Personal injury news

Miners’ personal injury compensation reaches £3billion

Personal injury compensation paid to sick miners and their families has recently reached a combined total of £3billion, according to the latest Government statistics.

At present, up to 3,000 compensation claims are being settled at a cost of nearly £13million each week, and Energy Minister Malcolm Wickes predicts that the 'debt of honour' could eventually reach over £5billion.

Wickes told the media, "In real terms this means payments have been made to more than 417,369 miners or the families of the deceased. By the time the scheme winds up, we expect to have paid out in the region of £5billion in compensation."

There are currently 750,000 ex-miners registered as wishing to claim personal injury compensation, and the majority are enrolled on Government schemes set up by the Department of Trade and Industry in 1999.

The department was ordered to oversee the issue of personal injury compensation after British Coal was found to be negligent and responsible for miners suffering from a range of vibration injuries and lung damage such as pneumoconiosis, cancer, emphysema and chronic bronchitis.