Fees received by personal injury firms dealing with mining claims have now topped more than £286 million, with leading trade union firm Thompsons heading the league table, the latest government figures have shown.

The statistics emerged in Parliament last month as the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and claimant solicitors agreed to create a fast-track scheme for miners suffering from respiratory diseases that do not amount to serious disabilities. It is likely to mainly cover bronchitis, and will remove the need for a full medical examination in less serious cases.


The news came as DTI minister Nigel Griffiths revealed that Thompsons had been paid £60 million so far for handling coal industry compensation claims, almost double the £34 million it had brought in by this time last year. Welsh firm Hugh James came second, having brought in £51.3 million. Barnsley-based Raleys in third position received £41.3 million followed by Newcastle firms Browell Smith (£29 million) and Mark Gilbert Morse (£23.4 million), and Doncaster firm Beresfords (£20.5 million).


The deadline for bringing respiratory disease cases - the most common type of claim - closed in March 2004, but Anthony Patterson, national co-ordinator for British Coal litigation at Thompsons, said he anticipated that many claims would continue to run for several years as there had been a 'bottle neck' since then owing to a lack of medical specialists.


He backed the introduction of a fast-track scheme to get things moving. 'It will remove the bulk of cases from the [current] scheme to allow more disabled miners to progress to the medical assessment stage,' he explained. 'It is important now for legal representatives to advise their clients on which way to go.'


Mr Griffiths also welcomed the agreement. '[It] will speed up compensation payments for deceased mineworkers' widows and families,' he said. 'It is hoped that the fast-track offers have the potential to shorten the scheme by around two years.'