Vibration White Finger (VWF) is a form of Raynaud’s Disease and can be caused by repeatedly working with vibrating machinery such as chainsaws and drills. It occurs as the result of a lack of blood to the extremities, such as the fingers or toes. The affected parts initially lose all colour and turn white, giving the condition its name. When an attack takes place, the affected areas can suffer numbness, tingling, severe pain and even go into spasm. While these attacks are often short lived, the disease can be progressive and result in skin ulcers and gangrene.

One of the professions in which VWF is most commonly found is mining. Many miners have found themselves unable to continue working after developing VWF and were invited to claim compensation for their condition through a scheme set up by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). This was in response to legislation passed in 2005 that regulates the amount of time a worker can spend using vibrating equipment. A deadline was set for compensation claims, but it was found that many former miners were given sub-standard legal advice from solicitors working with the DTI and, as a result, either received inadequate compensation or none at all. In addition, the compensation did not take into account the full effects of VWF, including the lack of manual dexterity. This last factor has had a severe impact on the lives of many miners, not only preventing them from seeking out further work, but also preventing them from carrying out the simplest of household tasks such as DIY, window washing, car cleaning and general maintenance.
The power of the Internet

In response, a new website has been set up dedicated purely to the sufferers of VWF. It advises that there may be some recompense available for these former miners, 50,000 of which are thought to have had their loss of manual dexterity overlooked. Miners who feel that their initial claims gave either been undervalued or overlooked can re-open them under the guidance of a no win no fee solicitor. The website has been created to redress the balance for those who may have been wrongly advised at the time of their claim.

Those who could qualify to have their cases re-opened include miners who were not advised that they could make a claim for loss of earnings when they were diagnosed with VWF, those who were not working at the time and those who were not advised to make a claim for being disadvantaged whilst trying to return to the open labour market. In addition, many miners may be able to reclaim some of the fees they were charged by unscrupulous solicitors who were involved at the start of the proceedings. An investigation by the DTI has found that some solicitors, brought in to cope with the large numbers of compensation claims, were charging miners far more than is acceptable in these circumstances.

It is estimated that over 1 million workers have been exposed to levels of vibration in excess of the limits set by the Health and Safety Executive, with only 300,000 having reported their symptoms. With these statistics, it appears that the website may have continued visits from new claimants for some time to come.

Author Bio: We deal in a range of claims, including personal injury claims and compensation. Please visit http://www.1stclaims.co.uk for further information.

Category: Legal
Keywords: personal injury claims, whiplash claims, whiplash compensation