BBC News reports have confirmed that over £800,000 in accident compensation has been paid out following accidents involving children at schools in Wales over the last five years.
Incidents that injury solicitors have resulted in accident compensation being paid include a pupil being “playfully pushed” into a window, which gained a total of £10,500 in pay-outs, and hot food splashing on a child, which saw the accident compensation totalling £1,000. In addition to this, claims were also made for a child running into goal posts and the incorrect application of first aid.
The figures have come to light following a Freedom of Information request by BBC Wales and illustrate that between 2008/2009 and 2012/2013, 312 accident compensation claims brought against Welsh schools were successful.
In a breakdown of the numbers, Newport is shown to have paid out the most accident compensation at £248,131 for 44 cases. Rhondda Cynon Taf followed with £189,934 for 10 cases, with Flintshire totalling the same number of cases but paying out less money at £80,000. The biggest number of accident compensation claims were brought against Cardiff, with a grand total of 74, however the schools were forced to pay less money than Newport and Rhondda Cynon Taf with nearly £80,000 going to pupils and their families.
Tory shadow education minister Angela Burns was outraged by the figures and spoke out about what she calls a ‘compensation culture’, whereby accident compensation claims were being trivialised by the amount of ‘ridiculous’ claims driven by a desire to make money. However, solicitor Peter Maynard of Newport-based FWD Law Associates rejected Mrs Burns’ views and said: "If you or someone you love was maimed or injured as a result of someone else's stupidity or recklessness, do you not think they should be able to recover a reasonable sum in compensation?”