THIS popular weekly column deals with welfare rights issues of interest to people living in Wirral.

This week's topic is about the Industrial Injuries Scheme which covers accidents at work and industrial prescribed diseases. How to claim and what you can expect when you do claim.

DSS FAILURE

It should be noted however that the forms supplied by the DSS for a claim, do not contain an invitation to claim reduced earnings allowance, which at present is worth a maximum of £40.44 if you satisfy the criteria. (Details of the criteria is in next week's article.)

IS EVERYBODY COVERED BY THE SCHEME?

If you are an employee and suffer from an accident at work after 4/7/48, or you suffer from an industrial disease (although many were not registered until later than this date) you may be covered by the scheme. You must have been working for an employer, however it does not matter if you were earning enough to pay Tax or National Insurance, you are still covered.

ACTION AFTER AN ACCIDENT

As soon as you can after an accident at work, report it to your employer. By law if there are more than 10 people working there, one must be kept. It does not matter how trivial you think the accident is, a pain in the stomach for example may become a hernia. If in any doubt register the accident anyway. If you have time off as a result of the accident claim benefit right away.

HOW TO CLAIM DISABLEMENT BENEFIT

Contact your local DSS office and ask for a form for an industrial accident or the disease that you think that you got from your job. There are specific forms for the respiratory diseases. The DSS leaflet N16 covers disablement and N12 covers the industrial diseases. If you delay in returning the form it may cost you money so do it right away.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

The DSS should confirm that they have received your application. If you don not hear from them within a month ring them up and ask them to confirm in writing that they have it. Enquiries will be made by the DSS to establish you worked in a job on the list, if you claimed for an industrial disease or the specific job if it was an accident. Once that has been satisfied you will then be referred for a medical to determine the medical question and any percentage that the DSS thinks appropriate. The DSS assessments are always low.

DSS ADVICE

There is at present 67 different registered industrial diseases. The onus if firmly on you to claim for an industrial disease so if you believe that any condition you have may be work related, then ask the DSS and your doctor for advice. If you ask the DSS get there response in writing as the rules on backdating have been changed so you will lose money.

ADVICE

I suggest you read DSS leaflet N12 to get a full list of the occupations. Only if you have the condition and have worked in one of the jobs described will you be able to make a successful claim, but that is only the start and it is clearly a minefield to tread through. It is important to take advice as soon as you possibly can. Make sure that who you contact is an expert in the type of problem that you have. Do not allow people to practice on your case as there may be a lot of money to lose.

In last week's article about non-infective dermatitis, the paragraph entitled 'Medication' was incorrect due to a technical fault. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

The paragraph should have read:-

The doctor may prescribe topical creams, ointments or lotions. These may include steroid preparations to reduce the inflammation or lubricants to preserve moisture.

JIM STRANG COMMENTS

Write to Jim Strang c/o S&J Property Management, 81 Duke Street, Birkenhead, enclosing an SAE. If you wish him to act on your behalf, call 652-8600 between 10am and 4pm, Monday to Friday.

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.