Compensation Culture – is it really a modern phenomenon?

On 02.10.12, In Compensation Claims, Personal Injury Claims, by

You could be forgiven, given all the recent political and media attention, that the accident compensation claims culture is a modern phenomenon.  It would seem, however, that it is not. Aviva Insurance opened up their archive last year and it seems that accident compensation claims have been made for at least the last 150 years.  Here’s [...]

You could be forgiven, given all the recent political and media attention, that the accident compensation claims culture is a modern phenomenon.  It would seem, however, that it is not.

Aviva Insurance opened up their archive last year and it seems that accident compensation claims have been made for at least the last 150 years.  Here’s just a selection of example injury claims, ranging from the perfectly normal to the truly bizarre!

  • In 1880 a butcher was given £42 compensation in Birmingham after he suffered a hand injury in an accident with a meat cleaver.
  • A shipbuilder from Great Yarmouth swallowed a fish bone and was paid £1,000 compensation for his accident in 1900.
  • In 1884, a Midland traveller suffered an injury in an accident when he slipped and fell into a pool. His injury compensation was £82 and ten shillings
  • A Lancashire grocer slipped in 1878 whilst playing Blind Man’s Buff and was paid £15.00 for his injury claim.
  • An Essex merchant suffered an eye injury while throwing rice at a wedding in 1892. His compensation claim resulted in a £50 payout.
  • £30 injury compensation in Swansea was paid to an artist in 1886 after being blown over by a gust of wind.
  • In 1900 a bank clerk slipped on orange peel and was landed £156 injury compensation.

Whilst these compensation amounts may seem very little in today’s terms, they would be a small fortune in their time. A £1000 payment for an injury claim in 1900 would now be equivalent to more than £100,000 in accident compensation today!*

Aviva’s archives clearly show that payments for compensation claims have been made for over a hundred years – even in Victorian times, tripping and slipping claims were being made.

So it would seem that the negative reporting and controversy over the payment of referral fees fuelling a compensation claims culture is completely misleading and misguided.  Compensation claims have been part of our society since the 19th century.

 

If you’ve been injured in an accident, you may be entitled to compensation. Call My Accident Solicitor on 0800 118 5323 or submit our claim form.

 

*Source thisismoney.co.uk