Payments for Victims in the UK to be Slashed to pay for Crimes Commited Abroad [2nd Feb 2012]
It has been announced that UK victims of terrorism abroad will now be entitled to compensation from April 2013. In addition the payments will be backdated to 2002. The change has been announced by Ken Clarke, the Justice Secretary who is in the process of overhauling the law surrounding crime in a bid to make things better for victims. From next year victims of terrorism anywhere in the world will now have the same access to compensation via the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme as all other victims. Clarke has commented that some claims will still be subject to limitations, but at least something is now being done where in the past nothing was done. He did however, acknowledge that the step had taken too long but that the compensation system needed to be stabilised first. The Minister of Justice Ken Clarke has announced other changes to compensation payments this week. Some people who suffer injuries resulting from crime such as broken hands, those needing knee surgery or dislocated jaws will not be entitled to any compensation at all. Others who suffer more serious injuries such as minor brain damage or disabling fractures will receive 25% less. Mr Clarke has reassured people that those with the most serious injuries will get compensation including the families of those murdered or those who have been victims of sexual abuse. Anyone who has been in the country for less than six months will not be eligible for compensation via the scheme. A 40 year old woman from Surrey is seeking compensation after her metal replacement hip began to cause her extreme pain. Susanna Derham has had the metal hip for four years, but has now had to give up work due to the pain. A worldwide recall of the hip product was made by the company which made it, DePuy Orthopaedics Inc in 2010. Studies which have been completed on the product have shown that the metal surface can wear away leaving particles which are absorbed into the blood. This can lead to secondary health problems. Ms Derham has said that she does not know if she will ever recover fully from the fault hip replacement despite having the hip replaced with a ceramic one last year. DePuy have said that they are working with surgeons and patients to provide the information they require. A man who was involved in a small accident has fought back when he was advised to pay the personal injury claim made by the person in the other car. Lee Robinson did not believe the other person had been injured and despite his insurance company Blue Fin advised him to settle, he knew that the accident could not have caused the whiplash which was claimed. Mr Robinson is a physiotherapist who assesses whiplash claims for an insurance company and he was aware that a 5mph accident could not have caused any injury. The case went to a hearing where Mr Robinson was able to act as a defendant and a professional witness. The case was thrown out and the driver had to pay the legal fees. He hopes that others will now challenge these claims as a precedent has been set. Spanish bank Santander has seen their UK profits fall by 40% in the last year to less than £1 billion. The bank has blamed the fall on the payment of compensation claims relating to mis-sold payment protection insurance. In addition the bank said that low interest rates, funding costs and new regulations had all impact on profits for the year.  |
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