More than half of injured troops get NO compensation, damning figures reveal.
Data uncovered by the Sunday Mirror shows top brass reject four in 10 claims – a record high.
A further 12% had their case accepted, but were not eligible for a cash payout. And last night critics said the system is no longer fit for purpose.
Some with mental health issues told the Sunday Mirror their treatment by compensation administrators Veterans UK left them on the brink of suicide.
Ministry of Defence figures say 4,317 claims were registered in 2020-21 but 1,770 were rejected.
Another 518 were accepted, but nothing was paid out.
The number of rejected claims has grown year on year since 2005, when the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme came in.
Troops and veterans wounded in combat or training can receive up to £570,000, providing the injury was attributable to military service. Seriously injured personnel can get a guaranteed income for life and troops can also seek compensation by suing the MoD. One RAF drone pilot in Iraq and Syria, was driven to the brink of suicide after being reduced in rank and medically discharged while suffering PTSD. His marriage broke down.
The officer says the MoD claimed his issues were genetic, not due to military service. He recalled two incidents which contributed to his trauma. In the first, a Hellfire missile wreaked havoc in Manbij, northern Syria.
He said: “I watched an attack in a market place in which tens of civilians were killed. I felt sick. I have documents which show that I was diagnosed with PTSD.”
In the second, in Deir Ezzor, Syria, regime fighters were targeted rather than Islamic State. “I’ve never slept properly since that day,” the pilot added.
Colonel Philip Ingram, a former military intelligence officer, claimed: “Having seen many cases, it is clear the MoD has a policy of delay and deny using any excuse, hoping a claimant will either get fed up trying to get what is rightfully theirs or die.”
The MoD said claims require “consideration of many complex factors”, adding: “We care deeply about our people. They make remarkable sacrifices. We constantly work to improve, which is why a review of the scheme has been commissioned.”
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