ACCIDENT AT WORK - ARMED FORCES
The Crown (as the employer) has the same general and statutory duties to members of the armed forces as any employer has to its workforce. That includes, amongst all the others, the duties to provide: a safe system of work; suitable equipment for the conditions in which it will be operated; information, instruction and training in relation to such equipment; and suitable personal protective equipment.
If the Crown breaches one of these general or statutory duties and a member of the armed forces has a military accident or otherwise suffers a military injury, that person may be entitled to compensation.
There are, however, three particular issues to be aware of as far as military accidents in Scotland and injuries sustained by military personnel are concerned. These are:-
- The Crown has no liability under Scots law to a member of the armed forces in connection with a military accident or military injuries sustained during combat operations.
- There are two schemes in operation (the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme and the War Pension Scheme) to which application can be made for compensation in respect of combat injuries and, in some cases, non-combat injuries.
- The criminal injuries compensation scheme extends to cover members of the armed forces who are killed or injured as a result of violent (non-combat) crime whilst posted overseas.
If you’re unsure whether you may have a valid compensation claim for a personal injury caused by a Scottish military accident, call us now on 08448 700 800 to discuss how we can help or simply fill in the CALL ME box and we’ll ring you. Alternatively, you can start your claim immediately by answering a few simple questions on the CLAIM NOW page and we’ll do the rest.
Remember – If you have been injured in a military accident in Scotland, your claim is best dealt with by Scottish specialists and you won’t pay a penny for our help, whatever happens.