HUMILIATING ORDEAL FOR BOMB VICTIM
Humiliating' ordeal for bomb victim
by David Killen
Probe ordered into claim process
A GOVERNMENT Minister has ordered an inquiry into why a woman injured in the Omagh bomb atrocity had to undress to her underwear in front of lawyers, as part of a claim for compensation.
Mrs Rosemary Ingram spoke this week of the 'humiliating' ordeal she was put through when called for interviews at the High Court.
Mrs Ingram was on duty as a traffic warden in the town centre and was injured when the bomb exploded on August 15, 1998.
She sustained shrapnel injuries to her back and legs. Some of the shrapnel remains in her body. Mrs Ingram subsequently had to give up work.
As part of her claim for compensation, she was called for an interview in Belfast and was met by a panel of six lawyers, three of them men, who asked her to undress to her underclothes.
Although the compensation agency already had medical reports and photographs of the injuries, Mrs Ingram said she was asked to undress to show the scars. No one told her she had a choice to refuse.
She said she felt like a victim once more, and had been humiliated in front of the lawyers.
Her husband, Tom, was asked to leave the room, but refused, and put his jacket around her.
Mrs Ingram said the law needed to be changed, so that injured people were not treated in this way again.
"What they don't see are the emotional scars and the terrible nightmares," she said.
Mrs Ingram still has pieces of shrapnel in her body. Some continue to move around and frequently items break through the skin on her legs and back.
Mrs Ingram told the Tyrone Constitution yesterday afternoon that, as yet, her claim had not been resolved.
Victims Minister Des Browne said he would investigate claims by some victims that they were treated "appallingly" by the Northern Ireland Compensation Agency.
"My understanding is that this practice, particularly in looking at scars, is a practice that has been developed among lawyers and is long-standing," he said.
Mrs Ingram's brother, Stanley McCombe, of the Omagh Self Help Group, said Rosemary was not told that she had a choice.
"It was very humiliating for her," Mr McCombe told the Tyrone Constitution.
"The whole system is wrong. They should accept the medical evidence that is presented by the doctors. If they are not going to do that, what is the point in going to doctors in the first place?"
To not accept the evidence presented by the doctors was 'a slur on the medical profession', Mr McCombe said.
"The doctors are the experts, not these lawyers. If someone had lost a kidney, would they have insisted on an operation so they could see that it had gone?,' he said.
Mr McCombe said that the ordeals that Mrs Ingram and other injured people had gone through had reopened mental scars and had upset a lot of people.
In his sister's case it had been even more horrendous in that her husband, Tom, had been asked to leave the room.
"Tom has been a great supporter of Rosemary, and this was a time she needed all the support she could get. Quite rightly, he refused," Mr McCombe added.
He said that being asked to go to the law courts was intimidating enough, but for a person to be asked to take of their clothes was even more humiliating.
More than four years after the bomb, many injured and bereaved people have still not received compensation, Mr McCombe said.
"But this is not about money, we are not money grabbers. What we want is justice," he said.
Insulted
Mr McCombe said there was an impression that the authorities just wanted to reduce the amount of compensation that would have to be paid out. He said there were probably more people who had felt badly treated and insulted by the compensation process.
He said the self-help group was available to give advice and support.
Sir Kenneth Bloomfield who chaired a review of criminal injuries compensation and is a former victims commissioner said there were lessons to be learned.
"I think if a valid medical practitioner is able to produce convincing evidence that the injuries are of a certain kind, it is difficult to see why less qualified people should question that," he said.
"Clearly it is particularly sensitive for women to find themselves subjected to this kind of examination."
Following Mrs Ingram's experiences, the Government has launched an inquiry.
A spokeswoman for the Northern Ireland Office said it was recognised this was a sensitive and painful issue for all concerned and the greatest possible care was taken in assessing compensation.
"The Minister, Des Browne, is aware of Mrs Ingram's case and is checking into the issue," she added.
It has also emerged that compensation of �7,500 has been paid out to parents of some of the children killed in the blast.
Mr Victor Barker, whose 12-year-old son, James, was one of the 31 killed, said he had been offered �7,500 "in acknowledgement of his pain and suffering".
Contest
Meanwhile, on Friday, two men who were served with civil writs accusing them of carrying out the Omagh bombing said they would contest the case brought against them.
Solicitors acting for Liam Campbell and Michael McKevitt lodged papers with the High Court in Belfast declaring their intention to defend themselves.
Last month families of those who died in the 1998 bombing issued writs against five men seeking compensation.
The hearing is expected to go ahead next year once all the paperwork is completed.
Earlier this year, Colm Murphy, 49, received a 14-year jail sentence for plotting to cause an explosion at the time of the Omagh bomb.
He is the only person convicted in connection with the bombing.
by David Killen
Probe ordered into claim process
A GOVERNMENT Minister has ordered an inquiry into why a woman injured in the Omagh bomb atrocity had to undress to her underwear in front of lawyers, as part of a claim for compensation.
Mrs Rosemary Ingram spoke this week of the 'humiliating' ordeal she was put through when called for interviews at the High Court.
Mrs Ingram was on duty as a traffic warden in the town centre and was injured when the bomb exploded on August 15, 1998.
She sustained shrapnel injuries to her back and legs. Some of the shrapnel remains in her body. Mrs Ingram subsequently had to give up work.
As part of her claim for compensation, she was called for an interview in Belfast and was met by a panel of six lawyers, three of them men, who asked her to undress to her underclothes.
Although the compensation agency already had medical reports and photographs of the injuries, Mrs Ingram said she was asked to undress to show the scars. No one told her she had a choice to refuse.
She said she felt like a victim once more, and had been humiliated in front of the lawyers.
Her husband, Tom, was asked to leave the room, but refused, and put his jacket around her.
Mrs Ingram said the law needed to be changed, so that injured people were not treated in this way again.
"What they don't see are the emotional scars and the terrible nightmares," she said.
Mrs Ingram still has pieces of shrapnel in her body. Some continue to move around and frequently items break through the skin on her legs and back.
Mrs Ingram told the Tyrone Constitution yesterday afternoon that, as yet, her claim had not been resolved.
Victims Minister Des Browne said he would investigate claims by some victims that they were treated "appallingly" by the Northern Ireland Compensation Agency.
"My understanding is that this practice, particularly in looking at scars, is a practice that has been developed among lawyers and is long-standing," he said.
Mrs Ingram's brother, Stanley McCombe, of the Omagh Self Help Group, said Rosemary was not told that she had a choice.
"It was very humiliating for her," Mr McCombe told the Tyrone Constitution.
"The whole system is wrong. They should accept the medical evidence that is presented by the doctors. If they are not going to do that, what is the point in going to doctors in the first place?"
To not accept the evidence presented by the doctors was 'a slur on the medical profession', Mr McCombe said.
"The doctors are the experts, not these lawyers. If someone had lost a kidney, would they have insisted on an operation so they could see that it had gone?,' he said.
Mr McCombe said that the ordeals that Mrs Ingram and other injured people had gone through had reopened mental scars and had upset a lot of people.
In his sister's case it had been even more horrendous in that her husband, Tom, had been asked to leave the room.
"Tom has been a great supporter of Rosemary, and this was a time she needed all the support she could get. Quite rightly, he refused," Mr McCombe added.
He said that being asked to go to the law courts was intimidating enough, but for a person to be asked to take of their clothes was even more humiliating.
More than four years after the bomb, many injured and bereaved people have still not received compensation, Mr McCombe said.
"But this is not about money, we are not money grabbers. What we want is justice," he said.
Insulted
Mr McCombe said there was an impression that the authorities just wanted to reduce the amount of compensation that would have to be paid out. He said there were probably more people who had felt badly treated and insulted by the compensation process.
He said the self-help group was available to give advice and support.
Sir Kenneth Bloomfield who chaired a review of criminal injuries compensation and is a former victims commissioner said there were lessons to be learned.
"I think if a valid medical practitioner is able to produce convincing evidence that the injuries are of a certain kind, it is difficult to see why less qualified people should question that," he said.
"Clearly it is particularly sensitive for women to find themselves subjected to this kind of examination."
Following Mrs Ingram's experiences, the Government has launched an inquiry.
A spokeswoman for the Northern Ireland Office said it was recognised this was a sensitive and painful issue for all concerned and the greatest possible care was taken in assessing compensation.
"The Minister, Des Browne, is aware of Mrs Ingram's case and is checking into the issue," she added.
It has also emerged that compensation of �7,500 has been paid out to parents of some of the children killed in the blast.
Mr Victor Barker, whose 12-year-old son, James, was one of the 31 killed, said he had been offered �7,500 "in acknowledgement of his pain and suffering".
Contest
Meanwhile, on Friday, two men who were served with civil writs accusing them of carrying out the Omagh bombing said they would contest the case brought against them.
Solicitors acting for Liam Campbell and Michael McKevitt lodged papers with the High Court in Belfast declaring their intention to defend themselves.
Last month families of those who died in the 1998 bombing issued writs against five men seeking compensation.
The hearing is expected to go ahead next year once all the paperwork is completed.
Earlier this year, Colm Murphy, 49, received a 14-year jail sentence for plotting to cause an explosion at the time of the Omagh bomb.
He is the only person convicted in connection with the bombing.
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/1108
Published Date: 29-Aug-02
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