Heartache of soldier who lost leg in bomb blast, only to face benefits battle
A FORMER soldier, maimed by a bomb blast that killed his friend, has told of his heartache despite winning his battle to keep his disability benefit.
Aron Shelton, 27, lost the lower part of his leg in 2008 after being injured by a roadside bomb while on patrol in Helmand Province in Afghanistan.
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VICTORY: Ex-soldier Aron Shelton, of Bridlington, with fiancée Callan Sowler celebrate the tribunal's decision. Picture: Simon Kench
The Bridlington resident has fought for the past 18 months to keep his car, which he was told he would lose as part of the benefits cutback.
At a two-minute tribunal in Scarborough yesterday, it was decided he would get to keep his car indefinitely.
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Speaking after the ruling, Aron said: "No one should have to go through the heartache I have been through.
"I lost my breath when the decision was read out. I didn't have high hopes.
"This should never have happened in the first place.
"I hope my successful battle gives other people in a similar situation hope."
Initially, Aron was offered £180 a month in benefit payments or an adapted car – he chose the car.
After an 18-month struggle, he learned to walk a few hundred metres.
But after assessing his condition, the Department for Work and Pensions threatened to take away his car.
Aron appealed, but it was unsuccessful, so he went to a tribunal which has now ruled in his favour.
He said: "I don't think I would have been successful had it not been for the support of the residents and the Royal British Legion.
"Having put 100 per cent into this battle, I now want to concentrate on learning to become a bus driver.
"This is something I can do without suffering any pain."
A Department for Work and Pensions spokeswoman said: "We owe the men and women who have served their country a huge debt of gratitude and cases like this illustrate why we are making changes to the way we assess eligibility to Disability Living Allowance.
"We are introducing a new, more objective assessment and regular reviews, to ensure the system is fairer and targets those most in need."
Comments
by IvorTwitch
Friday, September 23 2011, 3:37PM
“P.S he might think that is the end of it, but nobody gets DLA for life and the new rules when they come into force in 2013 means he will have to go through all this again.”
by IvorTwitch
Friday, September 23 2011, 3:35PM
“'A Department for Work and Pensions spokeswoman said: ...
"We are introducing a new, more objective assessment and regular reviews, to ensure the system is fairer and targets those most in need.'
Under the new system the majority of DLA claiments will lose there DLA due to the medicals conducted by such as ATOS and we will see 1000's of people haveingt o go to appeal tribunas like the chap in this article to win back the DLA they will be wrongly stopped from getting due to the flawed medicals.”
by Baldric1234
Friday, September 23 2011, 3:01PM
“Mr Shelton is in no way disabled with his leg which was cut off below the knee. He even admitted it on the claim form he filled in. People seem to get wrapped up in this war hero thing that has nothing to do with his right to a disability payout.
My brother lost the bottom part of his leg in a motorcycling accident but it never crossed his mind to claim as he says it doesn't affect him at all. You would never know he had his leg missing unless he was wearing shorts.
He recently ran the Great North Run so how is he disabled, in fact some bloke with no legs ran in the World Athletics Championship.
It just shows what you can do if you put your mind to it rather than spending time trying to make out you have a disability.”
by RichCoupland
Friday, September 23 2011, 2:33PM
“@myhull if someone was run over by a bus or it got trapped in some machinery and they lost there leg because it was crushed would you say they wasn't entitled to claim for disability????”
by sarahhull66
Friday, September 23 2011, 1:16PM
“I think the saying " if you're not prepared to stand behind our troops, please feel free to stand in front of them" , is well deserved in this case.”
by paulshull
Friday, September 23 2011, 12:33PM
“@myhull, so just who would be eligble for disabillity benefit in your Daily Express"all benefit claiments are scroungers" kind of world,one can only hope you never find yourself, ill,disabled or unemployed.”
by myhull
Friday, September 23 2011, 12:24PM
“I do sympathise with Mr Shelton, but he didnt join the army to pick daisies
Yes he's lost a limb, and yes he was serving the country, but plenty of people get up and go to work with worse disabilities
People seem to get caught up in "serving his country" thing, but that was his choice, nobody kicked his door down and forced him to join
once again I sympathise with Mr Shelton, but i do not agree with his entitlement to benefit”
by OTT64
Friday, September 23 2011, 12:19PM
“Look before you lot start to throw the racist card at me cause some of you will!, we know of a Somalian woman who lives local & has 8 kids, her husband aint working and they moved to the uk 4 years ago, There isnt a sole in the house that works & with no prejudice WHY are we supporting people like them? if they cant afford to support themselves why are they let in the uk & why isnt they any financial checks made? they must be getting £20k per year? they dont need to work...”
by AstonomiaSK
Friday, September 23 2011, 10:24AM
“The absolute Hell that sick & disabled people have to go through is appaulling - all down to the VERY few that fiddle the system.”
by crossplot
Friday, September 23 2011, 8:33AM
“To be fair, this example shows that the DWP is actually doing what us lot have been screaming out for, for ages. And that is, to ensure that people who need and deserve the payout, get it, and the scroates that don't, won't.
The comment, "We are introducing a new, more objective assessment and regular reviews, to ensure the system is fairer and targets those most in need." says it all really.
I really feel for this guy having had to go through the hassle of appeal and scrutiny, and anyone can see this guy deserves it. Jeez, there is NO WAY I could have done what our guys do in Afghan and Iraq.
As painful as it is/was, in one way, and its not a put down to this guy whatsoever, I am glad the DWP are checking cases and paying cash to those that need it.
I know it sounds horrible, it isn't meant to be like that, but is this (the system) not what we have been screaming for?
Perhaps a tweak or two here and there would of course help, especially in this case it would have.
Good luck to you and your fiancé, hope it now all works out for you.”