Military Accidents

Ministry of Defence employees have the same employment rights as employees in any other type of workplace. Therefore, if their employer's negligence causes them an injury, they could be eligible to make a work accident claim.

Military claims do, however, exclude any military personnel who were injured before May 1987, as the Crown Proceedings Act prevented compensation claims being made before that time. This act has affected many servicemen who were exposed to asbestos before this date and are now unable to make a claim.

Ministry of Defence employees include Army, Navy and RAF personnel, as well as civilians employed by the MOD (although cases involving civilian employees are far less complex than those involving servicemen injured in combat).

Many members of the armed forces have made military injury claims in the past decade, for various injuries sustained in action or in training (including injuries which occurred when they were off duty). You can make your claim while still employed by the Army, Navy or Royal Air Force.

Obviously, unlike many jobs, members of the armed forces are regularly exposed to very dangerous environments and situations but, by imposing strict safety guidelines and training, most accidents are totally avoidable. In fact, many injuries to military personnel occur outside conflict zones, in a training environment, both in the UK and abroad.

Situations where a military injury may take place include explosive training, parachute jumping, playing sports, driving heavy goods vehicles, using faulty guns or combat equipment or being exposed to dangerous chemicals.

Injuries to servicemen often require them to take time off work or, in many cases, to take early redundancy and retrain in a new, civilian career. In all of these cases, compensation could be claimed for loss of earnings, as well as for the injury sustained.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is also often seen following a military injury. This can cause depression, panic attacks, nightmares or flashbacks and severe feelings of survivor’s guilt. Members of the military can also claim compensation for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, as well as physical injury.

Amounts of compensation awarded for a military injury differ from case to case, and depend on variables such as the severity of the injury and lost earnings.

If a military serviceman is injured in actual combat, it is unlikely that they would be eligible to make a claim, as the injury is likely to have been inflicted by the enemy force. Each military injury claim is different, however, so if you have been injured in conflict due to negligence of a responsible party, you may still be able to make a claim.

Compensation claims against the military or Ministry of Defence can be complex, so it is always recommended to use a specialist personal injury lawyer. At the National Accident Helpline™, we are trained in handling all types of injury claims, including military injuries, and have a network of specialist solicitors across the UK.

If you feel you could make a claim, call us on the free phone number above for a non-obligatory chat. or fill in an online claim form.