General Chat

re the item below ( sky news and BBC today also)

"Lawyers from the MoD are due in the Court of Appeal later to argue that awards given to Anthony Duncan and Matthew McWilliams should be slashed.

Mr Duncan, a soldier in the Light Dragoons, was shot in the leg while on patrol in Iraq in 2005.

He had several operations, but the wound left him in constant pain and unable to sleep or carry out "daily activities", according to court documents.

He was initially given just £9,250 in compensation, but on appeal was granted a lump sum of £46,000 and a guaranteed weekly payment for life.

Mr McWilliams, a Royal Marine, was awarded £8,250 after fracturing his thigh bone during a training exercise, leaving him with one leg shorter than the other and problems in his other limbs.

The award was increased on appeal to £28,750 plus a payment for life on appeal.

The MoD fought the increase, telling the High Court that a line should be drawn between the original injury and later complications - but judges dismissed the argument as "absurd".
At the Court of Appeal, Government lawyers are expected to claim the pair should be compensated only for the initial injuries and not subsequent health problems."

No, I disagree and think it's quite shameful that the government are challenging the ruling.

The Government should be thouroughly ashamed for challanging compensation awards awarded to wonded servicemen and women. I however not seen any of the other main parties speaking out in support of the servicemen (apologies if they have and I've missed it)

I always hate it when people link two un-related topics in an argument ;) but reading this

A spokesman for the MoD said: "The MoD is appealing in order to clarify an earlier judgment about how the scheme is administered, and to protect the key principle of the scheme: the most compensation for the most seriously injured.

"We have doubled the maximum tax free, lump sum payment for the most seriously injured to £570,000.

"This is in addition to the tax free, index linked monthly Guaranteed Income Payment, paid for life, which can be worth several hundred thousand pounds."

and looking at the figure I gave for bankers pay in other thread........ nuff said ?

Working at Birmingham Airport (the closest to Selly Oak hospital where military injured are treated following the closure of specialist military hospitals) We had flights coming in most nights (or rather early hours of the morning) with wounded service people. I think part of the problem is the very large number of wounded that need financial help...a figure that those in power seem keen to 'hide'

statistics

"A total of 57 UK troops were wounded in the first two weeks of July, compared with 46 in all of June and 24 in May.

The Ministry of Defence spokesman said: "As of 31 March 2009, a total of 51 UK service personnel have suffered amputations due to injuries sustained while on operational deployment on Operation Herrick."

Col Kemp told the Sunday Mirror: "This is a shockingly high ratio of the number of British troops deployed at any one time in Afghanistan."

Of the injuries in the first 15 days of July, 16 service personnel were seriously or very seriously wounded.

Rose...having seen flights arrive on an almost nightly basis I am not convinced that the number of injured troops that the MOD admit to is 'totally accurate' maybe in time we will discover the truth, having said that I'm not holding my breath

you know what they say Colin, " there are lies, damn lies, and statistics" ! I fear you are right.

The problem is, people in the services have no 'outsider' (ie union) to argue on their behalf. However, a civilian working for the MOD, with the backing of a union.........
http://www.thompsons.law.co.uk/ntext/damages-injured-rigger.htm

..or this one from 2007:

An RAF typist who injured her thumb at work is to be paid almost half a million pounds by the Ministry of Defence.
The civilian's award is almost 30 times the amount a serviceman would receive for the same injury.
It is eight times more than a soldier would receive for losing a leg and almost double the amount he could expect if he lost both legs.
The £484,000 payout was condemned by former soldiers, politicians and servicemen's charities who fear it will severely damage morale.
The woman, believed to be in her 20s, developed a repetitive strain injury while typing computer data.
She claimed it left her unable to work and caused her to become depressed


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-471700/RAF-typist-hurt-thumb-awarded-times-soldier-lost-leg.html#ixzz0N8viboPU

Surely she knew her thumb was hurting and should have changed her 'modus operandi'.
As for it causing her to get depressed - I expect injured soldiers get depressed too!!!

This government has turned into a monster. It is supposedly new "LABOUR". Don't make me laugh ! Winston Churchill and Harold MacMillan were further to the left than this lot.

The whole cabinet should hang their heads in shame at the way they treat our injured service personnel.

Never mind, only a few months to go and we get a change. There is no chance of this lot getting back in, they have a death wish. Bailing out banks and then letting them pay mega bonuses; allowing the utility companies to pass on minimal price cuts when the cost of energy as fallen by 40%; cutting injury payments to limbless soldiers; allowing fares on trains and buses to rise at double the inflation rate; refusing the Ghurkas the right to come to the country they fought for while allowing extreme Muslim terrorists to stay...........................I could go on.

If New Labour win the next General Election I will walk naked down the Mall and knock on the door of Buck House and ask for a cuppa tea and a cucumber sandwich.

Wonder what Cameron and the Conservatives will do? Can't be any worse.

Dear All

Hello

The MOD are disgraceful.

Our soldiers should be properly compensated for the injuries
and also the effects on their future life.

People who have fought in conflicts years ago are
still living with disability.

The MOD cannot even supply our troops with the proper equipment to prevent accidents.

I would like to see any civil servant on the front line and see what they think it is like. That goes for the lawyers too.

Best wishes to all
xx

If we cant afford to pay compensation for injured soldiers, that means we cant afford to go to war, so lets get out of Afganistan.

THIS GETS ME ON MY HIGH HORSE!!

THE GOVERNMENT HAVE A BL@@DY NERVE.
THESE SERVICEMEN DESERVE EVERY PENNY THEY ARE AWARDED, AND IT'S THE FAT CATS THAT SHOULD HAVE THEIR OVER-INFLATED SALARIES VASTLY CUT.

I AGREE JOAN. THIS GOVERNMENT ARE CARRYING THE CAN FOR SOMETHING THAT SHOULD'VE BE DEALT WITH A LONG TIME AGO.