Injured soldier fights pay award

L/Cpl Compton spent three months in coma after suffering severe burns

A soldier who was badly injured in Afghanistan will have his case for more compensation heard in a public debate at Parliament later.

L/Cpl Martyn Compton, 24, from Staplehurst, Kent, suffered severe burns and lost his ears and nose.

He has been awarded �163,000, but is appealing to have that increased to the maximum �285,000 that is available.

Fiona Bantock, from law firm Lovells, said the case could have repercussions for more soldiers in the future.

In October 2007, the government announced that the armed forces compensation scheme (AFCS) would be changed to give more money to the most seriously injured troops.

Defence Secretary Des Browne said they would receive up to �285,000 for all injuries suffered in a single incident - rather than just the three most serious injuries, as had previously been the case.

Rehabilitation

L/Cpl Compton was the sole survivor of a roadside ambush in Helmand Province in which three of his colleagues were killed.

He suffered third degree burns to 70% of his body, as well as a gunshot wound to the leg, and spent three months in a coma.

He has since had several operations to rebuild his nose and ears and is undergoing rehabilitation at the Army's specialist centre at Headley Court, Surrey.

It should be an entitlement rather than something you have to battle for

Fiona Bantock
Lawyer

But he will still need further surgery and long-term care, and his lawyers say he deserves the maximum compensation.

L/Cpl Compton was initially offered a lump sum of �98,837, but after an appeal this was raised in February to �163,000.

But Ms Bantock said her client felt the rules on compensation were still not being properly interpreted to take into account the full extent of his injuries.

And as well as increasing his own payment to �285,000, he hopes to bring about a change in the AFCS rules to benefit other injured soldiers.

Ms Bantock said: "I think the political aspect is very important - the wider significance - in terms of how these rules are interpreted.

"But the money is very important too. The difference between �163,000 and �285,000 is not insignificant when we're talking about the rest of someone's life.

"I think the feeling is that the scheme should be simple. It should be an entitlement rather than something you have to battle for."

In a statement the Ministry of Defence said: "The armed forces compensation scheme offers a tax-free lump sum payment paid in service and, for the more seriously injured, an additional tax-free, inflation-proof guaranteed income paid monthly for life.

"This can amount to several hundreds of thousands of pounds over a lifetime."

The debate, organised by ex-Army officer Hugh Robertson MP, will be held in Westminster Hall on Wednesday.