Wigan Council has paid out nearly £3.5 million in compensation to members of the public and employees in the past three years, according to a report in the Wigan Evening Post this week.
Personal injury claims brought against Wigan council include cases brought by the public and council employees.
The Wigan Evening Post reported the following: Millions paid out by council in compensation
“Compensation paid out for incidents involving highway gullies cost Wigan Metro £65, 278 last year. There were also numerous claims for footpath defects, totalling more than £133,000 in 2010/11.
“Council workers claimed more than £375,000 in 2010/11, for incidents including a £128,151 claim involving lifting equipment.
“Other claims involving council employees last year included a £6,194 claim for a worker who was hit by an object, a £13,819 claim for defective tools and two £8,500 claims for falls.
“There was also a £12,333 claim for an incident involving an irritant (usually caused by chemicals).”
As a personal injury solicitor, often many of these types of accidents could have been prevented by adopting often simple measures to ensure the safety of our local community. It’s not often just about lack of funding but also about lack of common sense.
We are also seeing an increase of claims being brought against other councils across England and Wales as public sector jobs are cut and resources are stretched, increasing the risk of negligence.
Accidents do happen but there is a difference between accidents and negligence and people have the right to compensation for injury and loss where there has been an act of negligence.
By personal injury solicitor, Jennifer Holt
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