Securing Your Rights: Compensation for Injuries During Basic Training
Embarking on a military career is a noble pursuit, but unfortunately, injuries during basic training have the potential to end your career before it has even started. At Wolferstans, we can ensure you receive the support and compensation you deserve for a successful recovery and continued pursuit of your career goals.
While properly managed and realistic training is indispensable, it should not subject you to unnecessary risks or harm. Suitable and sufficient risk assessments should be made, planning should be undertaken, and evolutions should be properly and adequately supervised. This is known as a safe system of work.
If you have experienced any of the following injuries, or accidents, you could be entitled to compensation.
| Cold weather injuries | Slips, trips, and falls | Firing exercises |
| Foot and ankle injuries from poor footwear | Muscular skeletal injuries | Injuries during exercises and roll play |
| Road traffic accidents | Boating injuries | Heat injuries |
| Back injuries | Hip or pelvic injuries from marching | Medical Negligence |
| Compartment Syndrome | Exposure to toxic substances | Head or brain injury |
| Failure to downgrade | Failure to observe medical limitations | Bullying and harassment |
| Mental Health | Sexual assault | Hearing loss |
(This list is not exhaustive.)
How do I claim compensation?
There are two ways you can claim, as outlined below. You can pursue both of these avenues, and our Armed Forces experts are here to provide valuable advice on what is best for you and how to proceed.
Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS):
- Administered by the Ministry of Defence (MOD).
- Provides compensation regardless of fault for illness, injury, or death due to service.
- No strict time limitation, but claims should be submitted within a reasonable timeframe.
- Operates on a no-fault basis, making you eligible for compensation regardless of fault.
- Claims are directed against the MOD, not individuals involved.
- Compensation amounts determined by a tariff system.
- Offers financial support for injuries, illnesses, or deaths related to military service.
Civil Personal Injury Claim:
- Pursued through the courts, though court proceedings may not always be necessary.
- Must be made within three years of the injury; if under eighteen at the time, the limit starts from your eighteenth birthday.
- Requires showing someone was at fault for success.
- Claims against the MOD, not individuals.
- Compensation often higher than AFCS, as the court considers individual circumstances.
- Includes financial losses like loss of income, pension, future care costs, and medical care and aids.
If you have been injured during basic training, our Armed Forces experts are here to provide you tailored advice for your situation. Please get in touch.