What sort of injuries and illnesses are compensated under the scheme?
A whole range of illnesses, injuries and disorders are covered under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS), including mental and psychological injuries and conditions, infections diseases and injuries that are specifically related to military service, such as blast injuries.
How are awards calculated?
The AFCS uses a tariff system across nine injury categories with 15 levels of awards, reflecting the severity of the injury, level 1 being the most serious. Where more than one injury is sustained the AFCS has specific rules for calculating the lump sum payable.
Injury categories
- Burns
- Injury, wounds and scarring
- Mental disorders
- Physical disorders (illnesses and infectious diseases)
- Amputations
- Neurological disorders
- Senses
- Fractures and dislocations
- Musculoskeletal disorders
Tariff awards
| Tariff award level | Amount |
|---|---|
| 1 | £650,000 |
| 2 | £484,100 |
| 3 | £391,400 |
| 4 | £298,700 |
| 5 | £180,250 |
| 6 | £144,200 |
| 7 | £92,700 |
| 8 | £61,800 |
| 9 | £41,200 |
| 10 | £27,810 |
| 11 | £15,965 |
| 12 | £10,300 |
| 13 | £6,180 |
| 14 | £3,090 |
| 15 | £1,236 |
What if I have suffered more than one injury?
Where more than one injury or illness has been sustained, the scheme has a method for calculating the lump sum award in a manner that reflects this. It is not as straightforward as just adding the injuries together. Where multiple injuries have been sustained they will be assigned one of three categories. The schemes body zoning system also comes into play here as well. The multiple injury category then determines how lump sum awards are calculated to produce an overall lump sum.
Any lump sum award for multiple injuries cannot exceed the maximum level 1 award of £650,000.
As expert solicitors we will be able to calculate the likely award using the schemes rules and also check that any calculation made by the decision maker is accurate.
Supplementary awards
Some types of injuries attract a supplementary award in addition to the lump sum payment if certain conditions are met. A supplementary award of £60,000 is payable where the injury results in incontinence, impotence, infertility or disfigurement to external genitalia. The loss or removal of a kidney attracts a supplementary award of £40,000. Smaller supplementary awards are also available in the case of open fractures, fractures accompanied by acute compartmental syndrome and blast injuries resulting in the perforation of an ear.
