Compensation culture is costing Kirklees dear.

Kirklees Council has forked out thousands of pounds in compensation to hundreds of victims of slips, trips, falls and bumps on the roads.

It has been revealed the council has stumped up £¾m on payouts to more than 700 claimants between April 2013 and April last year.

But a spokesperson for the council has revealed that the vast majority of claims fail.

Data released by the Huddersfield based authority shows hundreds of motorists have been given cash back for damage incurred on Kirklees’ roads.

And some huge payouts have been given to pedestrians who banged their heads on road signs.

The largest single payout was £29,668 for a claimant who tripped over and blamed Kirklees.

Two people have claimed thousands after hitting their heads on sign-posts – one a whopping £14,952, the other, just under £10,000.

Street sign

Other claims of note include, £5,372 after a person fell through rotten floorboards, £329 to a householder whose fence was damaged by bin men, £446 to someone whose car was damaged by a wheelie bin and £453 for damage to a gravestone.

Hundreds of low level claims have also been made, including an Italian tourist who was paid £60 after they ripped their trousers on a protruding nail.

One resident has claimed £30 for damage to their toilet seat.

Kirklees Council told the Examiner it refused 77% of claims in 2013/14 and 69% last year.

An even higher percentage of highways claims also failed to make it – with 83% refused in 2013/14 and 74% snubbed last year.

The data has been uncovered by the Tax Payers’ Alliance who have found that over £104 million was paid out in compensation claims against local authorities in England, Scotland and Wales over 2013-14 and 2014-15.

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Jonathan Isaby, Chief Executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “The compensation culture is costing taxpayers dear and every pound spent on settlements or higher insurance premiums is a pound that isn’t spent on essential services such as road maintenance or social care.

“Of course, some of the payments made by councils will be entirely justified, as the most serious accidents can change lives.

“But in many cases, local authorities and their staff will be failing to live up to the standards required of them by law or paying out on frivolous claims too easily.

A huge pothole in Wood Lane, Mirfield

“Councils must do everything they can to ensure their mistakes and negligence don’t result in such large bills for hard-pressed taxpayers – and take appropriate action against staff whose actions result in costly claims.

“We must also root out those who are playing the system with spurious demands for taxpayers’ cash.”

The Examiner revealed earlier this week that the council had admitted fault for 689 accidents between 2012 and October last year, costing £1.2m in insurance payouts.

Last year we revealed that the majority of people who try to claim for cars damaged by potholes fail to get any money.

Around 370 claims were lodged in 2013 and 2014 with only 45 being given any money back.