Medical Appeal Tribunal case file for Leslie Toon, aged 39, Coal miner at "A" Winning,...

Date of birth: 13/11/1913
Marital status: Not given
Address: 37 Carr Lane, South Normanton
Type of injury: Injury - back
Description of accident: Picking a large piece of coal off the belt and fell backwards
Further information: In the Medical Board report February 1952, Friedreich's Ataxia is noted as an unconnected condition 'Subject to further diagnosis and confirmation'. In a GP's opinion, given in April 1953, 'The whole picture is one of polyneuritis [...] definitely associated with his injury [...] I am of the opinion that his future is somewhat grim'. Neurologist report in July 1953 gave a diagnosis of Muscular Dystrophy. Tribunal findings stated: 'the Claimant's condition is entirely due to natural causes' and the 40 per cent assessment was removed. Correspondence from early 1954 includes a letter to Mr McCormack, NUM Branch Secretary at Blackwell, in relation to NCB requiring 'repayment of the supplementary', stating this was 'rather disturbing. […] I received a letter from them in December asking me if I would approach Mr Toon for the repayment, but I wrote back and told them the circumstances and that I did not feel disposed to approach Mr Toon on the matter'. Joseph Kitts, the Area Compensation Agent, had written, 'This man has been very hard hit [...] He lives with his widowed mother and they have great difficulty in making ends meet'