Niece of couple killed in Manitoba bus crash appalled at MPI's settlement offer

The niece of a couple killed in a bus crash north of Carberry this summer says the settlement Manitoba Public Insurance offered for her loved ones after the tragedy feels like a slap in the face. Frank Perzylo, 82, and Rose Perzylo, 80, from Dauphin, Man., were among the 17 people who died after a semi trailer collided on June 15, 2023, with the small bus they were traveling on.

Their niece, Chantel Uhrich, says MPI told their family at the end of December that the maximum amount of compensation they could receive was $72,500 for each victim. "I am absolutely appalled and disgusted that they would ever put that low of an amount on a person's death," she said.

Uhrich said the family was told that this figure was based on her aunt and uncle's age and that they were both retired. "They still had a pension, so it's not like they didn't have an income," she said. "And not only that, they could have lived another 10 years. They could have lived another five years.

Who knows how long they would have lived?" Proposed changes to site of fatal Manitoba collision spur mixed reactions from victim's family U turn option for reworking deadly Manitoba intersection 'baffling' at first, but it works: experts When contacted by CBC News, a spokesperson for Manitoba Public Insurance said its privacy policy prevented it from addressing the specifics of the case.

Instead, the spokesperson made reference to the Crown corporation's fatality claims guide, which says compensation amounts for immediate family of the deceased are based on the deceased's age and gross yearly employment incomes. The minimum lump sum payment a family member could receive is $72,271 if the deceased had been unemployed at the time of the accident and wouldn't have been entitled to income replacement benefits, the guide says.

The payments can be as high as $552,500, depending on the age and income of the deceased. 'Amazing memories' Uhrich, who lives in Alberta, says she was incredibly close with her aunt and uncle, even traveling to Dauphin to deliver the eulogy at their funeral. She said her family used to visit them at their home every summer, and has memories of going fishing and spending time in their garden.

Her uncle even taught her how to drive. She said she remained close with them through the years and spent her first Christmas with them after her divorce 20 years ago. "They were so loving and kind, so I have extremely amazing memories." Their deaths have had a profound effect on her family.

Uhrich says the stress of losing his brother caused her father to have a stroke in July. He died not long after the couple's funeral. "Their funeral was on July 14 and I had to travel to Dauphin to do that, knowing that my dad could die at any moment in the hospital," she said. "When I got back from the funeral, my dad passed away a few days later." Family, first responders bring out Manitoba bus crash victims' photos in solemn procession as names released Uhrich says the settlement her family was offered suggests her aunt and uncle's lives weren't as valuable because of their age.

"They were at the end of their lives, so their lives didn't matter. Every person in God's world matters," she said. "I don't care if you're one years old. I don't care if you're 95 years old — every person matters.".