12/02/2007
Miners' Beat Knee
Clive Thomas of Watkins & Gunn Solicitors explains the latest news on Miner’s Knee Claims
Following the recent Government Scheme to compensate miners for chest disease caused by coal dust, there is now a further legal challenge made by the mining union NACODS to compensate miners for knee injuries caused by their working conditions underground.
Miners had to endure prolonged kneeling, crouching and squatting in sludge and cold water or crawling along rock faces, sometimes less than three feet high and often carrying heavy weights.
As a result, miners have developed chronic debilitating conditions such as osteoarthritis and cartilage damage and in addition bursitis. Bursitis is the inflammation of the bursa, a small sac containing fluid in the knee.
The mining union, NACODS has brought five test cases to the Leeds County Court. They have recently been granted leave to bring a group action and proceed with the case. The test case is limited to cases involving osteoarthritis of the knee rather than bursitis. The next stage is for the court to give directions as to how the cases should proceed in the week beginning the 12th February 2007. A register of potential claimants could then be set up. The union’s solicitors will then need to consider all the British Coal documents to find evidence to support their case. The full trial is then likely to be heard during 2008.
Many observers believe that the Government may set up a compensation scheme for miner’s knee injuries. If such a scheme is set up then some have estimated the final bill to the Government may be in the region of 100 million pounds. The NACODS union officials have been quoted as stating that the average payout for the claimant could be as high as £10,000.00.
At Watkins & Gunn we are taking details from former miners and their families who may be eligible to claim under any compensation scheme that is set up in the future. We will then keep those who have registered an interest with us, informed of developments on a regular basis and then once any scheme is announced we will assess whether they are eligible to claim under the set criteria .
If you wish to register your details with us please telephone us on –Freephone 0800 3280394 or call into at any one of our 3 offices.
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