Abuse in School Claims Solicitors

Technically speaking, the letter of the law says that claims are supposed to be made within 3 years of the abuse taking place, or before the child affected reaches their 21st birthday. In practice though, the courts recognise the magnitude of the difficulties that many survivors have in sharing their experiences – especially if they’ve been threatened by their abuser, or if they didn’t previously understand that what happened to them was wrong.

Survivors may have to deal with one of the following:

• Fear of not being believed
• Feelings of shame or guilt
• Fear of the abuser, especially after intimidation or explicit threats of violence
• Difficulty in articulating the nature or scale of the abuse
• Trying to protect family or loved ones (or even the abuser themselves)
• Feelings of powerlessness
• Suppression of the memories of the abuse
• Struggles with the psychological impact of the abuse

If any of this sounds like something that you or a loved one has experienced – or are currently experiencing – then we’re here to help at Farleys.

It’s not unusual for school child abuse cases can be brought (and won) years or even decades after the abuse occurred. However, it’s worth noting that the sooner a case is brought, the better its chances of success, as it could make it easier to collect vital evidence that might otherwise be in danger of being moved, lost, or destroyed.

Just like our process for other types of abuse here at Farleys, our process for school child abuse claims can be classified into several different stages. By working progressively through these, we can ensure that it’s easier for us to collect all the relevant evidence we need for your claim, and assemble it into a solid case with the best chance of success.

The main stages of this process are as follows:

• A free case assessment with one of our expert solicitors. Here, we’ll assess the likelihood of success for your claim. We know that this can be the most difficult part of the entire process for a lot of people, so we do everything we can to make you feel comfortable and secure throughout.
• Allocation to a specialist who will handle your case. From this point onwards, this specialist solicitor will serve as your main point of contact, so you don’t have to repeat the painful details of your story to multiple different people. Instead, your personal solicitor will keep the details of your case confidential, giving you control over what you’re comfortable sharing, and with whom.
• Collection of evidence. This is obviously the most critical stage, and accordingly, it can often be the most complex and time-consuming. Depending on the background and details of your case, we may feel would be beneficial to your case to bring in outside experts, such as psychologists or psychiatrists. If that becomes necessary though, we’ll always get your permission in writing first.
• Tally of compensation amount. Lots of our clients tell us that the exact amount of their settlement isn’t the most important aspect of their case – they’re often more concerned with seeking a sense of justice, and achieving closure. We understand that here at Farleys, but equally we know a settlement can be invaluable in supporting you in other areas of your life (ranging from your mental health to your job security), so we make sure to focus on securing you an amount that properly reflects the gravity of your circumstances.
• Settling your claim. As soon as all the relevant evidence has been collected, we’ll be ready to bring your case against the person or party responsible. We should take a moment here to reassure you that you’ll never have to speak to your abuser directly, and indeed most cases are resolved long before they go to court. If yours is one of the very few exceptions, you can count on us to be here to support you every step of the way.

That depends on the circumstances of the case in question. If a school employee was the perpetrator of the abuse, then it’s generally possible to make a claim against the individual directly. However, you can also sue their employer.

The identity of the liable party will change depending on whether it’s a state school or a private school. If it’s a state school, the local authority will be liable. If it’s a private school, then the responsibility lies with the owners or governors. With decades of experience behind us in school abuse cases, at Farleys we can help you decide on the best approach.

Yes. We appreciate just how important that trust and confidentiality is to cases like this, so at Farleys we have a range of measures to protect your privacy. We keep everything confidential, and all documents in connection with your case are regarded as strictly classified. In the progression of your case requires us to enlist the help or expertise of any external parties – whether individual experts or larger organisations like social services or the police – we will always seek your permission in writing first. Equally, we can apply to the court for client anonymity on your behalf.

We will advise you on funding for your claim. We are often able to bring such cases on a ‘No Win, No Fee’ basis.

Some abuse survivors will qualify for public funding. Farleys Solicitors holds a Legal Aid franchise in five of our offices and we can advise you as to whether you will qualify.

Our abuse claim solicitors will be able to help you claim compensation for all forms of physical and sexual abuse, including:

• Child abuse
• Sexual abuse
• Physical abuse
• Neglect

Farleys’ abuse claim solicitors can help you claim for:

• Care requirements, present and future
• Loss of earnings, present and future
• Medication
• Physical injury
• Psychological trauma
• Other treatment costs