There will be a “significant” increase in compensation awards to all armed forces personnel injured in service, following the full implementation of the recommendations of last year’s Boyce Report, it has been announced.
It is thought that there will be a retrospective reassessment of 10,000 awards to everyone helped by the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme, since it was set up in 2005.
Admiral Lord Boyce called for a thorough overhaul of the scheme in his review.
He would like to see increases in payouts for individual injuries and in the guaranteed lifetime income paid to the most seriously injured after discharge.
The report’s recommendations were accepted by the former Labour government in February 2010, and defence minister Andrew Robathan has announced that all the necessary legislation has now been put down for the revamped scheme to operate from May this year.
Among the changes are:
- An increase to all guaranteed income payments to reflect the lasting effect of more serious injuries on future promotion prospects and on the ability to work to age 65;
- An increase, averaging more than 25%, to all lump sum payments, except the top level of award which was recently doubled to £570,000;
- Nearly tripling the maximum award for mental illness from £48,875 to £140,000;
- A revised approach to awards for multiple injuries, to ensure that all injuries receive some compensation.
Medico-Legal News Source: Claims Management Magazine
