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| Schools' £600k compensation bill | |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Compensation after such incidents as slipping on carrots and breaking up fights cost schools in Wales more than £600,000 in the past three years. | |
| Plaid Cymru AM Chris Franks used freedom of information requests to gather figures for compensation claims following incidents at schools. | |
| Out of the 22 councils, Rhondda Cynon Taf paid out the most at £294,072. | |
| But a legal expert said the figures appeared to be "an attempt to drum up a moral panic about compensation". | But a legal expert said the figures appeared to be "an attempt to drum up a moral panic about compensation". |
| Mr Franks called for more safety inspections, and said some councils appeared to be easy targets for compensation claims. | |
| Nineteen of the 22 Welsh local authorities supplied answers, which revealed that £294,072 of the the £600,000 total was paid out in Rhondda Cynon Taf, including £41,857 with legal costs on one incident. It is strange that some local authorities have incurred minimal costs - others appear to be easy targets Chris Franks, Plaid Cymru AM | |
| The reasons for claims varied from slipping on a piece of carrot in a school dining hall to falling in the playground and breaking up a fight between pupils. | |
| Mr Franks said: "The level of pay-outs in compensation and legal costs is perhaps a reflection of the arrival of no-win, no-fee lawyers. | Mr Franks said: "The level of pay-outs in compensation and legal costs is perhaps a reflection of the arrival of no-win, no-fee lawyers. |
| "In the United States, claiming for compensation is so much part of the culture and that trait has clearly spread to the UK, although I believe people who suffer serious injury, whether in school or elsewhere, because of negligence should be compensated.Reasons for claims included falls in the playground | |
| "In the past many people who suffered minor injuries might have just dusted themselves off and carried on with life. There is a price to pay for every one in terms of higher insurance premiums or perhaps even higher than necessary council tax bills. | "In the past many people who suffered minor injuries might have just dusted themselves off and carried on with life. There is a price to pay for every one in terms of higher insurance premiums or perhaps even higher than necessary council tax bills. |
| "I would welcome assurances that all councils have proper inspection procedures. If they keep full records of safety inspections they are able to properly defend questionable claims. | "I would welcome assurances that all councils have proper inspection procedures. If they keep full records of safety inspections they are able to properly defend questionable claims. |
| "It is strange that some local authorities have incurred minimal costs. Others appear to be easy targets." | "It is strange that some local authorities have incurred minimal costs. Others appear to be easy targets." |
| But a legal expert rejected claims that a US-style compensation culture was taking hold. | |
| Richard Muirhead, of Cardiff Law School, said: "It's not a figure that gives me cause for concern." With regard to the idea that this is a US-style compensation culture, this is an argument that crops up every time somebody looks at compensation figures Richard Muirhead | |
| Mr Muirhead, an expert on compensation matters, said he was sceptical about Mr Franks' claim, and described it as "an attempt to drum up a moral panic about compensation". | |
| Mr Muirhead said: "With regard to the idea that this is a US-style compensation culture, this is an argument that crops up every time somebody looks at compensation figures. | Mr Muirhead said: "With regard to the idea that this is a US-style compensation culture, this is an argument that crops up every time somebody looks at compensation figures. |
| "Generally, across England and Wales, the numbers of compensation claims are not increasing. | "Generally, across England and Wales, the numbers of compensation claims are not increasing. |
| "£600,000 over three years may sound like a lot of money but it's not the sort of figure that would give me cause for concern. | "£600,000 over three years may sound like a lot of money but it's not the sort of figure that would give me cause for concern. |
| "It's quite a small figure, it seems to me. It doesn't suggest there have been lots of claims or that people are getting money that they shouldn't get. | "It's quite a small figure, it seems to me. It doesn't suggest there have been lots of claims or that people are getting money that they shouldn't get. |
| "Generally claims are being appropriately investigated. It doesn't seem to me that there is a major problem." | "Generally claims are being appropriately investigated. It doesn't seem to me that there is a major problem." |
| The Welsh Local Government Association spokesperson said: "There are a plethora of reasons why compensations are claimed and paid out by local authorities from accidents in the playground to slips in the school canteen. | |
| "However, ultimately, this decision rests with individual local authorities, their insurers and the legal system and is based on local circumstances." | "However, ultimately, this decision rests with individual local authorities, their insurers and the legal system and is based on local circumstances." |