Government to cut wounded soldiers’ awards

[green granite]

I'm gobbed smacked that even a bankrupt government such as this could stoop so low.

The government will this week launch an attempt to deny soldiers crippled in battle full compensation for their injuries.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) will go to the Court of Appeal on Tuesday to try to slash the compensation awarded to two injured soldiers by up to 70%. If the government wins, it will fuel the mounting disquiet over the relatively paltry payments some soldiers are receiving for lifelong injuries.

The legal action comes as British troops are suffering their heaviest casualties since the beginning of the conflict in Afghanistan in 2001.

Full article: Government to cut wounded soldiers’ awards - Times Online (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article6727677.ece)

[Al R]

Er, just confirm for me would you, that we're talking about the same government? You know, the one that wants to gather all the good and the great, dress up, don baubles, look solumn and eulogise for a while on News 24?

BBC NEWS | UK | Service planned for WWI sacrifice (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8169122.stm)

These media driven, vacuous imbeciles don't even have the decency to be reminded that Claude Choules is still alive.

[BEagle]

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) will go to the Court of Appeal on Tuesday to try to slash the compensation awarded to two injured soldiers by up to 70%.

This is quite appalling. You only have to see how successful Help for Heroes has become to realise how much support the genpub has for our troops. Probably not for what they've been tasked to do - certainly not for the MoD itself - but clearly for the troops having to fight in nuLabor's current wars.

Now this despicable act of shame. And just how much is this court action going to cost the taxpayer?

I sincerely hope that the Court of Appeal will throw out the case, and award costs against the MoD. Perhaps it might even decide that the compensation is inadequate and rule that it should be increased, not decreased.

[3winged]

AL R

The article mentions Mr Choules if you read all of it:
The sole British survivor of World War I is now former seaman Claude Choules, who is aged 108 and lives in Perth, Australia.
Mr Choules, who is originally from Worcestershire, saw service with the Royal Navy.

Harry Patch was the last veteran who survived the trenches. It is getting too easy for everyone to slag off the press these days, remember they help to highlight issues that affect us, although probably don't affect your ivory tower.
Back on topic, if the governement do cut compensation, it is time to leave this country and go and fight for someone else methinks. :mad:

[Al R]

Hi 3,

Yes, I did. I wasn't slagging off the media. I was slagging off the g'ment for being media obsessed - there is a difference (lets not forget either, the media giveth and the media taketh away - you place excessive reliance on it at your peril).

My point was, if we are going to have a memorial service for WW1, wouldn't it be seeming to at least wait a short while? Or perhaps we could all have our own memorial services, you know.. in advance, just to see who turns up? :ok:

I feel annoyed that Brown's crass and cynical intent marginalises the sacrifice made all our veterans. The principle of seeing people who claim expenses for their poppies looking sombre on our behalf at this, makes me wanna hurl. We have just one Matelot alive still - why are we not waiting until the very last of our veterans is no longer around? Have we no respect?

PS: Where would we be without our glorious leaders spreading the word of democracy? http://thecarwashlive.com/forums/images/smilies/wankerS.gif

MPs relax after expenses scandal ... with South Pacific trip funded by the taxpayer | Mail Online (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1202188/MPs-relax-expenses-scandal---South-Pacific-trip-funded-taxpayer.html)

[kaikohe76]

Is the Queen aware that the Government are going to try & slash the awards to injured military personnel, after all they are her Soldiers not Gordon Brown's.

[JessTheDog]

I'm off to Brown Towers to hand in my No 1s this afternoon....I live quite close.

Don't get too excited, I PVRd some years ago.

[Lightning Mate]

Perhaps one way to wake up these imbeciles is to start a movement to dissuade young people from signing up.

Now, would that be treason?

LM

[Al R]

The MoD needs to be careful - its not thinking ahead. In their defence, the closest they'll get to empathy is to know what its like to deliberately shoot yourself in the foot, so a compensation claim probably wouldn't apply.

BBC NEWS | UK | MoD seeks to cut soldiers' payout (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8171689.stm)

[Flyt3est]

I have to say, I have just spent a year living in the USA, and whether or not they agree with the war, the support, shown by the general public for their boys is overwhelming. Their government also seems to back their boys to the hilt.

I remember sitting in San Diego airport at a table next to a young Marine who was having dinner. When he tried to pay, the waitress told him "It's ok, your check is already taken care of".. Turns out some couple sitting across from him wanted to pay out of appreciation. You have to ask, when was the last time you saw that in the UK?

I am biased as I am ex-forces, but I think the boys and girls do a damn good job and deserve a lot better than they are getting from this government and the public at large. I admit the general public support the forces, but it's high time they were not the silent majority. To hell with all the do-gooders and tree hugging anti-war protesters, we should be giving the forces a very public show of support. The very fact fact that there is a need for Help for Heroes to exist in the first place is shameful.

The reason for this rant is because the government are trying to compensate guys who have been badly injured in the service of the crown with less money than some MP's claim for a fecking Duck Island on expenses! W:mad:ers!

[AR1]

Fact is, HMG would much rather you got a pine overcoat than a new prosthetic and require a lifetime of support.
And a lifetime of support is what our wounded need. Not to live it up and get a new car, but to support them in conducting their lives as normally as they (you) possibly can.

This mob (HMG) are a complete shambles. Blow billions on bankers who pay for thier mistakes with thier lifetstyle, then fund it, by short changing those who pay with thier lives.

You're f***** clueless.

An Ex.

[SimWes]

Having just taken part in a Help for Heroes event, I feel abhorred that HMG would even contemplate taking this action

This really grips my s**t even more when you recall the RAF typist that was given £484K for RSI

As some of the previous posters said, the support by the general public towards Help for Heroes is enormous. This was so evident before, during and after at the event. Even my colleagues at work professed that normally they wouldn’t give money to causes, but this time they would make an exception

Yes, as an ex I am also biased, but rightly so

[GPMG]

I am not playing devils advocate or agreeing in any way with what the MOD are doing. And if they succeed then I think it would set a very worrying precedent.

However from the report that I read, the two injuries were from a broken femur and also a gunshot wound. These were paid out for by the MOD. However due to medical issues that occured after the initial injury, these payments were increased by an appeal court.
The MOD are attempting to stop the extra claims awarded by the appeal court. Is this the correct case?

What I am wondering though is what the history is of payments being made by the MOD for gunshot wounds etc whilst on ops (i.e. war). For how long have men been able to claim for injuries in the line of duty.
WW2? Korea? NI? Falklands? GW1 & 2?