Dad's fight for justice after death of family in 2011 floods

Danny McGuire is fighting for justice following the deaths of his wife and two children in the 2011 Grantham floods, but the battle is far from over.

LEGAL BATTLE: Former rural firefighter Danny McGuire is pushing a negligence case against the State Government and Rural Fire Service. Picture: Lachlan McIvor

PROGRESS has been made in Danny McGuire's fight for justice following the deaths of his wife and two children in the 2011 Grantham floods, but the battle is far from over.

A volunteer with the Rural Fire Brigade for 22 years up until the devastating natural disaster, he was travelling with his family when a wall of water struck their truck.

Although Mr McGuire had played a part in rescuing more than 35 people that day, his wife and fellow rural fire brigade member Llync-Chiann Clarke-Jibson, son Garry, 12, and daughter Jocelyn, 5, were lost to the flood waters.

Alongside his surviving son Zac, now 14, he filed a claim against the State Government in 2013, claiming hardship.

Mr McGuire claimed workers' compensation benefits on the basis that his wife's death had resulted from injuries received while performing her duties as a brigade member.

Two weeks ago, he was awarded more than $450,000, most of which will go into a trust for Zac when he turns 21, with a good chunk needed to pay off legal fees as a part of the four-year battle.

"It's an outcome we wouldn't give up on, but it's not finished yet either," Mr McGuire said.

"WorkCover has given (Zac) $200,000 which has got to go into a trust and I've given him three quarters of what I got, that goes into the trust as well.

"It's just to make sure he's set up."

He will now push ahead with a negligence case against the State Government and the Rural Fire Service and he said he will not waver in his fight for criminal proceedings.

"I've always said that I want criminal charges so that's what I'm after, if they'd done the right thing and said 'yeah they stuffed up' this wouldn't have happened," he said.

"Solicitors say we'll hopefully get an outcome in March. All I asked for originally was my paramedic gear to be replaced (which was lost in the floods)... and a plaque on the truck for my missus and kids."