Personal injury news

Prisoner awarded for personal injury compensation claim

An inmate at one of the country's young offender's institution has been awarded £575,000 in injury compensation after failing to commit suicide.

The prisoner made a personal injury compensation claim after guards at the Northallerton Young Offenders Institute in Yorkshire managed to stop him from committing suicide.

The compensation was awarded in an out-of-court settlement and many officials have slammed the decision.

Shadow Foreign Secretary, William Hague, said, "At a time when rural post offices are closing and the new primary care trust has a huge deficit, it is disgraceful that public money is being squandered in this way.

"I will be asking why it has been spent and why so much has been spent."

Steve Cox, the national vice-chairman of the Prison Officers' Association agreed and said, "This is absolutely disgusting. Here we have a convicted criminal who, during his sentence, attempts to take his own life.

"His life is saved and then he walks out later with more money than many people will ever be able to earn in their entire life."

The injury compensation claim has been criticised as wasting taxpayer's money and many hope that an inquiry will be held into the level of accident compensation awarded to the prisoner.