I'm copying this over from ARRSE, in case some here feel it's something they want to support.
Many of you will have seen media coverage this week of the case of Lance Bombardier Ben Parkinson.
He's 23, a member of 7 Para Regt RHA and currently residing at Headley Court.
A minestrike in northern Helmand last September 12th left him in a bad way. Severe brain damage - unable to speak or remember last 3 years - 37 fractures including spine, skull, jaw, arm, pelvis, you name it, and both legs amputated.
Doctors at Selly Oak consider him the most severely wounded serviceman to survive his injuries in modern times. They certainly didn't expect him too. He was in a coma for three months.
The Armed Forces Compensation Scheme pays out a maximum of £285,000.
You might think Ben would be in line for that, but no. Only three injuries per incident are covered, and he's been offered £152,150.
That's less than a third of the £484,000 paid out to a civilian typist with repetitive strain injury in her hand.
He'll also get £19k pension for life, but his family point out it's nowhere near enough to buy a bungalow and adapt it to his needs, or even to start paying for the specialist care he'll need for the rest of his life. In short he'll have to rely in large part on his family and what he can get from veterans' charities.
A number of the great and the good have backed his cause, including one Lord Guthrie, and a number of other retired senior types.
Ben and his family are trying to raise £50k so that lawyers can launch a High Court judicial review, trying to force the MOD to make the compo scheme fairer for the worst-affected wounded men.
Wouldn't you know it, he's not entitled to legal aid.
The aim is threefold:
1. Change the rule whereby only three injuries per incident can be compensated - currently it's 100% of tarriff for worst injury, 30% for the second worst and 15% of tarriff for the third. Nothing at all for the rest.
2. Remove £285,000 upper limit for compensation, and let each case be judged on its merits.
3. Backdate all this to 2005 when the scheme was launched. It's thought there are about 10 very seriously injured blokes who would benefit.
You can read more here
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/liv...n_page_id=1770
and here
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/liv...n_page_id=1770
Mail readers have stumped up more than £20k so far, bless 'em.
If any of you generous types can support Ben with a few quid, I know he'd be extremely grateful.
And if he wins in court, chances are a number of future casualties will also have reason to be grateful.
Any excess funds will be split equally between Royal British Legion, Blesma, SSAFA and the Royal Hospital for Neurodisability in Putney, where Ben was treated for some months.
You can donate online or via phone banking into the following Lloyds TSB account:
Account name: 'Protect Our Protectors Fighting Fund'
Sort Code: 30-94-80
Account number: 0027 2518
Or send cheques payable to that account to:
PPFF
PO Box 95
Aldershot
Hants
GU11 9GL
Thanks in advance to anyone who feels moved to chip in.
