Accident claim news
10/11/2011

Leeds Council pays out £700k compensation in five years

Compensation claims against Leeds City Council are costing taxpayers "a fortune", the Yorkshire Evening Post reports.

Figures prepared for the council's audit committee showed that 1,900 successful claimants had each received an average of £391 compensation.

Of these cases 1,214 involved the Highways Department, at a cost of more than £442,000.

The remaining accident claims were brought against the Environment and Neighbourhoods Department, Children's Services, and some residential services.

In total, public liability payouts have cost the city £742,000 in the past five years, with personal injury and car accident claims making up the greater part.

The council's report states that the high cost of some personal injury claims is due to the use of no win no fee lawyers.

However, those in attendance at next week's committee meeting have some good news to look forward to. Along with the 1,900 compensation claims that went against the council, report writers have found 6,725 cases which were resolved at no cost to the public.