Battling to obtain fair compensation for the former British paratrooper, the inspirational Ben Parkinson MBE.
At the time, Ben was the most seriously injured soldier to survive the war in Afghanistan. Ben suffered many injuries after the Land Rover he was travelling in was blown up by an IED in Helmand province in 2006.
The Armed Forces Compensation Scheme only considered three injuries when calculating the costs needed for the future care of injured service personnel. On the communications side, David Standard and Ashlea McConnell formed a media strategy, working with Ben and his mother, Dianne, to raise attention in the media of Ben’s plight.
The MOD continued to argue that the scheme was adequate. Following the campaign and threats of legal action, the government eventually backed down, and the AFCS was changed to better represent the needs of the injured.
A senior producer at the BBC said:
“In handling the Lance Bombardier Ben Parkinson compensation case, David Standard and Ashlea McConnell gave a master class in how public relations should be conducted.”