Payout on pit knee injuries

[Mick]

Yorkshire Evening Post 16/4/09
Former west yorkshire miners suffering a chronic knee condition caused by working underground will be included in a goverment compensation scheme.Ministers yesterday announced that osteoarthritis of the knee will be added to the list of " prescribed diseases". This means that miners with the condition who have worked underground for ten years or more will be able to claim Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit. The benefit is awarded on a sliding scale from £24.76 to £123.80 per week depending on severity of the individual's condition. Tens of thousands of miners are thought to suffer from one of two conditions-osteoarthritis,in which cartilage is worn away,and damage to the menisci or cartilage tissue which acts as a shock absorber in the knee joint.Many miners who worked underground spent up to six hours a day kneeling in sludge and cold water or crawling along a coalface less than three feet high.Kitty Ussher,a junior work and pensions minister yesterday made the announcement during a visit to the National Coal Mining Museum in Wakefield. She said : "Im very pleased that this help is now available to those miners who,though no fault of there own are afflicted with this condition.We estimate that thousands of former miners will now be able to benefit from this aid".

[raywilson2852]

I worked in the coal preparation plant as a fitter for 15 years and was constantly on my knees, crawling up screens which were damp hard metal and even concrete.I need two knee replacements I spoke to my consultant who put it down to wear and tear, he told that kind of work over that period of time as caused my condition. I think it unfair that I cannot seek any compensation. Can ayone pleas advise.

[smshogun]

BC paid out for a condition called beat knee and everyone in the industry was assessed, it was decided that it would be cheaper just to get everyone to apply and make it an administrative affair and make a payment to everyone of £7500 without a medical in full and final settlement, however; they did random sampling and 1 in every 1000 men were sent for a medical for reasons of transparency as it was public money being used, and the union just collected all the data of everyone working at the pit and submitted them all for beat knee and they included anyone working in the industry for 2 years or longer and anyone who had finished or retired from the industry 3 years prior to this as this was defined by the "statute of Limitations" legislation which gave 3 years following an accident or injury to make a claim.

Some provisions were made for miners who had worked in the industry prior to this to make claims but I cannot remember exactly what they were.