£20 Million Settlement Achieved for Traumatised Grenfell Tower Firefighters

Personal injury claims brought by 114 firefighters who attended the Grenfell Tower fire have been settled for £20 million in the High Court.

The claims were lodged for personal injury and loss caused by alleged negligence and breach of statutory duty. Amongst the defendants were the…

Feb 12, 2024

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Personal injury claims brought by 114 firefighters who attended the Grenfell Tower fire have been settled for £20 million in the High Court.

The claims were lodged for personal injury and loss caused by alleged negligence and breach of statutory duty. Amongst the defendants were the companies that made the combustible cladding for the building and designed and built the tower’s exterior refurbishment. Other defendants included the London Fire Commissioner and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

The Fire Brigades Union, which represents firefighters across the UK, supported the claimants, some of whom have been unable to work again as a result of the severe trauma they experienced.

The settlement for the firefighters follows a £150 million settlement of almost 900 claims on behalf of bereaved family members, survivors and residents affected by the Grenfell tragedy. A total of 72 people lost their lives as a result of the blaze, which was the deadliest residential fire in the UK since World War II.

Personal injury damages payouts for the firefighters involved in the latest settlement will range from £10,000 to £1.1 million. The public inquiry into the fire is due to publish its final report later this year.

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