The first known court actions against law firms for alleged undersettlement of sick coal miners’ government compensation claims began this morning.

As first revealed by the Gazette in July, 18 cases will be heard today and tomorrow in Leeds County Court.

The claimant miners allege that their solicitor failed to obtain the full amount of compensation owed to them under the government’s coal health compensation scheme, the largest personal injury compensation scheme ever devised.

Oldham firm Mellor Hargreaves is bringing the actions on behalf of the miners.

The news comes over a year after a Gazette special report explored the alleged undersettling of miners’ compensation claims.

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