JMW Solicitors has signed the Armed Forces Covenant, cementing its support for the Armed Forces Community, and welcomed Corporal Andy Reid as its Ambassador.
Corporal Reid lost both his legs and his right arm after stepping on an IED whilst serving with the 3rd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment in Afghanistan in 2009. He astounded people with his recovery, spending just two weeks in hospital before returning home.
He will work with JMW to encourage soldiers to seek help following injury, ending the ‘man-up culture that continues to dominate, and raising awareness around advice, support and securing financial payments.
JMW established its Armed Forces team in September 2018, spearheaded by Partner, Clare Stevens. Clare specialises in advising and supporting injured members of the armed forces and their families.
Andy said: “I’m very passionate about helping injured men and women to get what they deserve from the MoD – people are missing out all over the place, particularly when it comes to financial support and compensation.
“The armed forces is obviously a tough environment, and rightly so, but that shouldn’t prevent soldiers from accessing the help that they need following injury – people need to know about time limits and other stipulations; there are too many smoke and mirrors.”
He continued: “I’m looking forward to working with Clare and the team at JMW to raise awareness about the help and support that services personnel are entitled to, and preventing people walking away with less than they deserve.”
Serving in the British Armed Forces was a childhood dream for Andy, who continues to reflect positively on his time in the forces and the fantastic opportunities and experiences it allowed him to experience. A testament to his attitude in overcoming adversity, he doesn’t let the severity of his injuries stop him from living his life with a positive mind-set.
His new role as Ambassador to JMW Solicitors complements other partnerships with Step Forward Homes, the ABF Soldier Charity and Morson International – part of his continued commitment to supporting armed forces personnel.
Clare Stevens, Partner at JMW Solicitors, said: “We’re delighted that Andy has agreed to become our ambassador as we look to support more armed forces personnel to secure the help, advice and financial support they need following injury. Andy is hugely inspirational and I’ve no doubt that together we’ll be able to help many more people.
“Too many men and women are dissuaded from seeking compensation they’re entitled to, or pressured into accepting smaller payments than they should be receiving – it’s just not good enough.”
