Personal injury compensation news
24/04/2007
Teachers afraid of pupils compensation needs to send out clear message

A discrepancy between the amounts of damages awarded for personal injury compensation cases and those awarded for breaches of employment law is causing dismay in teaching trade unions.

This 'unacceptable' disparity is exemplified by juxtaposing the case of a lesbian teacher who was awarded £20,000 after being denied paternity leave with that of a teacher who received only £11,000 in personal injury compensation after being raped by a pupil.

Overall, the various unions representing teachers have secured a total of £20 million in damages for personal injury compensation claims, accident at work compensation claims, and breaches of employment law.

Concern has been expressed at the inconsistency in determining compensation claim payouts. In comparison to the meagre payout received by the teacher who was raped by a pupil, another teacher who was assaulted at a school received £330,000 in personal injury compensation.

When speaking to The Telegraph, Nick Gibb, schools spokesman for the Conservatives, said, "Compensation should reflect the seriousness of the crime and, in particular, needs to send out a clear message that attacks on teachers by pupils and parents are completely inexcusable."

One case, which the National Union of Teachers recognised as being supported by 'extremely weak' evidence, saw a teacher from West London receiving £3,000 in compensation after alleging that the head of her school had made 'derogatory and racist comments about non-British teachers'.

The majority of awards were for simple accident at work compensation claims. A number of awards were for road accident claims. While personal injury compensation claims formed a minority of awards, there is a widespread consensus that the awards in these claims need to more accurately reflect the impact of the offences.