Our client, a former Royal Navy chef, was awarded a £1 million (gross) settlement after she sustained a non-freezing cold injury during military training in Norway.
Latifah Patrice, now 32, grew up in the Caribbean before moving to the UK in 2012. She enlisted into the Royal Navy in January 2014 on a 20-year engagement, training as a chef and quickly establishing herself as a rising star. During her service, she prepared meals for high-profile events, including a cocktail party hosted by His Royal Highness Prince Charles in 2018, a privilege reserved for chefs of the highest professional standard.
She was recommended for transfer to the Submarine Service, with ambitions to become the first Commonwealth female chef in the unit. However, while deployed to Norway in 2019, she suffered a non-freezing cold injury (NFCI) and frostbite to her hands and feet. Despite initially recovering, the condition left her permanently sensitive to the cold and ultimately led to her medical discharge in February 2021, ending her promising career.
A claim was issued in 2020 and, on 5 September 2025, the parties agreed a settlement in the sum of £1,000,000 gross (£900,000 net). This settlement is understood to be one of the highest ever achieved for this type of injury. The agreement compensates Latifah for her injury, loss of career, and financial losses arising from her discharge.
Latifah said: “I was proud to serve in the Royal Navy and had always hoped to progress my career, including becoming the first black female Commonwealth submariner chef. Sustaining my injury was devastating – it ended my military career and changed the course of my life. I am relieved that this case has now concluded, and I can start to move forward.”
Nia-Wyn Evans acted for Latifah and is Partner in our Military team which represents around 900 clients with NFCI claims.
She said: “This injury should have been preventable, and it is deeply disappointing that it brought such a promising career to an end. We are pleased to have reached a settlement on behalf of Mrs Patrice. It has been a privilege to represent her, and this settlement brings lengthy litigation to a close, allowing her the opportunity to move forward after a very challenging chapter in her life.”
