Personal injury news

Woman unable to receive compensation for injury claim

A woman who was blinded in one eye after a stray fire work hit her in the face has been told she will not be eligible to receive compensation.

Janine Booth, 39, of Malpas Road, Hackney, made an injury claim after suffering personal injuries as she walked through London Fields with her three children in November 2005.

After speaking to a personal injury claim solicitor, Ms Booth thought she would be able to receive £27,000 injury compensation but was told by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority that she will not be eligible because it was an accident.

She said, "This was a life-threatening situation and I was lucky not to have lost the sight in booth eyes.

"I saw a group of people around 100 metres away lighting fireworks and one shot off sideways and hit a tree. I was turning around when a firework hit me in the eye. I screamed and somebody called the police.

"The police called it an assault at the time and gave me a police reference number."

The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority said they were unable to compensate Ms Booth for her injury claim but reassured her that unsuccessful applicants were able to appeal against initial decisions.