Miners who have developed diseases as a result of their employment will be able to claim back any financial contributions they have made towards legal aid costs.
Legal aid minister Bridget Prentice announced today that miners with vibration white finger or lung disease will be entitled to a refund if their claims are covered by Government compensation schemes.
The Government established two compensation schemes in 1999 as an alternative to taking claims through the courts.
But today Prentice said: "It has come to my attention that some claimants have been asked to pay contributions towards legal aid costs when their claims were subsequently dealt with by compensation schemes established after legal proceedings had been started.
“If someone has paid out unnecessarily, then they should check with their lawyer and contact their regional Legal Services Commission office to ask for a refund.”