Well the outcome of the course case was I won my case and it was settled out of court. So actually before I got a penny the social security took back £20,000. And that to me I thought, I says “So why are they taking this back?” Its I think its some sort of law that every penny they pay you sick pay and if you get a settlement they take all back off exactly what they've paid you.
You think it, how did that make you feel when, did you think it was worth going through the court case?
Well I you see at times there I was that down, that I just wanted to forget all about the court case. And it was just, and it was just with people speaking to just friends said “No look, you've suffered because of this accident you are very nearly there just go and get it over and done with”. And even that day of the court case I actually spoke to my QC and that I was ready to tell him just to scrub it but he said “No, we've came this far we're going to see what we can get”.
But with what money I did get, just don't get me wrong it will get me through for a quite a while. But still I would rather have my health than have all the money, I would rather be still working than actually having this pay out. Actually when you pay your lawyers excess fees and you're paying the Social security there's quite a lump comes off it, that's before you even see any money, but still as I say its all over and done with but its quite scary, its quite scary to think that folk can actually can delve into your personal life and there's nothing you can do about it, they follow you everywhere, doesn't matter where you went they followed you.
I actually even tried as I said at the start of the interviews there I tried voluntary work to help other people. They tried to make out that I was earning money from that, and believe me I never, I never take a penny of anybody, anything I do for people its voluntary.
And these people are trying to make a case out of me getting money for this and it was that bad that they even came into the place where I was actually doing the voluntary work under pretences, that they're wife just wasn't well that they needed treatment and asked could they get the treatment, so they were put down on a waiting list and they gave a mobile phone number and after a wee while somebody phoned the mobile number because they hadn't turned up for that appointment and that's when we found out it was the investigators.
But its really hard, actually when, I find it hard when you're trying to help yourself and try to get better and to get off the system, you are trying to get off the sick to do something with your life and these people are trying to make out that you're a thief a ponce or whatever. They're actually trying to make out that you're earning money. |
