£279,000 in Lost Compensation For AFCS Sports Injury Claims!
Basic mistakes
A staggering number of servicemen and women continue to throw away the opportunity to receive awards they are entitled to under the AFCS.
The military prides itself on being adept at filling out forms, keeping records, and being on the ball. Despite this, hundreds of you are not following the basic rules relating to an AFCS sports injury claim and it's costing you money - lots of it.
Veterans UK get a lot of bad press, but they are not to blame for this. They have a job to do and the Regulations are clear. If you're injured playing sports in the military, you must follow the correct procedure and provide the right evidence to support your claim to have any hope of success.
The problem is that too many claimants would rather take advice from a mate who knows someone that got £60,000 for stubbing their big toe whilst on a tab than make a quick [free] phone call to speak to someone that knows the Regulations inside out. Despite their training in 'Preparation and Planning', they convince themselves that they can 'bang in' these applications to Veterans UK with the minimum of effort and think that the money will land in their bank account within a couple of weeks.
The reality is that many claimants are ruining their chances of receiving an award from the moment they submit the claim. They’re making basic errors, including:
- Leaving out vital information or not following the correct reporting procedures
- Failing to record details of your recovery and rehabilitation
- Failing to send in the right evidence needed
Keep the evidence
You need to show that you were 'authorised' to take part in the sporting activity during which you sustained the injury, and if you don't understand the difference between, or the relevance of, Calling Orders and Executive Factual Reports, then don't be surprised when your application is declined.
A clue to the seriousness of this problem is in the title of this blog. We were contacted by 43 servicemen and women during 2019 who all had their AFCS sports injury claims declined because they initially failed to seek advice. The amount of compensation that they collectively could have received amounted to roughly £279,000.
The message here is simple. If you've been injured playing sports in the military you'll have time on your hands whilst rehabilitating. Use it wisely. Pick up the phone and ask for some advice.
It's a no-brainer really, isn’t it?