Church Child Abuse Claims

If you or your child were abused by someone in a position of authority or working for the church, our team of solicitors could help you to claim compensation from those responsible.

We understand that, as a survivor of child abuse, you may find it difficult to come forward and bring charges against the person or organisation responsible. However, our experienced team of child abuse lawyers will be there to help and support you every step of the way, with expert legal guidance from people who have dealt with many cases in the past.

We have a proven track record of helping people claim compensation following abuse from:

Priests and other religious leaders
Volunteers and trainees
Elders
Nuns and monks
Ministers
Vergers

If a church organisation failed to protect children under its care from abuse, it may be found liable. Our specialist team of child abuse lawyers have dealt with claims for physical, emotional and sexual abuse against a number of religious organisations, including the Catholic Church, the Church of England and the Jehovah's Witnesses.

If you're the parent or guardian of a child who has been abused, or a survivor of abuse yourself, please call us on 0800 022 3503 or contact us online for a free consultation about your case.

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Church Child Abuse Claims - More Information

To make a compensation claim, the first thing you need to do is get in touch with us for a free consultation. We'll discuss the circumstances of your abuse, advise you on whether or not we think you can claim, and work out whether you could benefit from legal aid or a No Win No Fee* arrangement.

If you decide to make a claim with us, we'll usually follow the same four stages:

Investigation. We'll take a full history from you, taking time to understand what happened and when. We’ll note any injuries or psychological trauma you've experienced as a result and we may refer you for a medical or psychological examination to investigate the full impact of your abuser's actions. We may also look into records kept by the police, courts, schools, Local Authorities, or medical institutions.

We'll also need to work out who the claim will be made against. It could be an individual, or an organisation either responsible for that person's actions, or for your safety. If it's an individual, our investigators will have to look into their financial assets to find out if they'll be able to pay any settlement we agree.
Rehabilitation. Abuse, whether physical, sexual or emotional, can have long-lasting impacts on both physical and mental health, and we'll help you to access any medical or psychological care and support you need, both now and in the future.
Compensation. We'll work out how much compensation you should get based on the severity of your injuries or trauma, your pain and suffering, any medical expenses you've had to pay, and whether your abuser has impacted your ability to find work.
Conclusion. If your opponent accepted blame, you'll be awarded compensation. If not, the case will be settled in court – although this is rare. If you do have to go to court, we'll be there support you every step of the way. If we agreed to handle your claim under a No Win No Fee* arrangement, then you won't have to pay anything if you were unsuccessful.

If you have any questions about the claims process, please contact us today on 0800 022 3503 for your free initial consultation.

I just felt that they were very competent and that I could trust them, which is very important in a case like this. It’s hard to explain – I have nothing but praise about how we were treated.”

Peter, London

Patrick's Story

“When we took on Patrick’s case, the law on time limits was very much against us. However, we battled on and Patrick understood that there were no guarantees of succeeding. The law on time limits then changed and all the efforts made by Patrick in recalling these deeply traumatic events were worth it. Achieving civil justice was an important step in his healing.” – Tracey Storey, Partner

Frequently Asked Questions

Who Would A Church Child Abuse Claim Be Made Against?

Abuse can be committed by any employee of the church, including ministers, vergers, volunteers, monks and nuns.

Any organisation whose employees have contact with children is responsible for putting measures in place to ensure those children's safety. If it can be shown that the church failed to do this, you might be able to make a claim.

The claim could be brought against the religious organisation itself, if it was the employer of the abuser. Depending on the evidence, and the nature of the case, there may be scope to claim against the individual responsible for the abuse as well.

In certain circumstances it may also be possible to claim compensation through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority – we will let you know if this applies to your case.

If you or a loved one have been the victim of child abuse by an employee of the church, we encourage you to contact us online or call us on 0800 022 3503. We'll be happy to talk through your options with you in a no-obligation initial consultation to discuss your case.

Why Choose Irwin Mitchell For A Church Child Abuse Claim?

We have a dedicated team of child abuse lawyers with the experience to help get the compensation you deserve. Our team know what you’re going through, and will handle your case with sensitivity and compassion. Tracey Storey, the team's head, is the coordinator of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers' Special Interest Group on Child Abuse, as well as sitting on the Association of Child Abuse Lawyers' Executive Committee.

We understand that therapy and counselling are crucial to helping an abuse survivor to move on with their lives, and we will work hard to secure a compensation settlement that can help to provide this.

Some of the church child abuse cases we've worked on in the past have included:

A £200,000 settlement for a former choirboy who suffered years of abuse by a Church of England priest during the 1970s, starting when he was just eight years old – find out more about this case.
A settlement for a police officer who was sexually abused by a trainee priest when he was 14 years old, which helped to fund his programme of private therapy. The priest was also convicted and imprisoned – find out more about this case.

If you have any questions about making a child abuse claim, please contact us on 0800 022 3503, or get in touch online to arrange a free initial consultation about your case.

How Long Do I Have To Make A Claim?

In general, you have three years to make a claim, from the date your injury happened or from when you first became aware of it. For children, the three year time limit begins on their 18th birthday.

These time limits do not apply to people who are unable to manage their own affairs because of mental incapacity.

There are also different time limits if your injury or illness happened outside of England and Wales – for example, during international travel or if a defective product is involved. Time limits will vary and can often be much shorter than three years. No Win No Fee agreements can still be used to fund cases involving an injury abroad.

We advise that you get in touch as soon as possible to make sure no time limits pass. To find out more about claim time limits, contact our experts today on 0800 022 3503 who’ll be happy to explain.

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Church Child Abuse Claims

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Church Child Abuse Claims - More Information

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