Making a church abuse claim
We can help you make a church abuse claim on a No Win, No Fee basis. Contact our confidential helpline for a free case assessment by one of our specialist abuse lawyers. Call 0333 888 0445 for an informal chat or send an email to us at [email protected]
Church abuse claim experts
We specialise in dealing with church abuse claims and have recovered compensation from a range of religious organisations on behalf of abuse survivors.
Churches and religious organisations exert enormous power, and this unfortunately allows people in positions of trust, such as vicars and priests, to take advantage of vulnerable children and adults.
We have brought claims against the Catholic Church, The Church of England and Jehovah’s Witness, as well as less well known institutions, such as the Jesus Army.
Abuse lawyer Elizabeth Duncan is an acknowledged expert in this field and has been interviewed by the BBC about abuse in the Church of England.
Historic abuse claims
Many of the church abuse cases we have dealt with have involved historic abuse, where the events occurred many years ago. Although there are normally strict time limits that apply to claims, those rules are relaxed for abuse cases, allowing historic abuse claims to proceed. Not all church abuse is historic however, church abuse continues to be a live problem and new cases are frequently coming to light.
Types of abuse
Abuse takes many different forms, and the cases we deal with usually involve a combination of sexual, physical, emotional, and psychological abuse.
Bringing a church abuse claim
Sometimes the perpetrator of the abuse will have been prosecuted by the police, and a criminal conviction can often be very beneficial to a civil law action for compensation. However, we may still be able to help you even if the police have not prosecuted.
Claims are generally directed at the church or religious organisation itself, rather than a particular individual. This is because the organisations that employ them owe a duty of care to those who suffer abuse at their hands and are likely to be held legally liable for the actions of the priests, vicars, or clergy who work for them. In most instances the church will be insured, and compensation will ultimately be paid by their insurance company.
No Win, No Fee funding
We can work on a no-win, no-fee basis, which means that you do not need to worry about funding legal costs upfront or be left facing a legal bill if you lose your case.
A track record of success
Our team is rightly proud of their track record of success in recovering compensation for those who have suffered abuse by people who are associated with a church.
Among their many successes are the following:
Sexual assault claim against the church following abuse by a church youth worker.
Successful historic sex abuse claim against a Catholic Church school.
Substantial compensation recovered in abuse claim against the Jesus Army.
How we can help you
If you would like to know where you stand on making a church abuse claim then you can contact our dedicated legal helpline for a free, confidential assessment of your case.