Newsreader
26th Sep 2004, 16:20
Two of the Midlands’ biggest car manufacturers are facing a potential multi-million pound payout to former employees with hearing difficulties.
The MG Rover plant in Longbridge and the Land Rover factory in Solihull are being hit with compensation claims from workers who say they have suffered deafness as a result of bad working practices in the 1960s and 1970s. The elderly ex-employees are suffering from partial deafness which they say was caused by not wearing ear protectors while working with heavy machinery.
Legal experts predict the total number of cases could easily surpass the 600 currently being taken against BMW by former employees at its plant in Cowley, Oxfordshire. And in a legal twist Ford, who only took control of the 8,000-strong Land Rover operation four years ago, could still be liable for employees who worked at the plant in the 60s and 70s.
Peter Lodge, from Birmingham's BPE Solicitors, is representing many of the former car employees. "At present we have about 20 cases filed against the Longbridge plant and 10 against Solihull," he revealed. "But as word of mouth spreads, that figure is likely to grow. It is difficult to say exactly how many people will come forward but the final total for claims at Cowley is expected to be around the 1,000 mark. I wouldn't be surprised if that was matched at both the MG Rover and Land Rover plants in Birmingham."
Successful claimants can expect to receive in the region of £5,000 for a partial deafness claim and as much as £10,000 for more serious cases. If there was a flood of claims from former workers at both plants, the total compensation figure could top a staggering £10 million.
The claims do not relate to current working practices at the plants but any payouts would still be viewed as a hammer blow to the fragile confidence of the Midlands car industry which has suffered a series of recent setbacks.
Many former Longbridge and Land Rover workers may not realise that they are eligible, said Mr Lodge. "A lot of the time people assume they are losing their hearing solely as a result of old age," he explained. "But we can arrange tests to show if it has, in fact, been damaged. If former car workers have lost their hearing at high frequency levels, or have difficulty hearing what people are saying during conversations, it may be they have suffered hearing damage."
Last night Dave Osbourne, National Secretary of the TGWU union, backed the right of Birmingham and Solihull workers to seek compensation. "We have had hundreds of successful claims in the car industry where we have identified deafness and hearing impairment as a result of working conditions," he said. "We have managed to recover a substantial amount of money for members over the years. Companies have now recognised their responsibilities to protect workers and the legislation now exists for prevention."
Neither Land Rover nor MG Rover were available for comment last night.
The MG Rover plant in Longbridge and the Land Rover factory in Solihull are being hit with compensation claims from workers who say they have suffered deafness as a result of bad working practices in the 1960s and 1970s. The elderly ex-employees are suffering from partial deafness which they say was caused by not wearing ear protectors while working with heavy machinery.
Legal experts predict the total number of cases could easily surpass the 600 currently being taken against BMW by former employees at its plant in Cowley, Oxfordshire. And in a legal twist Ford, who only took control of the 8,000-strong Land Rover operation four years ago, could still be liable for employees who worked at the plant in the 60s and 70s.
Peter Lodge, from Birmingham's BPE Solicitors, is representing many of the former car employees. "At present we have about 20 cases filed against the Longbridge plant and 10 against Solihull," he revealed. "But as word of mouth spreads, that figure is likely to grow. It is difficult to say exactly how many people will come forward but the final total for claims at Cowley is expected to be around the 1,000 mark. I wouldn't be surprised if that was matched at both the MG Rover and Land Rover plants in Birmingham."
Successful claimants can expect to receive in the region of £5,000 for a partial deafness claim and as much as £10,000 for more serious cases. If there was a flood of claims from former workers at both plants, the total compensation figure could top a staggering £10 million.
The claims do not relate to current working practices at the plants but any payouts would still be viewed as a hammer blow to the fragile confidence of the Midlands car industry which has suffered a series of recent setbacks.
Many former Longbridge and Land Rover workers may not realise that they are eligible, said Mr Lodge. "A lot of the time people assume they are losing their hearing solely as a result of old age," he explained. "But we can arrange tests to show if it has, in fact, been damaged. If former car workers have lost their hearing at high frequency levels, or have difficulty hearing what people are saying during conversations, it may be they have suffered hearing damage."
Last night Dave Osbourne, National Secretary of the TGWU union, backed the right of Birmingham and Solihull workers to seek compensation. "We have had hundreds of successful claims in the car industry where we have identified deafness and hearing impairment as a result of working conditions," he said. "We have managed to recover a substantial amount of money for members over the years. Companies have now recognised their responsibilities to protect workers and the legislation now exists for prevention."
Neither Land Rover nor MG Rover were available for comment last night.