Teacher hit by a football gets £1,500 compo
Councils’ £3.9m bill for 191 claims
TEACHERS got £3.9million in compensation last year for accidents and injuries in schools, including £1,500 for one hit by a football.
A study revealed the worker in Norfolk was hurt when the ball hit the back of their head.
The council also had to pay £3,735 in costs to settle the case – one of 191 in England that town halls issued cheques over. In Bolton, £57,425 was paid to a teacher hurt by a falling bookshelf.
In London, Newham council paid £56,443 to a teacher who tripped over a power cable while Croydon council gave a teacher cut by a faulty paper guillotine £13,000. And Cheshire West and Chester council gave a worker who fell on a wet floor £115,000. The study also found that for every £1 of compensation, another £1 went to lawyers who brought cases – often on a no-win, no-fee basis. Campaign for Real Education chairman Christopher McGovern said: “While some claims are genuine, many are part of a health and safety racket that enrich no-win, no-fee lawyers and robs schools of funding.”