The first compensation claim over the State Government’s use of stone mastic asphalt on the Bruce Highway will be lodged this week, but not stemming from an accident at the controversial Federal section.

Instead, it is a car crash on Montville-Mapleton Road in January 2003 that looks set to pave the way for compensation claims after the Main Roads Department was found to have used an inappropriate surface asphalt on part of the Bruce Highway.

Brisbane lawyer Peter Carter said yesterday he would lodge a notice this week to initiate legal proceedings for a Sunshine Coast resident injured in the crash.

Mr Carter said he expected it to be the first of a number of lawsuits filed against the State Government if it can be proved the road surface was responsible for the accidents.

“The smoking gun has been uncovered… someone obviously eventually lifted the lid on it,” Mr Carter said.

He said a number of people had inquired about possible compensation in the past few years, but had not pursued the matter due to the high cost of proving the case.

But preliminary results of a State Government investigation into stone mastic asphalt – triggered by a double fatality at Federal in May – found Main Roads mistakenly laid inappropriate surface at the site.

The surface has also been laid on 410 kilometres of Sunshine Coast roads, including the Montville-Mapleton Road.

“We potentially have a dozen or so (lawsuits), and we’re still going through our books,” Mr Carter said.

Another personal injury specialist lawyer from Brisbane, Simon Morrison, said he had fielded some interest from possible litigants, but not as much as anticipated.

“We probably did expect a few more people to come forward,” he said.

“But it’s still very early days so I would say it’s too early to tell at this stage exactly how many people will pursue this course of action,”

Mr Morrison said he believed some people were not aware they may be able to claim.

He added that two people from Gympie had indicated they may pursue claims for injuries sustained in crashes on the Bruce Highway.