Post by dazbt on Apr 14, 2012 15:43:57 GMT -5
I’m not really sure if this will be of interest to any ex coal miners on here, but on the off-chance that it might be;
It would seem that not everyone is aware that here in the UK there is a fairly substantial ‘Industrial Injuries Benefit’ payment system available through the DWP (Department of Works and Pensions).
Like many thousands of others I ran the gauntlet of filling in numerous claims forms in an attempt to claim any compensation that I might be entitled to relative to any health impairment resultant of thirty years of working underground. I attended several medical examinations and was declared to be suffering from industrially caused deafness, having a 50% positive ‘White Finger’ disability and more importantly a 60% disability resultant of combined emphysema, chronic bronchitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, the real tragedy was that I wasn’t entitled to claim anything in the form of massive compensation from my NCB/BC employment, I was awarded a £750 nominal token award for the deafness and a similar amount for the white finger, this was based entirely upon the fact that I ceased employment with BC mere months prior to their claims dateline for those two injuries, the COPD/emphysema/bronchitis was a little different and I did receive a more substantial lump sum award although nowhere near the amount I would have been entitled to if I had continued to have been employed by BC. The fact that I chose to continue to work on coal faces for another twenty or so years, primarily those of British Coal in the UK albeit in the employ of a private company, resulted in a much reduced compensation entitlement, a fact that I accept without qualms. The company of solicitors that I used to make my compensation claims were worse than useless when it came to dealing with my private employers, their task not helped by the fact that my original private employers,(after British Coal), changed ownership several times and would not easily accept responsibility. I was left with what I would consider a severe incapacity, not so much the deafness and white finger but certainly with my breathing problems and very little relative financial compensation. My working life was brought to finality when I suffered a major heart attack and eventually found myself unable to work and certainly unemployable ……………
so here’s the point of this ramble,
although I did originally consider myself relatively badly done to in terms of compensation for my ‘industrial injuries’ gained as a result of almost thirty years coal face working and dust gobbling, I did eventually, with a little encouragement apply for IIB (Industrial Injuries Benefit), same marathon form filling, same sort of medical assessment but with a vastly different result, I now receive a regular substantial benefits payment courtesy of DWP.
I realise that many ex-miners may be aware of this benefit but there may be one or two on here who, like me weren’t aware that they might be entitled to this benefit payment, payable to anyone (with, I think 20 years underground work and obviously a proven medical condition ranging from a minimum of 20% disability), even those no longer resident in the UK.
www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/Disabledpeople/DG_10018752
It would seem that not everyone is aware that here in the UK there is a fairly substantial ‘Industrial Injuries Benefit’ payment system available through the DWP (Department of Works and Pensions).
Like many thousands of others I ran the gauntlet of filling in numerous claims forms in an attempt to claim any compensation that I might be entitled to relative to any health impairment resultant of thirty years of working underground. I attended several medical examinations and was declared to be suffering from industrially caused deafness, having a 50% positive ‘White Finger’ disability and more importantly a 60% disability resultant of combined emphysema, chronic bronchitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, the real tragedy was that I wasn’t entitled to claim anything in the form of massive compensation from my NCB/BC employment, I was awarded a £750 nominal token award for the deafness and a similar amount for the white finger, this was based entirely upon the fact that I ceased employment with BC mere months prior to their claims dateline for those two injuries, the COPD/emphysema/bronchitis was a little different and I did receive a more substantial lump sum award although nowhere near the amount I would have been entitled to if I had continued to have been employed by BC. The fact that I chose to continue to work on coal faces for another twenty or so years, primarily those of British Coal in the UK albeit in the employ of a private company, resulted in a much reduced compensation entitlement, a fact that I accept without qualms. The company of solicitors that I used to make my compensation claims were worse than useless when it came to dealing with my private employers, their task not helped by the fact that my original private employers,(after British Coal), changed ownership several times and would not easily accept responsibility. I was left with what I would consider a severe incapacity, not so much the deafness and white finger but certainly with my breathing problems and very little relative financial compensation. My working life was brought to finality when I suffered a major heart attack and eventually found myself unable to work and certainly unemployable ……………
so here’s the point of this ramble,
although I did originally consider myself relatively badly done to in terms of compensation for my ‘industrial injuries’ gained as a result of almost thirty years coal face working and dust gobbling, I did eventually, with a little encouragement apply for IIB (Industrial Injuries Benefit), same marathon form filling, same sort of medical assessment but with a vastly different result, I now receive a regular substantial benefits payment courtesy of DWP.
I realise that many ex-miners may be aware of this benefit but there may be one or two on here who, like me weren’t aware that they might be entitled to this benefit payment, payable to anyone (with, I think 20 years underground work and obviously a proven medical condition ranging from a minimum of 20% disability), even those no longer resident in the UK.
www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/Disabledpeople/DG_10018752
anyway i will now try that route Thanks just gus to show them that know all know nowt.
