Armed Forces Claims

Can I make a claim?

If you have served in the Armed Forces and suffer an injury or illness you can claim compensation from the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS). This applies whether you are still in service or a veteran, whether you are in the regular or reserve forces.

You may also be entitled to a civil claim against the MOD if the injury or illness was not caused in combat and these awards are generally higher.

What is the difference?

Basically the AFCS is a scheme that compensates for injury in service. The injury does not have to be the fault of anybody else. A civil claim can only be made when someone else is at fault and where combat immunity does not apply. You can cover yourself and apply for both at the same time but the larger award will take into account what else has been awarded previously.

Who will I claim against?

Veterans UK. They are the government body that run the AFCS and can pay compensation to servicemen for physical or psychological injuries.

Is there a time limit?

There are strict time limits that vary for different parts of the scheme and you must seek legal advice as soon as possible.

Will I need to go to court?

No. If Veterans UK do not make the correct award then you can go to a tribunal, which is an informal court.

Will I have to pay?

Costs are not paid on top of your award and so we can offer a Contingency Fee payable only in the event that you are paid an award and this is based on a percentage of your award. This means that you have peace of mind that if you do not recover a sum of money you won’t be charged, plus any amount payable will be capped by a percentage agreed with you. We will discuss and agree this with you at the outset.

What will I receive compensation for?

The physical or the psychological injuries sustained in the incident. This will be based on your medical records which will be obtained as part of the claim.

All qualifying injuries will receive a lump sum payment. More serious injuries will receive a Guaranteed Income Payment, which is an additional month tax free index linked payment and is paid as a percentage of your final salary ranging from 30% to 100% of your earings.

If you are thinking about making a claim for compensation please contact one of our experts for a free, confidential no obligation consultation.