A severely injured soldier, who suffered the worst injuries of any soldier to survive, has received less in compensation than an RAF typist with an injured thumb.

Ben Parkinson was blown up by a mine in Afghanistan, suffering a total of 37 horrendous injuries. The 23 year old has lost both legs, suffered serious damage to his pelvis, spine, skull, ribcage, hands and spleen. He was in a coma for several months.

Ben's mother would like to buy him a bungalow to allow her to care for him, but the severely-injured paratrooper has only been awarded £152,150 in compensation. This is just over half the maximum award for an injured soldier, and is less than one third of the amount (£484,000) given to an RAF typist who suffered with repetitive strain injury in her thumb!

Ben's mother plans to challenge the award in the High Court, but does not qualify for Legal Aid.

Veterans' groups have condemned the award - saying that the military covenant, which guarantees troops fair treatment in return for risking their lives, is being broken.

Ben is expected to spend at least a year in a military rehabilitation centre before he can return home, when he will need daily care in a specially-adapted home. Only three of his injuries were taken into account when assessing the compensation payout, thanks to red tape the rest of his horrific injuries count for nothing! He spent three months in a coma, contracted MRSA during one of several operations and cannot take liquids by mouth. He will spend time at Headley Court in Surrey as part of his rehabilitation.

Contrast Ben's treatment with the compensation paid out to others - convicted fraudster slips in shower at Wayland Prison in Norfolk, awarded £248,000 after claiming he was rendered impotent, he later fathered a daughter; a teacher was awarded £330,000 after an intruder entered the classroom, she was not harmed; prisoner tries to kill himself and is awarded £575,000 and £750,000 paid to heroin addicts who claimed that having their treatment cut short amounted to "torture".

It is time that this government and the legal system, got their priorities right.

Link: ABEX