COMPENSATION claims on behalf of deceased miners will be assessed by a chest specialist if new proposals are accepted, Government officials have confirmed.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is to lodge proposals with the High Court today, which could speed up the settlement of claims for compensation for lung damage.

Until now, it has been unclear how claims from the estates of deceased miners, the largest group of claimants, would be affected by proposed Government changes.

Last week, Coal Health Minister Nigel Griffiths dropped plans to impose compensation settlements on many ex-miners without the option of being examined by a chest specialist.

It followed exclusive reports in The Northern Echo exposing plans to push through changes to the way respiratory compensation claims are handled.

After news of the Government's intentions became public, pressure from mining area MPs forced the minister to retain the option of all miners being examined by a specialist.

Now, it has emerged that a similar guarantee, based on a review of medical notes, is being retained for so-called estate claims.

So far, there have been 571,000 claims made under the scheme.

A total of 250,000 were made by ex-miners who are still alive. A further 321,000 claims were made by the widows or other family members on behalf of deceased miners.

Since the scheme began, 160,000 claims have been settled, including 92,0000 live claims and 68,000 estate claims, leaving 158,000 live and 253,000 deceased claims still in the queue.

Currently, all estate claims are automatically assessed by a chest specialist who decides on available evidence, including work records, whether or not an offer can be made.

The DTI wanted to speed up proceedings by removing the consultant phase and making a take-it-or-leave-it offer based on a miner's death certificates.

The DTI has confirmed that, if the revised proposals are accepted by Mr Justice Turner, a two-stage process will be introduced.

Where very little evidence exists, an early "expedited offer" will be made without a full medical assessment.

If the family wish to pursue the matter, the notes can still be reviewed by a specialist.

A DTI spokeswoman said not all claims will automatically receive offers and full assessments will take longer.

Both sides, the DTI and the claimants' solicitors' group, will make final submissions to the High Court this week.

Read more about the Justice for the Miners campaign here.