Why are sports injury claims through the AFCS so difficult to make?
On the sports field as well as the battlefield
Glance through the pages of Forces News and it’s obvious why the military are so proud of the achievements of their sportsmen and women. Whether it’s success in the Paralympics, the world of military horse racing, or the high standards of football, rugby and other sports, the military are a force to be reckoned with on the sports field as much as the battlefield. However, like any athlete, they are not immune from injuries.
Why current regulations are not very sporting
It is therefore very frustrating and disheartening to see the hurdles that Veterans UK places in the way of servicemen and women making a claim through the AFCS for injuries sustained whilst playing sports. The current regulations require that a Claimant must produce a Calling Order, or equivalent document, to prove that they were ‘authorised’ to play in the event in which their injury was sustained. This is easy enough if the event is a high-profile match where an officer drafts an Order detailing the names of those representing their Units/Battalion or Squadron, but what is not considered is the fact that a very high number of sports injuries sustained in the military occur during the routine Wednesday afternoon sports regime where no formal documentation is raised.
Get help when you need it
We question why Veterans UK makes the process so difficult, the reality being that without a copy of a Calling Order, or an Executive Factual Report, they can decline a sports injury claim on what is, let’s be honest, a ridiculous technicality. With a 7-year time limit for making an AFCS claim, trying to locate a Calling Order from an event that occurred 4-5 years earlier at a military base where the claimant is no longer serving makes the process of claiming impossible to pursue.
Veterans UK should introduce a straightforward system where the Claimant can declare where and how they were injured and support this with a simple email from someone in their chain-of-command who can confirm that the incident happened as described. This should satisfy the requirements of an Executive Factual Report and would allow legitimate claims to receive the compensation they are entitled to - without having to tackle ridiculous and unfair hurdles!
Until Veterans UK make this process fair and easy, we are here to help. Contact us for advice - we speak your language, we know what you’ve been through, and just like you on the battle and sports field, we know how to win!