thedrifter
03-23-08, 05:36 PM
Crippled marine is refused full payout
A serviceman who lost three limbs after stepping on an Afghan landmine is fighting an MoD ruling that denies him the maximum compensation
Jamie Doward, home affairs editor
Article history
The Observer, Sunday March 23 2008 Article history
A Royal Marine who lost both his legs and an arm in a Taliban landmine blast in Afghanistan has been told by the Ministry of Defence that he is not entitled to the full compensation package offered to injured troops.
Mark Ormrod of 40 Commando was blown up by a landmine during a foot patrol in Helmand province on Christmas Eve. The 24-year-old has spent the last three months in intensive care and rehabilitation and will return soon to his home in Plymouth. But despite the extensive nature of his injuries, Ormrod has been offered £214,000 in compensation, rather than the maximum MoD package of £285,000.
Ormrod, who is appealing against the decision, says he wants to stay with the Marines. 'Obviously I can't go on the front line, but there are jobs I could do involving admin,' he said. 'As long as I can stay with the lads - it's like a family.'
A decision on his appeal for compensation is expected soon. Ormrod's case has attracted widespread sympathy from people in his home city. A number of whom have described him as a 'hero' and expressed anger that he would not receive the full payout after reading his story on local websites.
But some legal experts suggest that Ormrod may struggle to have his claim increased under the MoD's compensation scheme, which makes graded payments according to a soldier's three most serious injuries. 'While it seems incredibly unfair in comparison with civil claims for injury, that's the way the system works,' said a spokeswoman for Thompsons, the personal injury lawyers. 'There have been quite a lot of cases of injured soldiers receiving tiny amounts compared with civilian payouts.'
A spokesman for the MoD said he was unable to comment on individual cases, but added that the 'Armed Forces Compensation Scheme provides an upfront lump sum payment and, for more severe injuries, an additional amount in the form of a tax-free, index-linked, guaranteed monthly income payment, which can amount to several hundreds of thousands of pounds over a lifetime.' Andrew Buchan, of solicitors Irwin Mitchell who specialise in compensation claims for soldiers, said he was 'amazed' that Ormrod hadn't automatically qualified for the maximum payout.
'It's not a question of looking at their individual injuries, but the care and the support they will need over the years,' Buchan said. 'The MoD will say he gets a guaranteed income as well, but that's for loss of earnings based on his rank now, not what he could be in 10 years time.'
The MoD is fitting out Ormrod's house - where he lives with his fiancee, Becky, and their three-year-old daughter, Kezia-Mai - to meet his new needs. Currently using a wheelchair, Ormrod is being fitted with hi-tech prosthetic limbs. He says he wants to take up snowboarding and parachuting.
'This hasn't changed me at all,' he told his local paper, the Herald. 'I've just got to get on with it. I just want to marry Becky and move into my house.'
Ormrod was deployed to Afghanistan last October and stationed with 40 Commando at Forward Operating Base Robinson in southern Helmand.
He was out on a morning foot patrol with 11 other marines when he stepped on the mine, which was strapped to a Chinese 107 rocket, both covered by sand and mud after a heavy rainfall.
'There was a big blast and lots of smoke,' he said. 'One minute you're there and then there's a bang, like someone was rattling my brain around. The next thing I know I'm on the floor, ripped open. Everything felt numb, as if I had pins and needles. It was surreal, like a dream.' His first words to the medic who told him he had suffered some lower-leg damage, were: 'No ****; I think my dancing days are over.'
After being flown by helicopter to a local army medical base, where he received 28 pints of blood, Ormrod was airlifted on to Birmingham's Selly Oak hospital, where he underwent five operations.
He regained consciousness on 28 December. 'I asked Becky to marry me as soon as I opened my eyes,' he said. 'I'd been planning to do it before and I just thought, "It's now or never".'
Ellie
A serviceman who lost three limbs after stepping on an Afghan landmine is fighting an MoD ruling that denies him the maximum compensation
Jamie Doward, home affairs editor
Article history
The Observer, Sunday March 23 2008 Article history
A Royal Marine who lost both his legs and an arm in a Taliban landmine blast in Afghanistan has been told by the Ministry of Defence that he is not entitled to the full compensation package offered to injured troops.
Mark Ormrod of 40 Commando was blown up by a landmine during a foot patrol in Helmand province on Christmas Eve. The 24-year-old has spent the last three months in intensive care and rehabilitation and will return soon to his home in Plymouth. But despite the extensive nature of his injuries, Ormrod has been offered £214,000 in compensation, rather than the maximum MoD package of £285,000.
Ormrod, who is appealing against the decision, says he wants to stay with the Marines. 'Obviously I can't go on the front line, but there are jobs I could do involving admin,' he said. 'As long as I can stay with the lads - it's like a family.'
A decision on his appeal for compensation is expected soon. Ormrod's case has attracted widespread sympathy from people in his home city. A number of whom have described him as a 'hero' and expressed anger that he would not receive the full payout after reading his story on local websites.
But some legal experts suggest that Ormrod may struggle to have his claim increased under the MoD's compensation scheme, which makes graded payments according to a soldier's three most serious injuries. 'While it seems incredibly unfair in comparison with civil claims for injury, that's the way the system works,' said a spokeswoman for Thompsons, the personal injury lawyers. 'There have been quite a lot of cases of injured soldiers receiving tiny amounts compared with civilian payouts.'
A spokesman for the MoD said he was unable to comment on individual cases, but added that the 'Armed Forces Compensation Scheme provides an upfront lump sum payment and, for more severe injuries, an additional amount in the form of a tax-free, index-linked, guaranteed monthly income payment, which can amount to several hundreds of thousands of pounds over a lifetime.' Andrew Buchan, of solicitors Irwin Mitchell who specialise in compensation claims for soldiers, said he was 'amazed' that Ormrod hadn't automatically qualified for the maximum payout.
'It's not a question of looking at their individual injuries, but the care and the support they will need over the years,' Buchan said. 'The MoD will say he gets a guaranteed income as well, but that's for loss of earnings based on his rank now, not what he could be in 10 years time.'
The MoD is fitting out Ormrod's house - where he lives with his fiancee, Becky, and their three-year-old daughter, Kezia-Mai - to meet his new needs. Currently using a wheelchair, Ormrod is being fitted with hi-tech prosthetic limbs. He says he wants to take up snowboarding and parachuting.
'This hasn't changed me at all,' he told his local paper, the Herald. 'I've just got to get on with it. I just want to marry Becky and move into my house.'
Ormrod was deployed to Afghanistan last October and stationed with 40 Commando at Forward Operating Base Robinson in southern Helmand.
He was out on a morning foot patrol with 11 other marines when he stepped on the mine, which was strapped to a Chinese 107 rocket, both covered by sand and mud after a heavy rainfall.
'There was a big blast and lots of smoke,' he said. 'One minute you're there and then there's a bang, like someone was rattling my brain around. The next thing I know I'm on the floor, ripped open. Everything felt numb, as if I had pins and needles. It was surreal, like a dream.' His first words to the medic who told him he had suffered some lower-leg damage, were: 'No ****; I think my dancing days are over.'
After being flown by helicopter to a local army medical base, where he received 28 pints of blood, Ormrod was airlifted on to Birmingham's Selly Oak hospital, where he underwent five operations.
He regained consciousness on 28 December. 'I asked Becky to marry me as soon as I opened my eyes,' he said. 'I'd been planning to do it before and I just thought, "It's now or never".'
Ellie