The effects of PTSD if symptoms are ignored

What causes PTSD in the military?

The term “shell shock” rose to prominence after an officer in the Royal Army Medical Corps studied the symptoms of three traumatised soldiers on the Western Front. By the end of the First World War, the army had identified 80,000 individual cases and war neuroses accounted for 1 in 7 men being discharged from service.

What was first recognised as shell shock in 1917 is now commonly referred to as PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), although the condition as we know is not only restricted to war zones. PTSD is a delayed and often devastating response to trauma that can provoke behavioural change, suicidal tendencies and recurring distressing memories, nightmares and flashbacks.

What are the symptoms of PTSD in the military?

The symptoms of PTSD can vary from person to person, so everyone’s experience of the condition will be different. However, some of the most common symptoms include:

• Flashbacks
• Problems with sleep, including insomnia or nightmares
• Struggling in crowds
• Anxiety and paranoia
• Issues with anger
• Physical symptoms, including pain, sweating, nausea or trembling

What happens if the symptoms of PTSD are ignored?

PTSD can be a severe psychological condition, and it is crucial that symptoms are recognised and treated quickly, not only for your career and continued service, but your overall well-being and quality of life.

Left untreated, symptoms of PTSD can become progressively worse and this deterioration has been linked to serious risks and conditions including aggression and anger management problems, substance abuse and suicidal ideation.

Can you be discharged from the military with PTSD?

Yes. In cases with military PTSD is considered severe (usually when psychological symptoms prevent you from being able to carry out your duties safely and effectively), your military doctor may advise that you be discharged from service.

What support is available for military PTSD?

If you’re struggling, whether you have a confirmed diagnosis of PTSD or not, it is important you seek help as soon as possible. If you’re currently in active service, speak to your military doctor about your concerns and what support may be available to you.

If you have left service, there are several medical and support organisations who can help:

• Your GP: your GP should be your first point of contact for managing your mental health, though it is important that you let them know you’ve served in the Armed Forces and request that they add the term ‘military veteran’ to your medical record. This will help ensure that you are able to be referred to health and well-being services specifically designed for veterans.
• Mental health organisations: there are several mental health support organisations who provided services specifically for veterans, including Op Courage, Combat Stress, and the Samaritans (via their Veterans app)
• Legal support: while danger is inherent in combat operations and there may be cases where little can be done to prevent the onset of PTSD, it is important that reasonable precautions are always taken to safeguard personnel and that those experiencing issues are provided with support and treatment quickly. Where your superiors or medical officers have failed in this duty, it may be possible to claim compensation to support your treatment and recovery.

How can Slater and Gordon help?

Since the first court award for PTSD was secured (New v MOD), Slater and Gordon have built up many years’ experience acting for those who’ve suffered as a result of negligent delays in the diagnosis and treatment of PTSD and who would have gone on to serve full careers but for the “combat stress”.

We acted for a former 1 Rifles Infantry soldier who, for the purpose of anonymity, we’ll call Steve. Steve suffered as a result of events that occurred during deployment to Afghanistan (Op Herrick 14). He was not referred for assessment or treatment during his time in service, despite his symptoms and requests for help, and he was discharged in 2013 on the grounds of ‘Service No Longer Required’.

Steve’s condition worsened following discharge and he struggled to find and adapt to civilian employment. In 2014 he was referred to his local NHS Mental Health team who diagnosed his PTSD and subsequently treated. Earlier intervention would, on the balance of probabilities, have led to a full, or at least accelerated partial, recovery.

The alleged mismanagement, and that it caused prolonged suffering, was robustly denied for a number of years, but with expert evidence, Slater and Gordon’s Military Team successfully achieved an out of court settlement for Steve.

Rachel Seddon, experienced military lawyer at Slater and Gordon, who represented Steve said, “Mental health issues caused by traumatic combat experiences can become worse over time and often don’t surface until many years later. Thousands of personnel will need on-going specialist mental healthcare. The treatment and recognition of such issues in the military has come a long way since the dark days when conditions like depression were widely seen as a sign of weakness, but there’s always room for improvement. It’s vitally important the UK Government and MOD continues to support soldiers with mental health issues as they move from active service into retirement.”

If you’ve suffered from PTSD or any other injury whilst in the military, and would like legal advice, talk to one of our military experts on 0330 041 5869.

*All information was correct at the time of publication.