A judge in Minas Gerais, Rodrigo Heleno Chaves, ruled on Wednesday (18) that Vale must pay R $ 11.875 million (US$ 3 million) to the family of brothers Luiz, 31, and Camila Taliberti, 33, and Fernanda Damian, 30, Luiz's wife, who died in the breach of the mining dam. They were staying at Pousada Nova Estância on the day of the tragedy.
It is the first individual lawsuit filed against the Vale due to the January 25 dam breach in Brumadinho.
In a statement, Vale said today that "the decision has not yet summoned it." "The company is sensitive to the situation of families and referral to the case, respecting the privacy of those involved," the company said in a statement.
The family claimed that they "suffered greatly from the death of their children, sister, grandson, and nephew." So they asked the court to pay compensation for moral damages.
According to the judge's ruling, "the liability of the mining company is objective, due to the application of the theory of risk of economic activity, stamped in article 927, sole paragraph, of the Brazilian Civil Code".
In the magistrate's assessment, parents are entitled to moral damages, and the psychological damage caused by parental deaths is considered to be covered by the compensation amount.
Translated by Kiratiana Freelon