In the House of Commons yesterday, Labour MP John Healey tabled an urgent question asking the Minister for Defence People and Veterans, Johnny Mercer to update the House on the Overseas Operations Bill’s impact on the rights of British troops serving overseas to bring civil liability claims against the Ministry of Defence and its implications…
I pay tribute to the bravery of our Armed Forces every day of the year, but today, on Armed Forces Day 2020, I’d particularly like to salute all our service personnel, veterans and their families.Showing support for the Armed Forces provides a much-valued morale boost for our troops and their families. Unfortunately, due to the…
www.ihatjustice.co.uk British soldiers falsely accused of brutality and abuses against Iraqi civilians between 2003 and 2009 are preparing a landmark legal action against the Ministry of Defence (MoD). The Iraq Historic Allegations Team, which hounded thousands of innocent troops, was shut down on 30 June 2017. Countless lives were ruined by the £60m probe –…
he Defence Secretary was last night accused of a cover-up after it emerged a £10million probe into Afghan veterans was secretly closed down a year ago. Operation Northmoor was ended by the provost marshal heading the Royal Military Police investigation last summer, according to a defence source. At its height, the special police unit was…
Hilary Meredith Solicitors has continued its expansion by promoting Adrian Mullen and Lucia Parkinson to partners. The promotions come after a strong year for Hilary Meredith Solicitors, with the specialist military law firm securing a number of life-changing personal injury and clinical negligence settlements for service personnel, veterans and their families. With a scientific and…
British soldiers who have been accused of committing war crimes in Iraq are unlikely to face criminal prosecution.Independent investigators were asked to look at thousands of allegations made against the British military after the invasion of Iraq in 2003.But the director of the Service Prosecution Authority (SPA) said just one remaining case was being examined.Andrew…
Mental Health Awareness Week and why our armed forces and veterans need support 52 weeks of the year
At Hilary Meredith Solicitors, we are delighted to support this week’s Mental Health Awareness Week. Mental Health Awareness Week is the UK’s national week to raise awareness of mental health and mental health problems and inspire action to promote the message of good mental health for all. Mental health provision is particularly important in our…
Recent reports in The Guardian suggest that Northern Ireland’s human rights commissioner has warned the government it is at risk of breaching the law with “puzzling and troublesome” plans to limit prosecutions of British soldiers who served during the Troubles. In a letter, Les Allamby said he had told ministers he had “deep initial concerns”…
After lobbying the Government on behalf of service personnel and veterans for the last six weeks, Hilary Meredith Solicitors has welcomed news that Veterans UK, the support organisation responsible for administering the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS), is to look into urgent cases. Hilary Meredith Solicitors has been in communication with Veterans UK over a…
Government urged to follow its own guidance so army veterans can receive desperately needed payments
Hilary Meredith Solicitors is calling on the Government to follow its own return to work guidance so that army veterans can receive desperately needed payments. Veterans UK, the support organisation responsible for administering the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS), remains unaware of pre-lockdown Tribunal decisions and unable to process casework and payments. Hilary Meredith Solicitors…
Hilary Meredith, who acts for service personnel, veterans and their families and provided evidence to the Drawing a Line: Protecting Veterans by a Statute of Limitations Inquiry, has called for all veterans facing investigation to be guaranteed immediate access to independent legal advice. The Defence Committee yesterday published the Government’s Response to the previous Committee’s…
Veterans UK, the support organisation responsible for administering the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS), remains unaware of pre-lockdown Tribunal decisions and unable to process payments. Hilary Meredith Solicitors has been in communication with Veterans UK over an urgently needed payment for an army veteran who won his appeal at Tribunal on 18 March 2020, five…
Hilary Meredith Solicitors is calling for “combat immunity” to be extended to doctors and nurses – giving them greater legal protection in the fight against COVID-19. Widely known for its work on behalf of armed forces service personnel, veterans and their families, Hilary Meredith Solicitors says battlefield legal principles should apply to medics in their…
Our Armed Forces are continuing to help battle the COVID-19 pandemic. From getting the NHS Nightingale Hospital at London’s ExCel from conception to reality in just 9 days, to supporting civilian authorities across the country. Here are just a few examples of how troops are working to keep us all safe: – Over 2700 personnel…
In last week’s Times Law, Lord Burnett of Maldon, the most senior judge in England and Wales, explained how a “remarkable” aspect of “these sombre times” is that “in just a few weeks great strides have been made in the use of technology, which traditionally would have taken much longer”. And he’s right. Throughout the…
Hilary Meredith Solicitors is the UK’s leading military law firm, acting for service personnel, veterans and their families. Our award-winning team looks after clients whose injuries range from relatively minor to catastrophic. Due to ongoing expansion, a number of exciting opportunities have arisen within our Armed Forces Compensation Scheme Department. SOLICITOR ROLE: 2 – 5…
To update my blog from yesterday, 99-year-old army veteran Tom Moore has now raised an incredible £5 million (as of 10am this morning) for the NHS! Tom originally hoped to raise £1,000 for NHS Charities Together, to thank “magnificent” staff after recent treatment for a broken hip and cancer by walking 100 laps of his…
Examples of the military playing their part in the the huge national fight back against Coronavirus are widespread, but a special mention must go to 99-year-old army veteran, Tom Moore who is set to raise over £500,000 by completing 100 laps of his Bedfordshire garden by Thursday, walking with the aid of a frame. Tom…
Veterans UK, the support organisation responsible for administering the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme, is failing to making payments to veterans who have successfully appealed to the First-Tier Tribunal in recent weeks. Specialist military law firm, Hilary Meredith Solicitors, says payment of all new awards has stalled as Veterans UK does not have any caseworkers. As…
Armed forces solicitor Natalie Robinson has criticised the War Pensions and Armed Forces Compensation Tribunal for its failure to adapt to the Coronavirus crisis – after being refused a telephone hearing. Natalie, Head of Hilary Meredith Solicitors’ Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) department said: “I travelled from Wilmslow to Hampshire yesterday, and have come into…