Personal injury news

Capita win miners’ personal injury claim contract

The company in charge of London's controversial congestion charge has won a £125million contract to manage the personal injury claims of a large number of former miners.

Capita, who are also responsible for some of the British benefits system, have won the contract from Aon, despite recently receiving recent criticism from MPs concerning the company's role in administrating the Criminal Records Bureau.

The new deal will run until August 2006 and will see Capita be responsible for all claims relating to medical conditions caused by working in mines previously operated by British Coal. They are sure to receive a vast number of claims concerning conditions such as emphysema and lung cancer, and are hoping to make a large profit from the contract.

In addition, they will also deal with personal injury claims relating to chronic obstructive disease and vibration white finger, both of which can be attributed to long hours working underground with machinery.

The claims to be handled by Capita represent the Government's largest uncapped liability, which is estimated to be in the region of £7 billion. The Department of Trade and Industry inherited responsibility for the personal injury claims from British Coal in 1998.

To date, ex-miners have made over 400,000 compensation claims because of respiratory disease, resulting in payouts of £974million. £923million has also been paid out in personal injury claims deriving from vibration white finger.