UK Goverment appeals soldier's compensation - outrage by public

by albertacowpoke | July 28, 2009 at 08:03 pm

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This weekend Britain paid homage to four war dead. July was one of the bloodiest months for the British in Afghanistan. Today two more British soldiers were killed bringing the total to 191.

With this background, the British government is appealing the compensation awarded to two British soldiers for their wounds and the complications of these wounds.

One, who was shot while serving in Iraq, received around $86,500 US. The other broke his leg in a training exercise and received around $54,300 US. The soldiers were awarded this compensation by a court.

The British Government, in its appeal, argues that it is only responsible for the initial injuries, but not the cost of complications afterwards.

British soldiers and military doctors are outraged at the British governments appeal.

The British government is facing heavy criticism for trying to reclaim some of the compensation awarded to two injured soldiers at a time when the country's troops are sustaining heavy losses in Afghanistan.

On a day when church bells across Britain chimed for the repatriation of four more soldiers killed in Afghanistan, lawyers for the government were in a London court arguing in favour of rolling back the compensation paid to two troops injured in the line of duty.

The British defence ministry is appealing the cases of the soldiers who were initially awarded compensation for their injuries and successfully argued for more money for complications that arose during their treatment.

One, who was shot while serving in Iraq, received around $94,000 Cdn. The other broke his leg in a training exercise and received around $59,000 Cdn.