Ministry to appeal Lake Alice compensation ruling

The Ministry of Health is to appeal against a court ruling that it must increase compensation to a former Lake Alice psychiatric hospital patient by more than $34,000.

The ministry said yesterday that there was an error of law in the Wellington District Court ruling on the case brought by Paul Zentveld that his compensation be restored to nearly $115,000.

The ministry had sliced 30 per cent off the original amount because it had appointed a lawyer to help Mr Zentveld and other claimants. Earlier claimants had to pay for legal representation.