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Progress to Date

Respiratory disease

Now

• There are now around 592,000 claims registered.
  
• We have paid out £2.2 billion.
  
• 541,000 claims have been settled.
  
• We have made nearly 327,000 post MAP offers and 175,000 fast track offers.

Profile of Offers

Post-medical assessment process (MAP) offers have no minimum or maximum limits.

Table 1 illustrates the range of post-MAP offers that have been made. Table 1 - Profile of Offers (30 September 2008)

The levels of compensation outlined in the Handling Agreement were agreed between the Department and the claimants' solicitors to mirror the court judgment and enable claimants to be paid the same amount of compensation, as they would have received if they had pursued a personal injury claim through the courts.

Prioritisation

The Department continues to progress claims in accordance with the Handling Agreement, whereby the most elderly and ill claimants are prioritised. Widows are also given priority, wherever possible. Estate claims not from widows are being processed but only when Capita’s work schedule allows them to be accommodated without affecting the progress of higher priority claims. Estate claims will therefore take longer to reach full and final settlement.

Solicitors

To assist solicitors in turning round offers, we have continue to improve our website - www.coalclaims.com - where solicitors are able to send in forms electronically and agree aspects of the claim online, particularly employment histories. Solicitors can also identify from the website their highest priority claims so they can better target their efforts on those cases that are most important. The more solicitors use this facility, the greater the reduction in paperwork and the faster the process moves.

Solicitors who wish to make enquiries regarding setting up an account can call the Helpline on 020 7339 8751 or email admin@coalclaims.com

The site now provides a series of case management reports enabling solicitors to see where their claims sit in the process, which are approaching cut-offs, etc.  In addition, more information, including Court reports and orders, have been added.  An upgrade to the hardware and software supporting the site was undertaken in October 2007 making the site quicker and more reliable.

Vibration White Finger (VWF)

Now:

• Total number of claims registered is 170,000, including about 24,000 deceased claims.
• More than 168,000 claims have been settled in full and 107,000 interim payments have been made.
• Total compensation paid is £1.6 billion.