Terrorism Abroad Claims

Yes, you can claim for acts of terrorism that happened on foreign soil if you were physically or mentally affected by the likes of hijacking, bombing, shooting or kidnapping.

Our specialist personal injury lawyers have a huge amount of experience in this area and have represented injured people and bereaved families following a number of international incidents, including:

• The 9/11 World Trade Centre attacks
• The bombing of Pan America flight 103 above Lockerbie
• The 7/7 London bombings
• The IRA bombing of the Arndale Centre in Manchester
• The hijacking of British tourists on a tour bus in India
• The Sousse beach incident in Tunisia.

If you were injured or experienced psychological trauma through a terrorist attack, you may be able to claim compensation under a no win no fee agreement.

You may also be able to claim if you were witness to a terrorist incident that has caused you psychological distress, particularly if the attack resulted in the injury or death of a friend, relative, child or partner.

You could also claim on behalf of someone else in the following circumstances:

• If your child has been a victim of a terrorist attack and is still under 18
• If a relative lacks the mental capacity to make their own legal decisions
• If a loved one has died because of a terrorist attack.

Since 2012, the government has operated the Victims of Overseas Terrorism Compensation Scheme, which supports the victims of terrorist attacks, as well as their families. You can apply for compensation through this as well as an independent claim against a responsible party.

The scheme doesn't necessarily cover all incidents of terrorism, but if you have been the victim of a terrorist attack abroad since 27 November 2012, you may be able to claim. The recent incidents the scheme is providing compensation for include:

• The attack in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA (1 January 2025)
• The attack in Mogadishu, Somalia (2 August 2024)
• The attack in Northern Mozambique (10 May 2024)
• The attack in Paris, France (2 December 2023)
• The attack at Queen Elizabeth National Park in western Uganda (17 October 2023)
• The attacks in Israel (starting on 7 October 2023)
• The attacks in West Bank, Occupied Palestinian Territories and Tel Aviv, Israel (7 April 2023).

However, the scheme is not limited to just these examples, so you may be able to claim for other incidents.

You can find out more information about this scheme from gov.uk or contact us for a free consultation on your case if you have any questions.

Yes, if you are still in hospital or aren’t well enough to travel home, you can still claim. We urge you to contact us as soon as you are ready, even if you are still in the country where the terror attack happened.

The time limit for making a claim in the UK is normally three years, but the limits can be much shorter in other countries. You can let us know the best way to contact you while abroad and, if necessary, these contact details can be updated once you are back in the UK.

If you or a loved one suffered as a result of an attack that happened here, you might be able to make a claim for a terrorist attack in the UK instead.

The circumstances around terrorism abroad claims can differ enormously. For this reason, it’s very hard for us to give you an estimation of how long your claim might take.

However, we understand the trauma you will have experienced because of what happened. That’s why we won’t rest until you have received every penny of compensation you deserve. We will always work efficiently and compassionately to resolve your claim as quickly as possible. This makes the process much less stressful for you and means you can start to rebuild your life faster.

No matter how long your terrorism abroad claim takes, we will be with you every step of the way.