I worked as an injury claims clerk for a number of years and was quite aware of this problem.

Even the most minor injury following a car or industrial accident was cause for a claim. There was one clothing company that had a rash of injuries resulting from scratches by sewing machine needles, mostly around Christmas and holiday times. Because the injuries were minor scratches it was known by the union solicitors that no investigation would be made, but it all adds up, as do all these claims, to an increased cost of living for everyone.

There were. of course, genuine cases, and quite a number of them, but it was galling, when the gut reaction was that a claim was overstated/false and there was no economic way of proving it, to have to pay out not only an injury award but the solicitor's costs, which sometimes came to more than the claim award.

Even in the public services there will be genuine cases for compensation, but there does seem to be more of a blame culture nowadays. What I would like to know is who are these policemen suing and what negligence are they alledging? Anybody who joined the service after the start of the troubles must have been aware of what they were getting into and anyone joining any of these services should be prepared for the sort of situations they will face. Those of such a fragile disposition, so badly affected that they develop Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome, should have been weeded out when they tried to join up.

This sounds more like a try on to see if they can get a payout to make the problem go away than a serious attempt to compensate for a recognised mental condition. I do find it difficult to believe that 5,000 ex policemen can all be suffering what are very severe symptoms, or that their claims would be worth anywhere near the amount being claimed.

What a waste of time and resources - this is going to cost someone, whatever the outcome, in legal fees.