Sponsored by
A-test Burley family's plea: End this legal battle
A family from Burley has called for an end to the long-running legal war between atomic test veterans and the Ministry of Defence.
* Sign up to free email news and sport alerts from Woodhouse Today.
The family of Burley atomic test veteran William O'Neill have told of their frustration as the battle for compensation continues.
They have spoken out after it was revealed the MoD is facing up to a 7.5m lawyers' bill after more than 1,000 test veterans fought off claims that they had brought their compensation bids too late.
But the MoD has been granted permission to mount an Appeal Court bid to block their claims which, if successful, could be worth hundreds of millions of pounds.
Top judge Mr Justice Foskett has called for an end to the legal war between the veterans and the ministry. However, if disagreement continues and the MoD pursues its appeal, the legal wrangling is likely to take years and many ailing veterans will not survive to hear its outcome.
Earlier this month, Mr Justice Foskett handed them a crucial preliminary victory when he rejected MoD arguments that the veterans' claims are "bound to fail" and had been brought to court too late.
The same judge has now ordered the MoD to make an "interim payment" of legal costs totalling 7.5m and, with lawyers' bills continuing to mount, that is likely to concentrate the Government's mind on the possibility of settling the veterans' claims.
Granting the MoD permission to appeal against his decision, the judge said: "It will doubtless be a considerable disappointment to many veterans that the application (for permission to appeal) has been made at all.
"They will, rightly or wrongly, see it as what they will suggest is a further attempt to delay or prevent them from having their cases tested independently."
The O'Neill family is calling for an end to the fight.
William O'Neill, 70, of Willow Close, Burley, was one of 1,011 veterans who claimed they were treated as guinea pigs during Cold War atomic bomb testing. He died last July from a rare form of cancer.
They were seeking unlimited damages from the Ministry of Defence following the tests in the Indian and Pacific Oceans in the 1950s.
Mr O'Neill's sister Carol Donato, 55, said: "This is just going to drag on and on. The families, like the widows, are tired and vulnerable and will struggle to fight on. You can't believe they can treat their own countrymen like this. They could at least make it easier for the relatives."
Email to a friend
Print this page- Simon Grayson sacked: Whites keeping managerial options open LATEST
- January 2012 Premier League and Championship transfer round up
- Leeds United: We wouldn’t have got Alan Smith for £2,500 a week! - Grayson UPDATED
- Web poll: Who should be Leeds United’s next manager? VOTE HERE
- Leeds United: Axed Simon Grayson leaves with tears and a salute for fans INTERVIEW
- Simon Grayson sacked: Whites keeping managerial options open LATEST
- Leeds United: A fresh start is just what we need - Lorimer
- Web poll: Who should be Leeds United’s next manager? VOTE HERE
- Are you satisfied with Leeds United’s dealings in the January transfer window? VOTE HERE
- Match report: Leeds United v Birmingham City
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Leeds
Sunday 05 February 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: -1 C to 4 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: West
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: -2 C to 5 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North west
