Solicitors who handled sick coal miners’ government compensation claims are set to appear before courts across the country, as the first known court actions for alleged undersettlement of such claims begin to emerge.

The Gazette has learned that 11 law firms have been named in civil court actions for allegedly failing to obtain the full amount of compensation owed to some miners under the government’s coal health compensation scheme, the largest personal injury compensation scheme ever devised. In statements to the Gazette, eight firms said they would contest the actions and three did not respond to requests for comment.

While the issue of solicitors making inappropriate deductions from miners’ compensation awards has been thoroughly documented, the extent of alleged undersettlement is only just beginning to come to light. The vast majority of undersettlement cases to date are understood to have been settled ­privately.

The firms named in the actions are: Warrington firm Avalon; Doncaster firm Beresfords; Salford firm Branton Edwards (since taken over by Eccles firm Calibre Solicitors and now trading as Manchester firm Legal Gateway Solicitors); Caerphilly firm Charles Crookes & Jones; Braintree and Halstead firm Holmes & Hills; Redcar firm Knaggs; Manchester firm Pannone; Yorkshire firm Raleys; Beeston, West Yorkshire firm Saffmans (which is incorporated into Leeds firm Godloves); Wakefield firm Towells; and Sheffield firm Wake Smith & Tofields.

The claims, collectively worth up to £450,000, have been filed by Oldham firm Mellor Hargreaves. Legal executive Robert Godfrey said that the firm has filed 25 undersettlement cases with the courts, and has hundreds of cases settled or awaiting settlement out of court.

Wake Smith & Tofields partner Terry Regan said: ‘There are no merits to this action and it is being defended.’

Godloves managing partner Paul Carvis said: ‘We have already successfully defended a similar claim and intend to take a robust stance on this and any future claims.’

A Beresfords spokeswoman said: ‘We always endeavour to recover the appropriate amount of compensation and advise our clients accordingly. If we feel that a complaint is without merit then we will contest it.’

Charles Crookes & Jones managing partner Michael Downey said: ‘I have no comment to make as the claim is being handled by our insurers.’

A spokesman for Holmes & Hills said that the firm has instructed solicitors and any allegations will be ‘vigorously defended’.

Pannone operations partner Rachel Dobson said: ‘We are unable to discuss the details of this individual case, but our approach is always to deal with matters fairly on the facts of the case and that will be our approach here.’

A spokesman for Raleys said: ‘Raleys denies this claim and if necessary will vigorously defend it in court.’

Towells said in a statement that the claim ‘has been emphatically denied and is being vigorously defended’.

Avalon, Branton Edwards and Knaggs did not respond to requests for comment.

John Mann, Labour MP for Bassetlaw, is heading a group action for alleged undersettlement against a number of legal advisers, although the case has not yet reached court. Mann alleges that thousands of former miners are collectively owed hundreds of millions of pounds for allegedly undersettled claims (see [2010] Gazette, 18 February, 3).