Abuse in the Military

Technically speaking, claims are supposed to be made within 3 years of the abuse taking place, but sometimes the courts make an exception for these types of cases because they recognise how difficult it can be for survivors to come forward, especially if they’re dealing with long-term psychological effects, or threats to their career, relationships or personal safety.

Survivors may have to deal with one or more 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 unheard of for cases to be brought (and won) years or even decades after the abuse took place. However, once you’ve made the decision to initiate proceedings, it’s best to get in touch with us as soon as you possibly can. This is because it may make it easier for us to gather crucial evidence that could make a difference to your case – evidence that might otherwise be in danger of being moved, lost or destroyed over time.

Yes. We recognise that opening up to a stranger about your experiences can be hugely challenging, and we know how important trust is to the entire process. Therefore, we treat everything you tell us in the strictest confidence, and make sure that all documents in connection with your case are treated as classified.

If we need to contact anyone else about the progression of your case, from individual experts to organisations like the police or social services, we’ll always seek your permission in writing first.

Our process for pursuing military abuse claims can be classified into several key stages. Working progressively through these stages with you makes it easier for us to ensure that all the important steps have been covered, all evidence is properly collected and preserved, and that your welfare is protected while we assemble your case.

These key stages are as follows:

• A free case assessment with one of our expert solicitors is the very first step we’ll go through when you get in touch with us. This enables us to find out more about the background of your case, so we can provide you with an honest assessment of your case’s chances for success. We appreciate that this can often be an incredibly hard conversation to have, so we make sure to prioritise your comfort and safety throughout.
• Allocation to a specialist who will handle your case. Once your case has been assigned, your personal solicitor will then become your main point of contact, ensuring that any details of your case are shared on a strictly need-to-know basis.
• Collection of evidence. This is one of the most pivotal stages, and accordingly it can be especially complex and time-consuming. If we feel it would help your case by bringing in an outside expert, such as a psychologist or psychiatrist, we will always get your express permission in writing before we do so, and you can count on us to be here to support you throughout.
• Tally of compensation amount. Most of the abuse survivors we deal with here at Farleys tell them that money isn’t as important to them as getting a sense of justice and closure. We recognise that here at Farleys, but equally we understand the importance of getting the right settlement amount, as it can often provide you with the support you might need to properly move on with your life. Therefore, we’ll always aim to get you an amount that properly reflects the gravity of your circumstances.
• Settling your claim. When we have all the relevant evidence to hand, we’ll then be ready to present it to the courts against the person or party responsible for your abuse. You will never have to face your abuser directly, and it’s worth us highlighting here that most cases are resolved long before they go to court – but whether or not yours is one of the very rare exceptions, you can always rely on us to be here to support you throughout.

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

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.