| Description | Date of birth:
Marital status: Married
Address: 118 Somercotes Hill, Somercotes
Type of benefit claimed: Special Hardship Allowance
Type of injury: Neurosis from accident at work, although some paperwork states Back injury
Further information: This case includes a large amount of paperwork in two sections dating back to 1950 (Medical Appeal Tribunal decision). Various letters and correspondence, including one letter written on the back of some meeting minutes are also included. According to information produced at the tribunal, the claimant had an accident at work in 1950 when he was 'buried.' He was unable to return to the coal face 'with any comfort.' The report is signed by J Davenport M.B., B. Chin and states 'Physically he is in good health apart from some stiffness and discomfort in his lumbar spine. Mentally I find that he is tense and anxious and complains that he gets claustrophobia when he works at the coal face. He has other symptoms of an anxiety state [...] In my opinion he is suffering from a chronic anxiety state which was largely brought on by his accident [...] which has been aggravated by a series of accidents.' He had spent nearly 40 years at the coal face before the accident in 1950. A Medical Board made the decision to award 5 per cent for life in October 1950, but due to the claimant not being able to follow his usual occupation, he claimed Special Hardship Allowance which was disallowed. A Tribunal decision dated 16 September 1958 found in favour and allowed Special Hardship to be paid from 5 February 1958 to 4 November 1958 (the latter period at a reduced rate). The latest tribunal decision is dated 11 August 1959 which found in favour following an adjournment in April and awarded full Special Hardship (34/-d weekly) from 25 February 1959 to 24 November 1959. |