Veterans’ group Justice4Heroes is demanding long-overdue justice for thousands of former Armed Forces personnel suffering hearing loss caused during their service. The national campaign is calling for urgent legal reform to allow veterans discharged before 1987 to access the same compensation routes currently available to more recent veterans.
Before 1987, the Ministry of Defence was protected by Crown immunity, a legal shield that prevented service personnel from bringing claims, even in cases of proven negligence. When the law changed, it applied only to those still serving or discharged after the reform. This left an entire generation of veterans with no legal route to seek redress for life-altering injuries sustained in the line of duty.
“This is not just a legal issue. It’s a question of basic fairness,” stated a Justice4Heroes spokesperson. “There should be no distinction between veterans injured in the same way, simply because of the date on their discharge papers.”
It is estimated that more than 300,000 veterans who served after 1987 are eligible to claim. Many have already received compensation ranging from £10,000 to £20,000, with the highest award to date exceeding £700,000. However, veterans who served in identical roles and suffered the same injuries before 1987 have been left with nothing.
The campaign also highlights the hypocrisy of commemorating events like the 80th anniversary of VE Day while neglecting veterans who served in the 1950s, ’60s, and ’70s. Many of these individuals are now elderly and living with long-term hearing damage, without recognition or redress.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer stated, “We owe our veterans a debt of gratitude we can never fully repay. They deserve dignity, fairness, and respect.” However, for thousands who served before 1987, those words still ring hollow. These men and women were prepared to sacrifice everything for their country. Now they are being sidelined by a system that draws arbitrary lines based on dates, not duty or injury.
It is not enough to praise veterans in speeches and parades while denying them basic justice. True respect requires action. That starts with equal treatment for all veterans, regardless of when they served.
The Justice4Heroes petition has now surpassed 10,000 signatures, triggering an official response from the UK Government. The next milestone is 100,000 signatures, which would prompt a formal debate in Parliament. To support the campaign, visit:
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/715800
If you or someone you know has hearing difficulties and left the Armed Forces after 1987, visit the Justice4Heroes website to see if you may be able to make a claim: www.justice4heroes.org
This news article is distributed by Pressat, a leading press release distribution service.