Truck pull horror hero suing MoD
Ex-soldier is taking legal action after armoured vehicle ran over him during charity event in Afghanistan
A FORMER soldier who lost his leg in an horrific accident during a truck pull in Afghanistan is suing the MoD.
Mark Western, 30, from Stockport, suffered catastrophic injuries and almost lost his life when he was dragged under an armoured car during the charity event at Ouellette military base in November 2012.
Mark, a former soldier with the Kings Division of the First Lancashire Regiment, was pulling the ‘Husky’ armoured vehicle with 19 fellow soldiers as part of an event to celebrate St Andrew’s Day when the vehicle gained momentum and he was dragged under its wheels.
Mark suffered multiple fractures to his left foot, which ultimately led to him losing his leg below the knee, plus a fractured vertebrae, broken pelvis, fractured ribs and ruptured bladder.
AFORMER soldier who lost his leg after an horrific accident during a truck pull in Afghanistan is suing the MoD.
Mark Western, 30, from Stockport, suffered catastrophic injuries and almost lost his life when he was dragged under an armoured car during a charity event at Ouellette military base in November 2012.
Mark, a former soldier with the Kings Division of 1 Lancashire Regiment, was pulling the ‘Husky’ armoured vehicle with 19 fellow soldiers as part of an event to celebrate St Andrew’s Day when the vehicle gained momentum and he was dragged under its wheels.
Mark suffered multiple fractures to his left foot, which ultimately led to him losing his leg below the knee, a fractured vertebrae, broken pelvis, fractured ribs and a ruptured bladder.
He was also left with permanent back pain and post-traumatic stress disorder.
The MoD has admitted that there were problems with the length of ropes used and overcrowding when the accident happened.
Under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS), Mark has already received a settlement, but now he has instructed expert military injury lawyers Irwin Mitchell to help him secure funds to pay for a lifetime of rehabilitation, prosthetics and specialist equipment he needs to live more independently.
Mark said: “I have had to have my house adapted so I can move around freely in a wheelchair.
“I have to have a downstairs wet room and wheelchair ramps – those things cost money and I’m still having surgeries to correct this and that with my leg so I might need further equipment down the line.”
Military injury lawyer Paul Weston added: “Mark suffered horrific injuries which he is still working hard to overcome and adapt to. He has struggled with everyday tasks that many of us are able to take for granted, such as simply moving from room to room within his own home.
“With an amputation comes a lifetime of adaptations and adjustments both physically and mentally.
“We have been working with Mark to secure the funding he needs for the rest of his life to help him live as independently as possible and to get the rehabilitation and suitable prosthetics to enable him to do this.
“Many of our injured soldiers go on to represent the country in the Paralympics or the Invictus Games and one of the reasons for this is that they are able to combine their determination to succeed with high quality prosthetics and care.
“But some still don’t know they may be entitled to support beyond the AFCS.”