One retired Royal Air Force corporal living in Yorkshire has recently been awarded personal injury compensation from the Ministry of Defence after he claimed he developed disabilities in the wake of toxic chemical exposure whilst in the line of duty.
North Yorkshire native Shaun Wood, of Northallerton, was left with symptoms markedly similar to Parkinson’s disease after he was exposed to paint solvents during the course of his work as an aircraft re-painter for the RAF, according to the fifty three year old man’s personal injury claims. According to an article published by the Northern Echo newspaper, The Ministry of Defence first refused to admit any liability for the man’s condition. Accident claim experts writing for the paper said that the MoD instead made the suggestion that Mr Wood was suffering from some sort of psychological affliction.
However, the Court of Appeal in London did not share the Ministry’s opinion. The court ruled instead in favour of the retired corporal after testimony was presented revealing that there have been several other instances of similar illnesses plaguing former RAF servicemen.
Mr Wood will now be awarded personal injury compensation for his disability from the Ministry. Legal experts are of the belief that the man’s award will almost certainly be a sizable sum.
In a statement regarding the compensation, Mr Wood remarked that the legal claim was most certainly about the money. While he was looking forward to a decently-sized settlement, no sum would ever grant him the ability to take his wife out dancing again, he said.
Mr Wood described his working environment, which lacked proper ventilation and had no adequate breathing equipment for the workers, as positively ‘Victorian.’