Our military injury claims team secured a multi-million-pound compensation settlement for Ben* after he was involved in a training accident that killed two soldiers and left him seriously injured.
What happened to Ben?
Ben joined the Army in 1997. His injury happened while he was taking part in a live firing exercise at the Castlemartin Range in Pembrokeshire. Castlemartin is one of only two ranges that conducts armoured fighting vehicle live firing in the UK.
The training day began with a morning shoot, after which the tank gun breech was stripped down and cleaned. However, it wasn’t completely reassembled and a key component, the Bolt Vent Axial (BVA), hadn’t been re-fitted. The BVA gives a gas-tight seal in the gun breech.
When the afternoon shooting session began, hot propellant gases escaped back into the tank, which ignited other charges in the tanks. This caused an explosion and a massive fireball inside the tank. There were four people inside the tank – the loader and commander were killed in the explosion, and the driver was also injured.
Ben was trapped in the tank and was rescued by first responders and the local area fire brigade. He was airlifted to hospital, where he underwent an emergency escharotomy and tracheostomy. He also needed staged split thickness skin grafting. Ben’s left hand also needed digit amputation, and he lost an external part of his left ear, which led to tinnitus and hearing loss.
How did Irwin Mitchell help Ben?
Ben contacted our military injury claims solicitors shortly after his accident. Our first job was to represent him at a two-week inquest. From there, we started a compensation claim to cover his future care needs, loss of earnings, therapies, and military pension.
Our solicitors were determined to make sure Ben’s settlement would make sure he was independent, and his family was financially secure.
Without needing to go to court, we negotiated a multi-million-pound settlement for Ben. This has allowed him to travel abroad to see his father and enjoy holidays abroad. The compensation has also helped him to pay for Missy, his pet Cavapoo.
The settlement has aided him in making practical changes, too, including adaptations to his home and secure future care and rehabilitation for the rest of his life.
*Client’s name has been changed to preserve anonymity.
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