Fife Council has paid out more in compensation than all other Scottish local authorities responding to a freedom of information request, bar one, over the past five years.
Councils across the country have spent more than £33 million settling nearly 13,000 compensation claims, with Fife Council’s share of the bill alone coming to more than £5m.
The figures, released in response to a freedom of information request by the Scottish Conservatives, show that Fife Council has paid out £5.26m in compensation since 2007.
Scottish Conservative local government spokeswoman Margaret Mitchell said the figures revealed a “compensation culture” that has grown out of control.
The highest single payout by Fife Council was made to an employee who received more than £186,000 after being assaulted while at work.
Once legal costs were taken into account the total bill for the council came to more than £317,000.
Fife Council also had to pay out thousands of pounds for damages caused by potholes or trips on uneven payments.
It has also paid out more than £340,000 in compensation after collisions caused by its drivers.
Falkirk Council was the only responding local authority to pay out more than Fife Council, at £6.7m.
Edinburgh paid out £3.2m, the third highest amount in the country.
Angus Council has paid out £130,400 in compensation, while Perth and Kinross’ bill ran to £207,500.
Not every council responded to the request and many cases from last year are still to be resolved, so the total amount paid in compensation could be even greater than £33m.
Dundee City Council was one of those that did not respond to the freedom of information request.
Across Scotland, compensation claims range from cases involving a man in Edinburgh who claimed £170,000 after a firework blew up in his hand to another where someone approached by a gun-wielding “client” in Argyll and Bute was given £7,000.
A woman in Clackmannanshire claimed £40 after grasscutters damaged her gnomes.
A dog owner in East Dunbartonshire successfully pursued the council for £57 after their pet’s paws became covered in tar.
Around £31,000 was awarded to a commuter in East Ayrshire when a bus went too fast over a speed bump, and Midlothian Council had to pay £19,000 to someone who slipped on mud.
In East Ayrshire an individual who fell through a bus shelter with a missing pane of glass was given £250, and council workers who struck an expensive vehicle ended up costing East Dunbartonshire local authority £70,000.
A cyclist who was knocked off their bike by overhanging branches was awarded £4,000 by Edinburgh Council, who also paid out £2,000 to a man who hit his head on a low ceiling.
smorkis@thecourier.co.uk