Expert Calls For Injured Serviceman To Get Best Possible Support

An expert at Irwin Mitchell has urged the government to ensure the standard of care offered to armed forces personnel seriously injured while serving their country is not allowed to drop, after the release of a new report which raised concerns over the issue.

According to the Commons Defence Committee, there are concerns that the government has not realised the scale of the issue of offering “first class medical treatment” to those injured in service in the future.

The organisation has also called for MPs to put measures in place to exclude armed forces injury compensation from the means testing used in relation to benefits.

Such proposals have been welcomed by Andrew Buckham, a former serviceman and a solicitor with Irwin Mitchell’s Armed Forces Claims team who acts for those seriously injured in service and the families of those killed in military accidents.

He said: “We have continually campaigned for the care and support offered to severely injured soldiers by the NHS to be improved.

“It is a huge concern that standards may fall in the future and we would urge the government to work quickly to guarantee that those hurt while serving their country are given the recovery and rehabilitation that they deserve.

“The work we do helps armed forces personnel who suffer life-changing injuries in service to secure funds that play a key role in helping them to get the most out of their lives and gain an optimum level of independence.

“Exclusion of funds from means testing of benefits will help to ensure that more of those funds will be able to go towards vital care and support.”