Air travel is a central part of many military careers and it's essential that proper safety measures are taken by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to protect you while you're in the air.

If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of a military air accident our solicitors could help you claim compensation.

Our lawyers have represented aircrew and passengers in a variety of military air accident claims. We have in-depth knowledge of claiming against the MoD and a number of our lawyers are former members of the armed forces themselves.

Aviation claims can be difficult, but our team are experts in inquests, analysing enquiries, reviewing aircraft defects, and establishing the causes of accidents. Some of the incidents for which we've represented service personnel include:

  • The landmark 1994 Chinook Mull of Kintyre crash
  • AAC Squirrel Helicopter hitting power lines (2008)
  • Three Pumas down – including two in Iraq (2007)
  • Nimrod and Hawk crashes, including a landmark Nimrod crash caused by the MoD sacrificing safety to cut costs, which led to the Haddon-Cave military aviation safety review
  • Harrier Ejector Seat case
  • Sea Knight in Kuwait (2003)
  • AAC Lynx crashes
  • Red Arrows Ejection Seat Failure (2014).

If you’ve been injured or your loved one has died in an air accident while serving in in the RAF, Navy, Army or Special Forces, you may be able to claim compensation. You could also claim if you were injured while serving in the Army Reserve (formerly the Territorial Army), Navy, RAF or Special Forces Reserves.

If you have any questions about claiming compensation following a military air accident, call us today on 0800 022 3321 for a free initial consultation about your case or contact us online and we'll get back to you.

Acted in major air disasters including Piper Alpha, Lockerbie and Chinook Mull of Kintyre
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Military Air Accidents - More Information

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who Can Claim Compensation Following A Military Air Accident?

If you were injured in an air accident as a result of safety measures being overlooked, you could be able to claim compensation.

Normally you have three years to claim from the date of the accident. In fatal cases, the family of the deceased has three years to make a claim, starting from either the date your loved one died, or the date you received the post-mortem results.

Claims can be made regardless of whether you're still serving in the military, or have since left or been discharged from service (provided your claim is made within the relevant time limits).

In addition to making a civil claim for compensation following an accident, you may also be able to claim under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS). If you have PAX insurance policy, you may be able to claim under that also. However, receiving payments from the AFCS or PAX Insurance doesn't prevent you from making a separate civil claim for compensation in the event of negligence.

Making a claim isn't affected by where an accident occurred – you could be able to claim whether you were in a training accident at home, or in a combat zone overseas. We've helped clients make military injury claims following accidents in the UK, as well as in operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, Sierra Leone, Canada, Germany and Kenya.

If you're unsure whether or not you'll be able to make a claim, call us today on 0800 022 3321 for a free initial consultation, or contact us online.

What Are The Common Causes Of Military Air Accidents?

Although there is exceptional flying training in place in the armed forces, there are still risks involved with military aircraft operations by their very nature. When something goes wrong, the consequences can be tragic.

We've helped aircrew and passengers (or their loved ones) to claim compensation for accidents caused in a number of ways, including:

  • Training accidents
  • Pilot error
  • Failure to follow safety processes
  • Parachute failures
  • Faulty components within the aircraft – which may involve claiming against civilian contractors rather than the MoD

There is no individual cause that's most often responsible for air accidents, as any crash is usually the result of a long chain of events. Our in-house aviation law military specialists analyse all circumstances surrounding an accident to work out exactly what has happened.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a military air accident contact us today on 0800 022 3321 for a free consultation to discuss your options.

Why Choose Irwin Mitchell For A Military Air Accident Claim?

Making a compensation claim against the Ministry of Defence can be a daunting prospect – so it helps to have the experts on your side. We've been a leading firm in air accident claims since 1994, when we represented passengers in the Chinook Mull of Kintyre Crash in a landmark case. Some of the specific aviation cases we have handled since include:

  • AAC Squirrel Helicopter hitting power lines in the West Country, UK (2008)
  • Three Pumas down – two of which were in Iraq (2007)
  • Nimrod and Hawk crashes, including a landmark Nimrod crash& caused by the MoD sacrificing safety to cut costs, which led to the Haddon-Cave military aviation safety review
  • Harrier Ejector Seat case
  • Sea Knight in Kuwait (2003)
  • AAC Lynx engine off landing at Middle Wallop

Our legal team has grown to include a number of former military personnel, giving us a genuine insight into the issues you'll face when claiming against the MoD, as well as understanding the concerns that you may have when making a claim.

Our lawyers are experts in all aspects of military aviation claims, and can help you with the following parts of the process:

  • Analysing Boards of Inquiry and Service Inquiries
  • Representing clients with Regulation 18 interviews
  • Attending military inquests to represent families who have lost a loved one in an air accident
  • Examining the actions of handling pilots, and consider training, flight authorisation and crew resource management issues
  • Reviewing potential defects on the aircraft, such as component failures which involve defence contractors

If you have any questions about making a claim, and how we can help, don't hesitate to get in touch for a free initial consultation on your case. Call us today on 0800 022 3321.

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