Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can have a devastating effect on your life and your future career prospects in the Forces. If you’ve been affected by PTSD, our specialist solicitors could help you make a claim for compensation through the AFCS scheme. What Is PTSD? PTSD is a psychological injury caused by distressing events. Everyone’s experience of it will be slightly different, but some of the symptoms could include: Issues with anger Anxiety, paranoia Problems sleeping, nightmares Flashbacks Hypervigilance and increased startle responses Inability to go out in crowds. Making A Claim For PTSD PTSD makes it hard to deal with day to day life. It has a very real impact, not only on you, but also on your loved ones. Compensation can help you get the support you need to move forward with your life. If you’re suffering from PTSD as a result of your service in the Army, Navy, RAF or Special Forces you may be able to claim compensation. You could also claim if you've experienced PTSD after serving in the Army Reserve (formerly the Territorial Army), Navy, RAF or Special Forces Reserves. We understand that making a claim for PTSD can be a daunting prospect. Our specialist solicitors have helped hundreds of servicemen and women claim compensation for military injuries, and we’re here to help guide you through the process at every stage. The AFCS To claim compensation under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS), you will need to show that your PTSD injury has been caused by service. However, it is a no fault scheme, so you don’t have to prove that this was because of negligence on the MoD’s part, but your injury must have been caused by service. Compensation comes out of a designated budget, so any money you receive won’t affect your unit. Call today on 0800 022 3321 to discuss your claim – or fill out our online enquiry form and we’ll call you back. Bringing claims against the MoD since 1987 Links with numerous military mental health charities Help with rehabilitation and counselling Active member of The Royal British Legion Solicitors Group Call our experts FREE on: 0800 022 3321 Or we can call you back at a time of your choice Request a call back Mon to Fri: 8:00am - 8:00pm Sat to Sun: 9:00am - 5:00pm Contact us today For a free initial consultation Freephone 0800 022 3321 Prefer not to call? Use our form Your name* Your email* Your phone number* How can we help?* Enquiry type Military PTSD Claims Military Injury Compensation Claims Armed Forces Compensation Scheme Claims Armed Forces Medical Negligence Claims Non-Freezing Cold Injury Compensation Claims Defective Equipment Claims Lariam (Mefloquine) Compensation Claims Military Air Accidents Military Disease Claims Military Inquests And Fatal Claims Military Hearing Loss Claims Military Road Traffic Accident Claims Off Duty Accident Claims Special Forces Injury Claims Military Training Injury Claims This data will only be used by Irwin Mitchell for processing your query and for no other purpose. Amanda Marsh Senior Associate Meet the Team
Military PTSD Claims - More Information What's The Armed Forces Compensation Scheme? The Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) is a government scheme that provides compensation for injury, illness and death caused by service on or after 6 April 2005. Unlike a legal claim, the AFCS does not require you to establish that anybody else was at fault. This means that you could be able to claim under the AFCS in circumstances where there is no legal claim. However, the AFCS is a tariff based system – it does not look at the way your injury will affect you as an individual, or what financial losses you will actually incur. For this reason legal claims made through the courts will almost always result in significantly more compensation than claims made through the AFCS. It's accepted that members of the armed forces have no choice where they're deployed, or in the activities they're required to undertake. This means that compensation could be paid from the scheme for injuries caused in a number of ways, including those that occur during: Operations Training Service-approved sports Exercise to maintain military fitness Both regular and reserve forces can apply for compensation through the AFCS, whether you're still serving or a veteran. Compensation is paid as a lump sum on a tariff-based system determined by the severity of your injuries, and can range from a minimum of £1,200 to a maximum award of £570,000. You could claim through the AFCS as well as claiming through the courts. You can find out more about the AFCS here, or alternatively you can contact our solicitors on 0800 022 3321 for a free consultation if you have any specific questions. Will Claiming Impact My Career? No. The MoD understands that they ask service personnel to do a difficult job in dangerous situations – and unfortunately accidents do happen. They recognise and respect the individual's right to bring a legal claim for injuries. Claiming won't affect your entitlement to a pension, either. The Ministry of Defence should not discriminate against personnel who bring compensation claims after an injury. If you're planning on continuing your service career after your claim, then there are very strict rules about discriminating against someone on this basis. How Much Compensation Could I Get Under The ACFS? Compensation under the AFCS is based on a tariff system, which is determined by the severity of your injury. For a mental injury the minimum compensation is £3000, the maximum is £140,000. This award is paid as a lump sum – however, any award of £15,500 or above will also come with a Guaranteed Income Payment (GIP). This is a percentage of your final salary, paid tax free for life, and adjusted to reflect inflation over the years. The GIP percentage can range from 30% to 75% % and is very often the most valuable aspect of any compensation. We have extensive experience navigating the AFCS and will ensure that all aspects of your claim are maximised, including the lump sum, and GIP. Speak to the team today on 0800 022 3321 – or use our online form and we’ll call you back. Meet The Experts Our military injury team have been helping service men and women claim against the MoD since 1987. The team includes several former military personnel, and includes: Geraldine McCool, who was described as the “Military Master” by The Lawyer. Geraldine is secretary of The Royal British Legion Solicitors Group and heads our specialist military injury team. Amanda Marsh, who has been bringing personal injury claims for over 20 years and has secured many top AFCS awards for military personnel who have suffered PTSD. Paul Harrington, who completed an operational tour in Northern Ireland as a Bomb Disposal Operator. Paul brings his expertise as a former Ammunition Technical Officer and specialises in claims involving equipment, weapons, munitions and training accidents. Simon Harrington, who has over 15 years of experience bringing claims against the MoD. Simon specialises in cold injury claims, having helped hundreds of service personnel to claim over £10 million in compensation for their injuries. Andrew Buckham, who served in the Army for seven years before joining Irwin Mitchell. Andrew specialises in claims relating to serious and fatal injuries. He is also a trustee for the Defence Medical Welfare Service Meet our military injury team. Getting the support from Irwin Mitchell with my adapted house has given me the encouragement and independence I needed to get out there and find other things I am interested in." Ray Lowrie
Nothing is too much trouble "They have a fantastic, client-focused approach where nothing is too much trouble. They are very rehabilitation-focused, and the practice understands the roles and challenges of the treating team. They are always efficient and effective in all communications."
In a league of its own "‘An absolutely outstanding firm’ that is ‘one of the national leaders in the field’, Irwin Mitchell ‘is second to none for sheer hard work alone’; the firm’s ‘innovation and dedication to its clients places it in a league of its own.’"