David Young, a former staff sergeant in the British Army during the 1970s, has revealed that exposure to hazardous explosives during his service led to his bladder cancer diagnosis.
He claims that he handled highly toxic materials, including nitrobenzene, without proper personal protective equipment (PPE), significantly increasing his cancer risk.
The extent of sergeant David Young’s exposure
Dismantling a 400kg Bomb Without Adequate Protection
Staff sergeant David Young conducted a remote-controlled explosion and searched through the explosives-filled oil drum with his bare hands, looking for booby traps or a backup timer.
He wore a bomb suit and a helmet, but no further personal protection equipment.
“In a polythene-wrapped bag was a booster charge packed with nitrobenzene, classified as a probable human carcinogen — a substance that may increase the risk of developing cancer — by the US Environmental Protection Agency.”
Before packing the explosives to be sent to a forensics lab, he had to cut into it with a scalpel to retrieve the detonator.
Young, who later became a Warrant Officer Class 1, is shown seated on an oil drum surrounded by explosive material without a mask or gloves in photos sent to The Times.
Young claims that while on a four-month tour, he handled hundreds of handmade explosives that contained nitrobenzene without the appropriate safety equipment.
The negative health impact on the sergeant
After leaving the military at the age of 40 in October 1986. The now 78-year-old is one of 13 veterans who served with Northern Ireland’s 321 Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit.
All 13 sergeants served during the same time period without any personal protective equipment (PPE) have or have had cancer. Unfortunately, four of them have died.
Young openly spoke about his cancer diagnosis for the first time saying his consultant said, “my exposure to nitrobenzene was the most likely cause.”
He now lives with a stoma and urostomy bag after having his bladder and prostate removed during an eight-hour operation four years ago.
He claimed that his medical records had been redacted by the Ministry of Defence, which prevented them from proving that he had been asked to handle such substances without the appropriate safety gear.
Young, who has been married to his wife Mary for 58 years and has two daughters and two grandchildren, said he felt “incredibly lucky to still be alive”.
Investigations findings
Scientific evidence links explosives to bladder cancer
According to a study released last week, bomb disposal officers under 70 may have a five times higher rate of bladder cancer than the general population.
The study, which was presented at the European Association of Urology Annual Congress in Madrid and published in the medical journal BJU International, discovered that 12 veterans, or 2% of the sample size of 688, had been diagnosed with bladder cancer.
The study’s primary author, retired Brigadier General Dr. Gareth Collett, who has bladder cancer, stated that the results indicated a “significant link” between bladder cancer and exposure to explosives that ammunition specialists come into contact with.
Unfortunately, no compensation has been given, and the MoD has not acknowledged responsibility.
According to earlier reports from The Times, military troops who flew in helicopters and were exposed to harmful vapours were given cancer diagnoses.
Revelations lead to action from the MoD
Military veterans still fighting for recognition
The revelations raised fears that not enough has been done to protect troops. Consequently, the MoD tested the exhaust emissions of all helicopters to make sure they are no longer exposed to hazardous levels.
Troops think they are dying of the disease after unintentionally being exposed to the poisonous exhaust fumes released by military helicopters like Sea King, Wessex, and more recently Puma and Chinook helicopters.
An MoD spokesperson said:
“We are committed to ensuring the safety of our people, whose health is a top priority and will carefully review this new research.”
Further information
Armed Forces Legal Support
Serving in the military is an honourable and often challenging role.
Every career in the Armed Forces carries risks that may result in injury or lasting illness.
Knowing how to navigate legal matters can make the transition back to civilian life easier.
With the help of a specialised Military Claims solicitor, you can pursue the compensation you deserve for injuries or illnesses sustained during your service, legal support for family matters or help selling or buying a property or making a Will.
Types of Military Injury
We see a range of different injuries caused by time in service. Below are some of the injuries we see often, however, if your injury is not on the list, we may still be able to help.
Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS)
There are several routes we can take to claim compensation, depending on the circumstances of the injury and when it was sustained.
At Oakwood Solicitors Ltd, we can assist you in pursuing a claim through the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS), which compensates those who have suffered injury, illness, or death during the UK Armed Forces service on or after 6 April 2005.
You can claim for any injury or illness which has been caused by service in the armed forces, during training or in active duty, from hearing loss and arthritis to amputations or mental health issues.
Which Armed Services does the scheme cover?
The Armed Forces Compensation Scheme covers all regular service personnel, the Royal Gibraltar Regiment, and members of the reserves for all three services. You can claim whether you still serve or have left HM Armed Forces.
Time limits explained
Claims for these types of injuries or illnesses must be made within 7 years of the earliest of the following dates:
- The date of the incident leading to the injury or illness
- The date on which an injury or illness not caused by service was made worse by service
- In the case of illness, the date of first seeking medical advice for that illness
- The date of discharge
However, there are certain circumstances when a claim will be accepted outside the time limits above, such as being prevented from claiming due to ill health or your illness occurring later.
If you were 18 or under at the time of the injury, you will have nine years to make a claim.
What is the process of a Military Injury claim?
Once we receive your enquiry, we would like to have a brief telephone conversation to obtain all the relevant details we need and assess the prospects of the claim.
Once this information is received, we will make a quick decision and if we can proceed with your claim, we will get things underway, and a claim will be submitted to the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS).
We will continue to consult with you and the AFCS until a decision is made and the right level of compensation received.
The experts in military personal Injury claims
At Oakwood Solicitors Ltd, we aim to seek justice for Military Personnel who have been injured during their time in service. We are enthusiastic about securing compensation for service members and to ease the financial burden they may face in civilian life.
We can help Armed Forces personnel claim compensation, whether their injury was caused by negligence, or simply as a result of their time in service with no one to blame.
We often assist in cases where injuries have been sustained during training exercises, accidents involving military vehicles, or caused by defective equipment. We also specialise in claims involving noise-induced hearing loss, non-freezing cold injuries, and psychiatric injuries such as PTSD.
Our dedicated team of solicitors, who specialise in Military Claims can assist you with the best way of seeking compensation. Depending on the injury caused and when it was sustained, there are different routes we can take to ensure a successful outcome.
Further information
Military personal injury claims – Oakwood Solicitors
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Natasha Hardy is a Solicitor and Head of the Industrial Disease Department, specialising in Industrial Disease matters and has experience in handling a wide range of cases including claims for Noise-I…
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