Soldier Receives £57,500 for Training Accident

A soldier whose shin was smashed in a training accident abroad has won £57,500 in damages.

The soldier was in Alberta, Canada, at the time of the accident. He was travelling in the back of a mobile artillery unit when it braked suddenly, causing a 100lb shell to fall from an ammunition rail onto his right leg.

His leg was badly injured and required emergency surgery to insert a metal bolt through the knee and down towards the ankle. In addition, 44 metal staples were used to close up the wound.

Four days after the accident, he was flown home to England.

During the next few months, he was in such severe pain that it was difficult for him to get out of bed.

The soldier struggled to cope with his lack of mobility, after having led such an active life, and suffered from depression. He found it frustrating that he was not able to play with his children or even bear the weight of them sitting on his knee.

In the year following the accident, he underwent three further operations and had extensive physiotherapy. Eventually, he was able to put weight on his injured leg but continued to suffer ongoing pain along with swelling and stiffness.

It emerged that the accident occurred because a bolt supporting the metal ammunition rail had sheared off. In its place, a piece of wood was being used as a wedge. The defect had been reported to the commanding officer but nothing was done to repair it.

After making a claim for compensation, the soldier won £57,500 in an out-of-court settlement.