Wounded soldier in new fight for 'fair' pension

They have criticised Government doctors, claiming they do not understand the pain and suffering endured from war injuries.

Former L/Cpl Adam Douglas is determined to get the benefits and proper pension he is entitled to.

He was blown up by a rocket-propelled grenade in Basra during a firefight with the Iraqi Republican Guard in 2003.

Since then he has had 29 operations to repair the damage to his spine, bladder and bowels and his home in Leeds has had a stairlift and new wetroom-style bathroom fitted.

"I applied for a war pension, and a carer's allowance for my wife, who had to give up her job to care for me because I was completely incapable of looking after myself," he said.

He claims that, when he applied for carer's allowance through the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), he was told he was not ill enough.

"I was in shock when I was told," he said. "I'd been blown up, various sections of my body had been removed and I'm still not able to walk."

Mr Douglas was seen by a doctor employed by the Government through Atos – the company that holds its 80m a year contract to deal with benefit claims.

"The doctor kept asking me about my 'accident', asking things like 'did the injuries come on slowly or were they sudden?'

"I said 'they were sudden – I was blown up'. I had to keep explaining to her, I'm an ex-serviceman from Iraq and I was blown up."

His reflexes were then tested but being partially paralysed down one leg meant there was no response.

"She then started asking me again why I'm so bad with the reactions, adding 'you're the first soldier I've ever examined with war injuries'."

Mr Douglas was classed as 30 per cent injured – the second most common percentage bracket for war pensions.

"I knew that was wrong, because I know people who had sports injuries and had a higher level of pension," he said.

He has now won two tribunals – one for the carer's allowance and one for his war pension.

"At the pension's hearing the panel deliberated for less than five minutes. They said they were shocked such a case had even been brought."

A new assessment was made by an independent doctor, who said his entitlement should be raised to 70 per cent.

But he is still battling for carer's allowance because the hearing could only rule that back payments be made up to the point of the appeal.

"The day after the appeal I had a letter saying I had to re-apply for carer's allowance and I have to go through the whole process again. I want to scream.

"There are too many people who are letting this slide and are too ill to see this long drawn out process through to get what they deserve.

"I feel betrayed and let down by the Government. It makes you question the service you've done for your country. Why did I bother?"