The families left bereaved by the tragic and avoidable Glasgow bin lorry crash are now clear to pursue claims for compensation following the end of the Fatal Accident Inquiry, according to media reports.

Unsurprisingly, Sheriff John Beckett concluded that it was likely that the accident would never have occurred had the driver not lied about his medical history of blackouts.

In fact, Sheriff Beckett ruled that the scale of deception was extensive, with the driver lying to a number of parties, including GPs, the council, the DVLA and his employer.

The driver had been at the wheel of a 26-tonne bin lorry which veered out of control and resulted in the loss of six lives - 17 people sustained serious personal injury - on 22 December 2014.

There has so far been a great deal of speculation about who will be the defendant in any civil claim for compensation, with most media outlets speculating that it will be Glasgow City Council.

It is hoped that the FAI findings will curb the need for any court-proceedings, although it is too early at this stage to state with any confidence as to whether out-of-court settlements might be forthcoming.

There has been widespread criticism over the decision not to prosecute the driver, although the families involved still have the possibility applying to the High Court to launch a private prosecution should the Lord Advocate not provide earlier approval.

The Scottish Government has said it will "consider any request for public funding towards a private prosecution very carefully".

If you have suffered personal injury in an accident caused by another party, or have lost a loved one in a fatal accident in Scotland, find out more about how you may be able to claim compensation under a no win, no fee agreement with Thompsons, Scotland's leading firm.. Call our personal injury lawyers today on 0800 0891331.