Military PTSD and Mental Health Claims

Military Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Mental Health Claims

The physical health of any member of the armed forces is of course critical, but so is the state of their mental health.

PTSD – Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is caused by exposure to particularly distressing, dangerous or frightening experiences. While military personnel are trained and medically assessed to ensure they are able to deal with a range of horrific situations, PTSD can frequently occur – particularly during and following on from combat or war-zone exposure.

PTSD can have both physical and mental symptoms including:

• Extreme physical reactions to reminders of trauma including sweating, nausea and increased heart-rate
• Aggression or irritability
• Hyper-awareness and hyper-vigilance
• Intense feeling of distress when reminded of an event
• Loss of interest in daily life
• Invasive, upsetting memories of an event
• Engaging in risky or destructive behaviour
• Flashbacks – reliving the experience over and over again
• Nightmares and sleep deprivation
• Emotional numbness and detachment
• Avoidance of activities, feelings, thoughts or places that bring reminders of the event
• Difficulty in remembering aspects of the event
• Lack of hope for the future

In some cases these symptoms may not occur immediately after exposure to certain situations – they can take years to manifest themselves, whereas in other situations they can occur quite soon after the event has taken place. Every person is different and so the way in which they deal with particularly stressful situations is entirely individual. Some people may have no ongoing issues after experiencing truly horrific situations, whereas others may be badly affected by something that may be perceived as less stressful.

If you have been diagnosed with PTSD it is likely that you could make a claim for compensation. However, if you were not diagnosed with or treated for PTSD but have exhibited clear symptoms, you could also make a claim.

If you or someone you care for suffers with or has suffered from PTSD or any other mental health issue as a result of military service, your first line of enquiry should be with your doctor who should be able to put suitable treatment options into place and advise you as to other sources of help that is out there. Then you should contact one of our highly trained, experienced solicitors so that we can make a start on getting you the compensation you and your family deserve. In theory, to be eligible to make a claim for compensation it must be within 3 years of an injury occurring, or within 3 years of realising that your illness or injury was related to military service. However, as PTSD can strike at any time, sometimes years after the event, you should contact us today and let us see how we can help you get the pay-out you and your family deserve.

Contact us today for free, no obligation advice regarding your Armed Forces claim – either by calling us free on 0800 999 1875, or by requesting a free call back, whereby one of our team will contact you at a time of your choosing to discuss your situation. When you contact us you are under no obligation to continue with the case unless you wish to do so.

We’re here to help – contact us today.

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