Damages Bill Passes!
Bill celebrates victory with supporters.
My Damages (Scotland) Bill, which improves rights to damages in respect of personal injuries and wrongful death, was passed by MSPs this afternoon.
The bill overhauls the current system and provides a fair level of compensation in cases of wrongful death without the need for unnecessarily long and distressing court cases.
The changes will benefits hundreds of people across Scotland each year. On average, 30 people die each year in Scotland in workplace accidents. Between 1st January 2009 and 20th April 2010, 210 people with mesothelioma and 58 people with asbestos-related lung cancer sought assistance from ‘Clydeside Action on Asbestos.’
Today the Scottish Parliament has shown that it is on the side of victims and their loved ones.
We can act now to speed up the legal process and ensure that people who have suffered the tragic death of a loved one can begin to rebuild their lives as quickly as possible without having to endure lengthy legal cases.
The victory was warmly welcomed by victims’ campaigners.
Joe O’Neill, Treasurer of Clydebank Asbestos Group, added:
“Protracted legal proceedings have placed unnecessary strain on families and I am pleased that these changes ensure that justice can now be accessed as quickly as possible.”
Annette Smith, of Clydeside Action on Asbestos, added:
“We have backed these proposals from the outset and this act will be of very real benefit to hundreds of people each year.”
