Nigel Askew Solicitors specialise in military PTSD compensation claims.  Our solicitors have over 25 years of experience in representing clients in claims for personal injury, including military PTSD compensation claims.

We offer all new clients with PTSD enquiries a free and no obligation initial case assessment, during which we will advise you on the merits of your potential claim. To arrange a telephone consultation please call us on 01507 609027 or alternatively complete the form to the right of this page and one of our expert and friendly solicitors will call at a time convenient to you.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychological disorder which is caused by exposure to stressful, frightening or distressing events. Everyone’s experience of PTSD will differ however it is the most common mental illness associated with military service.

Symptoms associated with military PTSD include:

• Anger, depression, panic attacks and social anxiety
• Feelings of irritability and detachment towards family and friends
• Distressing flashbacks of frightening events
• Trouble sleeping and nightmares
• Substance misuse, particularly with alcohol

The period between serving in the military and the on-set of PTSD related symptoms can vary from a few weeks, to several months to even years.

As is the case with many psychological disorders, the first step is to talk about how you are feeling to someone you can trust, whether that is a member of your family, a GP or a specialist solicitor.

PTSD can have a very serious impact on your mental and physical well-being, making everyday life hard to deal with.  Pursuing a claim for compensation can help you and your family get the support you need to move forward with your life.

Whether you served in the Army, RAF, Navy, Reserve or Special Forces, you may be able to make a claim for compensation if you are suffering from PTSD.

The solicitors at Nigel Askew have many years of experience in representing military personnel in claims for compensation and are on hand to guide you through the claiming process of a military PTSD compensation claim.

If you are thinking about making a PTSD compensation claim, it is vital you consider all of the options available to you before deciding on whether to pursue a claim via the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) or through a civil claim for compensation.

As expert military compensation solicitors, we believe it’s important you speak to solicitors with experience in military PTSD compensation claims, who are able to provide you with an expert opinion on which route may be the best for you in the claims process.

The AFCS is a statutory scheme for servicemen and women who have sustained an illness or injury whilst serving in the armed forces, including claims for military PTSD compensation.

To qualify, you must be a current or former member of the armed forces, the injury or illness must have been sustained after April 6 2005, and the claim must be brought with 7 years of the injury.

The AFCS is a no fault compensation scheme, meaning you do not have to prove the MoD was negligent. However, it is common for claims brought via the AFCS to be denied, often leaving veterans and families wondering where to turn next.

The armed forces have a tariff scheme which ranges from £1200 and £650,000 for successful claims.

The upper limit is capped, whereas there is no cap via a civil claim for compensation.

Claims brought via the AFCS do not factor in damages or loss of earnings.

In a civil claim through the courts you can claim for damages, both for the actual injury or illness, and for other losses, such as loss of earnings.  This element of the claim is often very valuable, particularly in cases involving clients who may have been medically discharged from service.

A client therefore must consider their earning capability in civilian life with PTSD, compared to their earning potential in the military in full mental health.

The difference in these figures is often very large and can be claimed for.

For more information about claims via the AFCS, read our recent blog post here.

Understandably, many servicemen and woman are hesitant about making a claim against their employer, the Ministry of Defence (MoD).   However, the MoD recognises that service personnel are regularly put in dangerous situations and must respect an individual’s right to make a claim for any injury or illness that they may have sustained during service.

As with any employer in the private sector, the MoD is not allowed to discriminate against personnel who make a compensation claim.

If you are worried about making a claim against the MoD for your PTSD, please contact our experienced solicitors today who can help to reassure you of your legal rights.

We understand you may have questions for us before you are ready to start the claims process so offer all military PTSD clients a free initial consultation and will aim to answer all of your queries. We are here to help you.

To speak with a member of our expert team call us on 01507 609027.

For more information regarding a military PTSD compensation claim, read our military PTSD compensation FAQ page.