Personal injury news

Court rules compensation increase for children of man killed in work accident

The Court of Appeal has ruled for an increase in personal injury compensation after a tragic work accident in Australia left two children without a father.

Peter John Riley died when he was engulfed in seven cubic metres of molten ash at the Energy Brix power station in Morwell, Australia in 2001.

The company responsible for the work accident pleaded guilty to three workplace safety breaches in 2003 and were fined $135,000 (£54,000) as a result.

Mr Riley's daughter and son were awarded monetary compensation for their loss but an appeal was made by the Office of Public Prosecutions to see the company pay out more to the children.

The compensation claim appeal was successful and it was ruled that the company should increase a payout of $20,000 to $50,000 to Mr Riley's daughter and increase $15,000 to $35,000 to her brother.