If you’ve developed multiple myeloma after flying in Sea King helicopters during Royal Air Force service, you may be able to make a compensation claim. Contact our military claims solicitors today to learn more.

Multiple myeloma is a type of bone marrow cancer that has been linked to exposure to aircraft fuel and the fumes from aircraft motors. If you’ve flown in a Sea King helicopter, it’s possible that you were exposed to these fumes, putting you at risk of the disease.

We believe that exposure to dangerous fumes can happen when the helicopter’s propeller drives fumes from the engine down through the open cargo door of the Sea King helicopter.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has a duty to protect servicepeople from risks of injury and disease and should have taken all reasonable steps to avoid this sort of unnecessary danger. Where they’ve failed in this duty, as appears to be the case for some service personnel, there could be a right to compensation.

The Royal Air Force used Sea King helicopters between 1969 and September 2018. They’re no longer flying, but you may be affected if you’ve flown in one previously. The symptoms of multiple myeloma can take 10-20 years to appear.

We may be able to help you claim compensation if you have:

  • Served as aircrew in a Sea King helicopter between 15 May 1987 and 30 September 2018, whether in a combat situation or not, and
  • Received a diagnosis of myeloma or other blood-related cancer.

Our military injury claims team includes some of the most experienced solicitors in the country for this type of claim. Many are ex-military themselves and understand all the concerns you may have about claiming compensation from the MoD.

We’ll guide you through the whole process from start to finish, explaining each step in plain English. We’ll explore all your options, including the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme, to get you the best possible outcome. We’ll also help you access top medical support to help you manage your symptoms.

Contact us today to learn more about starting a claim.

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Sea King Multiple Myeloma Claims - More Information

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Frequently Asked Questions

What Is Multiple Myeloma?

Multiple myeloma is a type of bone marrow cancer. Scientists don’t fully understand its causes, but there’s a known association with exposure to benzene and related substances such as airline fuel.

Unlike many cancers, it doesn’t cause a lump or tumour but can cause a variety of symptoms, including:

  • Bone pain and weak bones that break easily
  • Tiredness, weakness, and shortness of breath
  • Blurred vision, dizziness or headaches
  • Bruising and unusual bleeding
  • Kidney problems.

It can take 10-20 years after exposure for symptoms to appear. That means that you could be at risk of the disease in the future if you flew on a Sea King but haven’t yet had symptoms.

However, it is impossible to test what exactly caused the disease in any particular case, which makes claiming compensation complicated. Your length of service, number of flights, and the flight conditions could all be a factor when assessing whether or not you can make a compensation claim.

Is There A Time Limit For Making A Claim?

You may read that the time limit for making a personal injury compensation claim is three years after an injury happened. However, the standard time limit may not apply in these cases.

Please get in touch whenever you served and whenever you received your multiple myeloma diagnosis.

What About Asbestos In Sea King Helicopters?

Sea King helicopters included asbestos around the engines, gearboxes, heating and ventilation systems, where it was used for heat resistance or insulation. The MOD replaced all major components containing asbestos by 2006 but left components that they considered “low risk” because they weren’t routinely disassembled.

However, later investigations found that there was still asbestos in some helicopters in 2018.

You may have been exposed to this asbestos if you worked on the maintenance or upkeep of Sea King helicopters between 1969 and 2018. If you’ve since developed an asbestos-related disease such as mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, pleural thickening, or asbestosis, you could be able to claim compensation.

Learn more about making Asbestos & Mesothelioma Claims

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Since 1987, our specialist military injury team has helped hundreds of injured personnel from the Army, RAF and Royal Navy to claim compensation. We are considered one of the top law firms in the country for military claims and several cases we were involved in were recently featured in the Chilcot Inquiry.

We work closely with a number of Armed Forces welfare branches and organisations, and are the PAX appointed legal representatives under the PAX Personal Accident Insurance Scheme. We're also proud supporters of:

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