Claire Roantree wins six-figure settlement for former soldier

Who? Claire Roantree, 38, head of serious personal injury at Colemans-ctts in Surrey.

Why is she in the news? Won a six-figure settlement for a former soldier with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The soldier, who cannot be named, joined the army in 1984 and served in the Falkland Islands, Northern Ireland, the Gulf, Bosnia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone. His duties included bomb disposal and dealing with terrorist incidents. He sought help in 1998, but, although asked to appear in a training video about the condition, was cleared for operations by an army psychiatrist.

He again sought help in June 2004, and was this time diagnosed with PTSD and prescribed cognitive behavioural therapy. But before starting the therapy, he was involved in a car accident that so severely exacerbated his symptoms that he was medically discharged from the army.

When he claimed compensation in June 2007, the MoD said that, as he had known of his PTSD since 1998, the three years’ limitation period had expired. Roantree successfully argued in the Court of Appeal that, because her client was only formally diagnosed in June 2004, he was still within time. The MoD appealed the decision, but subsequently settled out of court.

Thoughts on the case: ‘This highlights the potential liability of military psychiatrists and officers when signs of PTSD appear, and their joint responsibility in ensuring that army personnel are properly monitored and treated. PTSD is still a taboo subject in the army, and I hope that this case serves to remind the MoD that it has a continuing duty of supervision and monitoring.’

Career high: ‘This case with its fascinating limitation issues.’

Career low: ‘A divorcing couple were in dispute over who would keep the family crockery. I was a trainee and had to be there when it was returned, except it had been shaken to pieces. I refused to sign a document saying it had been given back in good condition – and got assaulted.’