Abdoulie Bojang, 30, was training in Banff, Canada, is seeking £200,000
after he says his hands were exposed to temperatures of -30C. He is
suing the MoD over claims of non freezing cold injuries (File photo)
- Abdoulie Bojang, 30, suing MoD for £200,000 for non-freezing cold injury
- Ex-soldier claims his hands were injured in ski training exercise in Canada
- Bojang, who served in Royal Logistic Corps, lodged claim with High Court
- Claims army 'failed to take into account his ethnicity' during training
- At least 450 Commonwealth soldiers suffered cold injuries in past decade
Published: 17 April 2016
A
black former soldier is suing the Ministry of Defence for injuries
sustained during winter training when he claims his hands were exposed
to freezing temperatures.
Abdoulie
Bojang, 30, was training in Banff, Canada, and is seeking £200,000
after he says his hands were exposed to temperatures of -30C.
He claims the army 'failed to take into account his ethnicity' during the training exercises, according to the Sunday Times.
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spokesman for solicitors Bolt Burdon Kemp said: 'Service personnel of
African and
Afro-Caribbean descent, including those of mixed race, are
particularly vulnerable in low temperatures.'
According to one lawyer at Irwin Mitchell at least 450 Commonwealth soldiers have suffered cold injuries in the past decade.
The
ex-soldier, originally from Gambia who now lives in Warwickshire, was
medically discharged from the army in September last year.
Bojang, who served with the Royal Logistic Corps, has lodged a claim in the High Court via his barrister Christopher Barnes.
In
the soldier's claim about the 2014 exercise in the Rocky Mountains, it
says: 'During the afternoon he noticed that his feet were numb as were
both of his hands.
'He made his way to the resort lodge to warm his hands and saw that they had changed colour.'
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spokesperson for Bolt Burdon Kemp added: 'The MoD has acknowledged
research indicating that these groups are 30 times more likely to
contract an NFCI (non-freezing cold injury) than Caucasian service
personnel.
The ex-soldier, originally from Gambia
who now lives in Warwickshire, was medically discharged from the army
last September. He claims the army 'failed to take into account his
ethnicity' during the training exercises (File photo)
'Even mild injuries can leave long-term effects such as problems regulating body temperature.
HOW TO PREVENT NON-FREEZING COLD INJURIES
- Limit exposure
- Keep feet and hands as dry as possible
- Regular hot food and drink
- Early recognition of symptoms, evacuation and treatment
- Report incidents properly to help identify clusters of cases
- Most importantly, be aware of the early signs of cold injury
'The damage to a military career and the prolonged pain can even result in depression.
'Many
of our clients have problems with day-to-day living because their hands
have been affected so that their manual dexterity is reduced.
'Personnel
from the Commonwealth will often find that, following a cold injury,
they are restricted to working in warm climates.
'This means they can no longer follow any plans they may have made to make a life in the UK, Europe or North America.'
A
non-freezing cold injury comes about when the core temperature of the
body remains below its natural level for a long period of time.
When someone's core temperature falls too low the blood vessels constrict, thereby reducing blood flow to hands and feet.
This has the effect of reducing the amount of oxygen transported to those extremities.
This is harmful even though body tissue does not freeze.
Bojang, who served with the Royal
Logistic Corps, has lodged a claim in the High Court via his barrister
Christopher Barnes (File photo)
If there is no immediate treatment nerve and blood vessel damage can occur, sometimes causing permanent injury.
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spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence said: 'When compensation
claims are submitted, they are considered on the basis of whether or not
the Ministry of Defence has a legal liability to pay compensation.
'Where there is a legal liability to pay compensation, we do so.'
Last
year a parliamentary select committee chaired by MP Madeleine Moon
heard that hundreds of military personnel are injured every year because
the MoD fails to follow its own safety rules.
Lawyers
representing injured service men and women told the Defence Select
Committee that the armed forces fail to learn from past mistakes
resulting results in the death and injury of soldiers every year.
A non-freezing cold injury comes about
when the core temperature of the body remains below its natural level
for a long period of time (File photo)
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