Non-fatal Accident

Robert Grant

Durham Miners' Association
Compensation Department

Houghton. Robert Grant, stoneman.

On 12th March, 1912, this man sustained injuries to his right side, arm and hand through a fall of stone. Full compensation was paid for 8 months when he commenced light work and he continued at such for about 4 weeks when he again fell off, and he has not worked since. Full compensation was again paid and continued until 3rd September, 1925, when it was reduced to 15/- per week on a report of Dr. Todd (the Owners' doctor) who reported on 6th August, 1925, as follows :—

"I have examined Robert Grant, workman at Houghton Pit, and hereby certify that the effect of the injury to the arm upon this man's ability to work is considerable. Although he worked at stonework for five years, with a paralysed musculo-spinal nerve, medically he could not be compelled to do so, and is really in the position of a one-armed man. In addition to this he is totally incapacitated by the nervous condition from which he is suffering, and which has no connection with the accident."

Dr. Cunningham (the man's own doctor) on 1st September, 1925, reported as follows :—

"Examination. — He is well nourished and wears a splint on his right wrist for the treatment of drop wrist. His speech is slurred and his gait is spastic. He has a definite double extemisa reflex of the great toe and there is intentional tremor present. His knee jerks are very much increased.

Opinion. — He is still suffering from disabilities as the result of the accident which render him quite incapable of doing any work. In addition, he has gradually developed an organic nervous disease which will shortly progress and considerably decrease his normal expectation of life. This nervous disease has developed as the result of the injury."

The case was referred to the Official Medical Referee (Dr. Gordon Bell) who reported on 21st December, 1925, as follows :—

1. "The said Robert Grant is suffering from complete wrist drop following a fractured right arm and from a general organic brain disease, and his condition is such that he is partially disabled by the former from doing the work of a stoneman and totally disabled by the latter from doing any work at all.

2. The partial incapacity of the said Robert Grant is due to the accident of 7th February, 1913. The brain disease is neither caused or aggravated by the injury."

On the above report compensation is being paid at the reduced rate of 7/6 per week. Grant is still off work and now claims full compensation.

Awarded compensation at the reduced rate of 19/- per week on the basis of partial incapacity.

Source: NEEMARC - Ref: NUMDA/6/1/1/6, Reports of the Compensation Department, Vol VI covering Jan-Dec 1926

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