victims must file a request with the Moscow Metro, he added. As of 2013, transport operators in Russia, including public metro systems, are obliged to provide compulsory insurance for passengers. NCCO is in charge of implementing the law.

The crash has come as a shock for Moscow, whose prized metro system has fallen victim to several terrorist attacks in recent years, but not to technical errors.

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