World · Europe · 2 hrs ago
Driver seeks €8,000 from parents of cyclist killed in crash
Four years ago, a car hit 16-year-old cyclist Lars Janssens during a training ride in Malmedy, Belgium.
He suffered severe injuries and died in hospital days later.
The driver was found to have cannabis in his system, but prosecutors closed the case after three years, saying he had not caused the crash.
He was not prosecuted for driving under the influence because that offence was time-barred.
Now, the driver is seeking €8,000 from Lars’s parents for damage to his car.
The family’s lawyers have hired experts and taken the driver to court, so a judge will reconsider who was at fault.
Until the court rules, the family does not have to pay compensation.
A driver involved in the fatal crash of 16-year-old cyclist Lars Janssens is seeking €8,000 from the teenager’s parents for damage to his car.
Janssens was hit by a car during a training camp in Malmedy, Belgium, and died in hospital several days later.
The driver was found to have been under the influence of cannabis, but the case against him was dropped after three years.
The public prosecutor’s office said the driver had made no mistake in the crash, and the driving-under-the-influence charge was time-barred.
Janssens’s family has hired experts and sued the driver, leaving a court to reconsider who was at fault.
- Who
- The driver involved in the crash and the parents of cyclist Lars Janssens.
- What
- The driver is seeking €8,000 from the parents for damage to his car. The family has sued him, and a court will reconsider responsibility for the crash.
- When
- The crash happened four years ago. The driver is now seeking compensation; the articles were published on October 17, 2026.
- Where
- Near Malmedy, Belgium, where Janssens was attending a training camp.
- Why
- The driver says his car sustained €8,000 in damage. The family is challenging his claim and has sued him.
The driver
Janssens’s family
Compensation claim
The driver
The driver seeks €8,000 from the parents for damage to his car.
Janssens’s family
The family has taken experts’ advice and sued the driver.
Responsibility for the crash
The driver
The public prosecutor’s office found that the driver made no mistake in the crash.
Janssens’s family
The family’s legal action means a court will reconsider who was at fault.
Janssens was hit by a car during a training camp in Malmedy.
Janssens died in hospital from his injuries.
The case against the driver was dropped; the driving-under-the-influence charge was time-barred.
The driver sought €8,000 from Janssens’s parents, and the family’s lawyers sued him.
- Cyclist
- Lars Janssens, 16
- Crash location
- Malmedy, Belgium
- Driver’s claim
- €8,000 for car damage
- Driver’s condition
- Found to have been under the influence of cannabis
- Case status
- Dropped after three years; driving-under-the-influence charge was time-barred