By Stephen Hudson. Last Updated 12th March 2024. A night out on the town should not be tainted by the fear of being attacked. But sadly, some people are attacked on a night out. If you are attacked while out in the evening, the trauma of the incident might have left you with psychiatric injuries, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Moreover, a violent or sexual assault may have left you with physical injuries as well.

You can sometimes claim compensation for being attacked. Indeed, you can make a criminal injury claim through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA). You will claim compensation for physical or psychological injuries you sustained. Moreover, even if the police never identified or prosecuted the assailant, you can still claim compensation.

Please get in touch with Legal Expert today to enquire about claiming compensation for an assault that happened on a night out.

• Call us on 0800 073 8804
• Begin your claim online, using our website
• Or you can pose a question to us using the Live Help widget

Select A Section

• What Is An Attack On A Night Out?
• Types Of Attacks And Assaults
• Criminal Injury Claims For Attacks And Assaults
• How To Claim If You Were Attacked On A Night Out
• What Could You Claim If Attacked On A Night Out?
• Start A Claim For Being Attacked On A Night Out?

What Is An Attack On A Night Out?

An attack is, by definition, an aggressive or violent act against a person. Attacks and assaults can happen to men or women and people of all backgrounds. Violent crimes can take the form of an attack in the street or a bar assault. If you suffered a violent attack on a night out, you might have psychological injuries, such as ongoing problems with anxiety. Moreover, your physical injuries may have had a detrimental effect on your quality of life.

You may be eligible to claim criminal injury compensation from the CICA. On the other hand, a venue may have liability for the assault. Under the Occupier’s Liability Act 1957, businesses are responsible for the health and safety of their patrons.

Therefore if a patron experiences a nightclub assault because the venue breached its duty of care, the nightclub may be liable for the victim’s injuries.

Please feel free to call us, and an advisor can recommend which course of action to take.

Types Of Attacks And Assaults

Below are some different types of offences against the person:

• Grievous Bodily Harm (GBH) is an assault which results in a serious injury.
• Actual Bodily Harm (ABH) is an assault which results in a lesser injury.
• Common assault involves unlawful violence.

Offences against the person include sexual offences such as rape and sexual assault. Moreover, fatal offences including murder and manslaughter are considered offences against the person.

If you experienced rape or sexual assault on a night out, you may have suffered physical injuries. However, sexual attacks can be deeply traumatic. So the sexual assault may have caused long term psychological damage. For example, you may now suffer from anxiety or depression because you were sexually abused.

Criminal Injury Claims For Attacks And Assaults

If you were injured after being attacked on a night out, you might be eligible to make a criminal injury claim. Criminal injury claims can be made through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority. The CICA is a government agency, which compensates people injured by violent crimes.

You can claim criminal injury compensation if a criminal attacked you and you sustained injuries. These injuries can be physical injuries or psychiatric injuries such as PTSD. Moreover, you can claim compensation through the CICA, even if the police have not identified or prosecuted the attacker. However, the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority require claimants to cooperate with the police at all times. Failure to cooperate with the police will mean that you may not be able to make a criminal injury claim through the CICA.

You can claim compensation for your physical and mental injuries. Moreover, you can receive compensation for loss of earnings and expenses after the attack (there are specific criteria here). The time limit to claim compensation for an assault or an attack is normally two years through the CICA.

How To Claim If You Were Attacked On A Night Out

If you were attacked on a night out, you could do the following to gather evidence to claim compensation:

• Always see a medical professional regardless of how minor you think your injuries are.
• Report the crime to the police if you have not done so already.
• Gather evidence to support the claim, such as CCTV footage from a street attack.
• You may attend a medical assessment, whereby a physician will examine your injuries. Your solicitor will use the medical report from your assessment to value your claim.

To begin your compensation claim contact Legal Expert today for free legal advice. We can advise you whether you would be able to make a criminal injury claim through the CICA.

What Could You Claim If Attacked On A Night Out?

If an attack on a night out injured you, you might be eligible to claim compensation. What avenue you claim through will affect how much you can claim and what you may be eligible to claim. If your claim is against a nightclub or the attacker then what you claim will be different to what figures are in the table below

You can use the table as an insight into the compensation that is provided through the CICA.

We used the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012 to create the compensation amounts in the table. However, the compensation amounts only look at the injury, not any financial losses you may have experienced. This will be calculated separately and added on. So your settlement may vary depending on your circumstances. Please feel free to call our claims helpline, and an advisor can estimate how much you can claim.

Compensation For Assault – What Are Special Expenses?

When claiming compensation for assault through the CICA after being injured in a fight in a nightclub, you could be compensated for your special expenses.

Under special expenses, you could receive compensation for:

• Any equipment that was damaged in the incident that you relied on as a physical aid, such as your hearing aids.
• Adaptations to your home, such as adding a ramp or stairlift.
• Care costs that relate to your bodily functions or food preparation.
• Any equipment that you need to cope with your injuries, such as a specially adapted car.

All of these costs need to be necessary, directly resulting from the injury and reasonable. They also cannot be available for free elsewhere.

Additionally, you may be able to claim for a loss of earnings. However, you will need to meet specific criteria.

To learn more about criminal injury claims or the criteria you must meet to claim for a loss of earnings, contact our advisors today.

Start A Claim For Being Attacked On A Night Out

To begin your claim for being attacked on a night out, why not contact Legal Expert today. If we believe you are eligible to claim compensation for an attack, we will provide you with a skilled lawyer to handle your claim.

All cases that our solicitors take on will be worked on a No Win No Fee basis.

No Win No Fee Agreements or Conditional Fee Agreements generally mean:

• No upfront solicitor fee
• No fees while the case progresses
• If the case wins, a capped percentage of the settlement
• If the case fails, no percentage to pay.

To begin your criminal injury claim for assault, please contact us today. We understand that these matters can be difficult for some people to discuss, so we will handle your call sensitively.

• 0800 073 8804 to speak to a claims specialist
• Or claim online via our website
• Alternatively, please type a question into our Live Support widget

Criminal Injury Claim Resources

What Is The Maximum Award That A Victim Can Claim From The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority?

Compensation For Robbery Victims Claims Guide

How to make a criminal injury claim from the CICA

A government guide to your rights after a crime

Report a crime incident to the police online

Thank you for reading our guide to claiming compensation after being attacked on a night out.

By Danielle Jordan. Last Updated 18th June 2025. You could make a criminal injury compensation claim as the victim of Actual Bodily Harm (ABH). This guide explains when it is possible to make an ABH claim and how you can seek compensation from the perpetrator directly or through a government-sponsored agency called the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA).

We also give an insight into how the CICA calculates a payout for those who have a successful ABH compensation claim.

Furthermore, learn how our No Win No Fee solicitors offer expert criminal injury claim guidance without you paying for their work unless your claim succeeds.

You can get 24/7 support at no charge by speaking to our advisors. Ask any questions or get your potential Actual Bodily Harm claim assessed by going through one of these routes:

• Calling 0800 073 8804.
• Make a contact us query through our website form.
• Dropping a live chat message via the tab below.

Select A Section

1. What Is ABH Or Actual Bodily Harm?
2. How Do ABH Compensation Claims Work?
3. How To Apply For Compensation From The CICA
4. What Could You Do If The Victim Of Actual Bodily Harm?
5. Actual Bodily Harm ABH Compensation Claim Calculator
6. How We Can Help You Claim ABH Compensation
7. Begin Your No Win No Fee ABH Compensation Claim

If you’d like to learn more about claiming compensation, why not watch our quick explainer video that offers all of the key information:

What Is ABH Or Actual Bodily Harm?

Actual bodily harm (also known as ABH) is classed as a deliberate act of intentional or reckless assault against the person. The Offences Against The Person Act 1861, Section 47 describes ABH as a distinct offence that is separate from battery or common assault. Upholding a claim of ABH depends on being able to prove that the assault directly caused harm. Battery can involve more trivial incidents with no actual harm occurring.

In addition, grievous bodily harm (GBH) is defined in Section 18 of the Offences Against The Person Act 1861 as the act of shooting or wounding another through the use of unlawful force. GBH is considered a more severe version of ABH.

In both of these offences, there’s no requirement for the assailant to have intended to cause grievous or actual bodily harm. Instead, they only need to have intended to use unlawful force.

What Injuries Could ABH Cause?

ABH injuries can include:

• Bruises (bruised ribs or face)
• Grazes
• Swelling
• Cuts
• Minor fractures

An attack can result in a combination of these injuries. Furthermore, ABH can in some instances involve a weapon of some kind, but cases like this may be more appropriate to a GBH definition.

For more information on the injuries that could entitle you to receive ABH compensation, speak with an advisor today.

How Do ABH Compensation Claims Work?

There are 3 ways in which ABH claims can be made. These are:

• Claiming directly against the perpetrator: This is only possible if you know who your attacker was and that they have sufficient financial resources to pay any compensation if the claim succeeds.
• Against a vicariously liable party: If a third party knew about a risk to your person and failed to take action to protect you, you could claim against that party. For example, if a colleague had made repeated threats that your employer ignored, and then you were attacked, your employer could be considered vicariously liable.
• Making a criminal injury claim through the CICA: you may also seek ABH compensation through the CICA. This is called a criminal injury claim and is the predominant focus of our guide. 

For a free assessment of your eligibility to claim compensation for ABH injuries, talk to our team today using the contact information given above.

What Is The CICA?

If you suffered injuries because you were the victim of a violent crime, you may want to know more about claiming compensation from the CICA.

The CICA is a government-sponsored organisation that can pay compensation to those who have been mentally or physically injured as victims of violent crime. If you’re not able to pursue a criminal injury claim through another channel, you could be entitled to make it through the CICA. In the next section, we look at how to make an ABH claim and how the process could vary depending on who the claim is made through.

If you would like any help with claiming criminal injury compensation, call our advisors for free advice.

How To Apply For Compensation From The CICA

You can apply for ABH compensation through the CICA only if you cannot seek compensation for your criminal injury either directly against the perpetrator or against a vicariously liable third party. Claiming through the CICA should be the last option. 

The CICA ABH claims eligibility criteria are as follows:

1. You were injured in a crime of violence, that’s covered by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012.
2. The violent crime took place in England, Scotland, Wales, or another relevant location (such as on a boat registered to one of these countries).
3. You reported the incident to the police.
4. You begin your claim within the claims time limit (we discuss this in a later section of this guide).

So, if you can prove that you meet each of the above criteria, please contact us today, as you may be eligible to claim compensation for ABH. Even if you are unsure whether you meet the CICA claims eligibility criteria, it is always worth seeking advice and checking the eligibility of your claim with us. We can give you further information about what your next steps can be.

ABH Compensation – Claim Time Limits

If you are making a claim through the CICA, certain time limits apply. You generally have two years from the day you reported suffering actual bodily harm to the police to start your claim.

Typically, you are expected to report the incident to the police as soon as possible unless there are exceptional circumstances that prevented this. You will be expected to prove what stopped you from making a report. Additionally, there could be exceptions made to the two-year claiming period. Again, you will have to prove what prevented you from claiming.

A different limitation period applies to claimants making a personal injury claim directly against the perpetrator. This is generally three years from the date of the incident.

If you need any help understanding the time limits, or if you would like to start your claim for ABH compensation, please call our advisors.

What Could You Do If The Victim Of Actual Bodily Harm?

If you’ve been the victim of ABH, you may like to seek compensation. If you are making your claim for ABH injuries through the CICA, they will ask you for certain items. These include:

• Your police reference number.
• Proof that you meet the residency requirements.
• Medical evidence of your ABH injuries.

In some cases, it may be possible to claim ABH compensation directly against the perpetrator or a vicariously liable party. When making a criminal injury claim in this manner, you will need further supporting evidence that proves liability for your injuries. Speak to one of the advisors from our team to discuss this.

Actual Bodily Harm ABH Compensation Claim Calculator

ABH compensation is awarded as per the tariff of injury in the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012. What this means is you will receive a fixed amount depending on the extent of your injuries.

We have provided a list of ABH compensation amounts here:

The CICA will pay out a maximum of £500,000 for multiple ABH injuries as well as special expenses and loss earnings (this is not a tariff figure).

• Compensation for moderate brain damage is set at £55,000.
• Fractures or dislocations to both ankles with continuing significant disability attract an award of £16,500.
• However, the payout for the same injury to the tarsal bones in both feet is slightly lower, at £13,500.
• The tariff figure for serious and permanent blurring or double vision in the eye is also £13,500.
• Facial scarring causing serious disfigurement has a tariff award of £11,000.
• The payout is also £11,000 for seriously disabling and permanent neck injuries.
• Severe burns to the upper limbs will lead to a payment of £11,000.
• Finally, £11,000 will also be awarded if fractures or dislocations cause ongoing significant disability in both elbows.

What If I Suffer Multiple ABH Injuries?

In cases where multiple instances of actual bodily harm have been suffered, the CICA will apply the multiple injuries formula will be applied. Compensation will therefore be paid out in the following increments:

• 100% of the tariff amount for the highest value injury.
• 30% for next highest.
• 15% for the third highest.

The CICA only awards compensation for a maximum of 3 injuries.

More Examples Of Compensation For Assault In The UK

When potential claimants ask questions such as ‘how much compensation can I get for assault in the UK?’, they may also ask more specifically if they can be compensated for anything besides the injuries they’ve experienced.

As mentioned in the previous section, you may be able to claim for certain ‘special expenses’ alongside your injuries as part of a claim made through the CICA for assault. In summary, these special expenses may cover certain costs you may have incurred as a direct result of the injuries from the assault. Only certain expenses can be covered by this payment, such as the following:

• Property or equipment you rely on as a physical aid which was lost or damaged due to the assault.
• Special equipment such as physical aids that you’ve purchased because of injuries you suffered due to the assault.
• The cost of home adaptations made in response to injuries from the assault.
• The cost of care related to bodily functions or meal preparation that you’ve received due to injuries from the assault.
• Costs incurred from the administration of your affairs if the assault you suffered has reduced your mental capacity.

When making a claim for special expenses, you can only ask the CICA to consider them if your injuries have left you unable to work for more than 28 weeks. Also, the CICA only awards compensation to victims of violent crimes in England, Scotland and Wales.

How We Can Help You Claim ABH Compensation

If you are looking for expert advice and guidance on how to claim ABH compensation, one of our solicitors could help. Before starting your claim, your solicitor will assess the best way for you to seek compensation. Once that is decided, they can help you with claiming through the CICA or directly against the perpetrator or vicariously liable party.

A specialist criminal injury solicitor can help you:

• Understand legal jargon.
• By explaining any updates on your criminal injury claim.
• Ensuring that all paperwork is filed on time and in full.
• Making sure all of your injuries are considered when seeking compensation.

Additionally, our criminal injury solicitors typically offer their legal representation on a No Win No Fee basis. We explain how this works in the next section. If you would like to discuss how one of our solicitors can help your claim for ABH compensation, speak to a member of our advisory team.

Begin Your No Win No Fee ABH Compensation Claim

Speak to our team about the best way to begin your ABH compensation claim. Whether you’re claiming against the perpetrator or through the CICA, a No Win No Fee agreement can help. Engaging solicitors under an agreement such as this has numerous advantages:

• A No Win No Fee solicitor starts work for free
• They charge nothing as the case proceeds
• A case that is unsuccessful requires no payment at all to your solicitors
• A maximum deduction of 25% percentage that solicitors take applies if the case wins
• You benefit from expert guidance throughout your claim
• All the legal jargon is explained and you are supported throughout the case

Start your ABH compensation case today with the right legal advice. Our sympathetic advisors can assess your case in minutes for free, with no obligation to proceed. The unique introductory service that we offer means we could connect you to a personal injury solicitor to help today. Simply:

• Call us on 0800 073 8804
• Contact us online
• Use the ‘live support’ option in the bottom-right of this page.

Learn More About How To Claim Compensation For Offences Against The Person

As well as free advice on ABH compensation, at Legal Expert we can help with other similar issues:

• Support after an assault
• NHS guidance on first aid
• Victim Service Standards from the Crown Prosecution Service

Below, you can learn more about CICA claims via our other guides:

• Can victims of revenge porn make a claim?
• Statistics on UK home robberies
• Grievous bodily harm (GBH) claims

We hope this guide on claiming ABH compensation has been helpful. If you would like to know more about this topic or related subjects, such as ‘how much compensation for an assault at work can I claim?’, then please contact Legal Expert today.

By Cat Way. Last Updated 8th August 2023. In this guide, we will look at what you can do if a fatal accident occurs at work. If your loved one has passed away as a result of workplace negligence, then you may be able to make a claim on their behalf. This guide will explain the process of claiming and what you could receive. 

This guide will walk you through the steps of how to make a claim on behalf of someone who has been involved in a fatal accident at work. It will also look at how to report a fatal accident, what should be done if an accident happens, as well as how a No Win No Fee arrangement could benefit you. 

If you are interested in making a claim on the behalf of a loved one or family member who has sustained a serious injury that has caused them to lose their life, then you can contact us. Our team of advisors are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and can offer free legal advice. If they conclude that your claim is valid, then they will put you in contact with our solicitors. 

Get in touch with us today: 

• Call us on 0800 073 8804
• Chat with us through our live chat
• Or contact us through our website

Select A Section

1. What Is A Fatal Accident At Work?
2. Who Should Be Informed First If A Fatal Accident Occurs At Work?
3. When Should The Health And Safety Executive Be Informed Of A Fatal Accident At Work?
4. What Could Cause A Fatal Accident At Work?
5. Can You Claim If A Fatal Accident Occurs At Work?
6. Compensation Payouts For A Fatal Accident At Work
7. Can I Claim On A No Win No Fee Basis?

What Is A Fatal Accident At Work?

A fatal accident at work is when a workplace accident has led to someone losing their life. Sometimes, a fatal accident occurs at work because of a breach of duty of care. 

However, in other cases, fatal workplace accidents can happen as a result of employer negligence. This means that the employer breached the duty of care that they owed their employee in a way that led to death. 

When making a personal injury compensation claim, including for fatal accidents, there are time limits that apply. You should generally start your claim within three years of the date of death, but there are some exceptions. 

For example, it may only be worked out at a later date that your loved one passed away as a result of negligence. For example, this might only come to light at an inquest or after an autopsy. If this is the case, then the time limit would run from the date of knowledge that negligence led to these circumstances.

Who Should Be Informed First If A Fatal Accident Occurs At Work?

When a fatal accident occurs at work, there is a procedure that employers need to follow, These include: 

• Filling out information in the accident report book. All workplaces with ten or more employees are legally required to have an accident at work book. Good practice should mean that all incidents are reported, but it’s a legal requirement to report and record accidents that result in death. 
• Inform the appropriate authorities, such as the police, if necessary. They may inform the family members of the person who has passed away.
• Report the incident. Certain reportable incidents need to be reported to the HSE under RIDDOR. This includes ones that have resulted in death.

If you are still unsure of how to proceed with a claim for a fatal accident that occurs at work, you can speak with our claims team today. This service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you have any questions or queries no matter how minor they may seem, contact us. 

When Should The Health And Safety Executive Be Informed Of A Fatal Accident At Work?

Only certain parties can make reports to the HSE under RIDDOR. This cannot be done by just anyone; it must be a “responsible person”. This can be an employer or someone in control of the work premises, such as a site manager. Self-employed people are also responsible persons and can make this kind of report.

A report must be received by the HSE within 10 days of the reportable occurrence happening. You can make a RIDDOR report online or over the phone.

The HSE are not an emergency service. If you call them to get in touch out of hours to report a death or dangerous incident, this is not a substitute for notifying the relevant authorities.

Speak with one of our advisors today for more information about what to do if a fatal accident occurs at work.

What Could Cause A Fatal Accident At Work?

Unfortunately, there are many ways in which a fatal accident at work could occur. However, in order to pursue a fatal accident at work claim, the accident must be the result of employer negligence. With this in mind, some examples of how employer negligence could contribute to a fatal accident could include:

• Electric shocks: A strong electric shock could cause a person to go into cardiac or respiratory arrest, which can be fatal. If an employer fails to provide adequate training or safely signpost live wires, this could result in an electric shock.
• Falls from a height: Employers should provide adequate safety equipment, such as harnesses and wires. If they fail to do so, this could lead to an employee falling from a great height and suffering fatal injuries.
• Moving vehicles: Employees who drive commercial vehicles, such as forklifts, should receive adequate training to help avoid fatal accidents.

Our advisors are here to help if you have any questions regarding claiming compensation for a fatal accident. Contact our team today to learn more.

Can You Claim If A Fatal Accident Occurs At Work?

You can make a claim on behalf of a loved one who has passed due to an accident at work. For the first six months, only the estate of the deceased can make a claim according to the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1934. If no claim has been made by them within six months, then a claim can be made by a qualifying relative as defined in the Fatal Accident Act 1976. 

In order to make a claim, however, you would need to show that the death came about as a result of negligence. If your loved on passed away in a way that was not caused by a breach of duty of care, then you would not be able to claim.

However, if negligence led to the injury that caused them to lose their life, you could claim compensation. For example, if they were not given a helmet on a construction site and this caused them to sustain a fatal head injury, this could form the basis of a valid claim.

We recommend that you work with a legal representative to ensure that your claim is handled with the best possible care and can achieve the best possible outcome. Get in touch today to see if you could be passed to a solicitor from our panel. 

Compensation Payouts For A Fatal Accident At Work

When you make a fatal accident claim, you could receive compensation that takes into account how the deceased person suffered before they died. This payment is valued with the help of the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG), which is a publication containing guideline compensation brackets for a range of different kinds of injuries We also have a free personal injury claims calculator for you to use. 

The table below contains extracts from these guidelines:

There are other costs that can be included in a fatal accident claim include:

• A bereavement award. This is a flat award of £15,120. It can only be paid for the benefit of certain relatives according to this act.
• Dependency award. This can take into account financial dependency (to cover the money that the dependants relied on from the deceased) and services dependency (to take into account any services that they provided such as DIY or lifts to and from school).
• Funeral costs, for example, the cost of a headstone or a burial plot.

Get in touch with our team today for free, no-obligation free legal advice. Our advisors are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you have any questions about what to do if a fatal accident occurs at work, no matter how minor they may seem, contact us. 

Can I Claim On A No Win No Fee Basis?

When you are making a claim for a fatal accident that occurs at work, you may find that you’d benefit from working with a lawyer. If this is the case, you might be interested in knowing more about No Win No Fee arrangements.

A Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA) is a form of No Win No Fee arrangement. These are put in place to reduce the financial barriers associated with seeking legal representation. 

Under a No Win No Fee agreement, an unsuccessful claim means that you wouldn’t have to pay any fees to your solicitor. You also won’t be asked to pay anything upfront or as the claim progresses. 

A successful claim means that you would have to pay a success fee; this is a fee which has a cap placed on it by law. So this means you wouldn’t be overpaying for your solicitor’s services. 

If you’re interested in hiring a solicitor for your claim, our team could help by assessing your case. Once they have assessed your claim, and if they have determined that it could be successful, they could then assign a solicitor from our panel of solicitors to represent you. 

You can get in touch through: 

• Our contact form
• Call us on 0800 073 8804
• Our live chat

Learn More About Fatal Accident Claims

Additionally, we have gathered a section of resources for you to have a look through. See the links below: 

• Who can claim compensation under the Fatal Accidents Act? 
• How much compensation for a fatal car accident?
• Care home negligence death claims
• Learn about your legal rights in relation to accidents in work environments

Additionally, these external resources from the HSE and other sources will help you through the claims process. 

• RIDDOR: How to report
• Examples of reportable incidents 
• Gov.uk information on what to do when an employee dies 

If you have any further questions on what to do if a fatal accident occurs at work, speak with one of our advisors. 

By Danielle Jordan. Last Updated March 2024. Protecting the public is one of the many roles police officers have to undertake on a day-to-day basis. To do this, they have to collect personal data. They may also need to share certain pieces of information to provide their services. However, if police failed to redact personal data when it didn’t need to be shared, this could cause harm.

This guide will provide information on what you could do if you’ve had personal data involved in a data breach. There will be further information on your role as a data subject, as well as how your data is protected by the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA) and the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR).

The data subject, the data controller and the data processor are terms you may be unfamiliar with. These terms are used to describe the three main parties of data processing.

The data subject is the one whose personal information is processed. The data controller is an organisation that decides how the data is going to be processed and why. Lastly, the data processor is the organisation that is sometimes directed by the data controller to process personal data on their behalf.

Here is how you could get in contact with us:

• We have a live chat feature active
• Call us on 0800 073 8804
• Contact us via our website

Select A Section

1. The Police Failed To Redact My Personal Data, Can I Make A Data Breach Claim?
2. Police Force Data Breach Statistics
3. When Does Data Need To Be Redacted?
4. If The Police Failed To Redact My Personal Data, Do I Report It To The ICO?
5. How Much Could I Claim If Police Failed To Redact My Personal Information?
6. Begin Your Data Breach Claim Against The Police

The Police Failed To Redact My Personal Data, Can I Make A Data Breach Claim?

A data breach involves a security incident that leads to the destruction, loss, disclosure, alteration of or access to personal data.

Personal data (or personal information) is data that can identify you, whether alongside other data or on its own. Examples of personal data include:

• Your name
• Your address
• Ip addresses
• Personal email addresses

There are many ways that a data breach could happen, as we live in an age where data is stored both electronically and on paperwork. Malware attacks, human error, and disclosure of information to those with unauthorised access: these are just a few examples of the different types of causes of data breaches.  

The impact of personal data breaches can affect the psychological and financial health of the individuals involved.

Organisations and authorities could hold personal information such as contact details, date of birth and criminal offence data. Police could also hold onto sensitive information, which may include data about your race or ethnicity.

How Long Do I Have To Make A Data Breach Claim?

If you are eligible to seek compensation for a breach of your personal data, you must do so within the correct time limits. Generally, you will have 6 years to start a personal data breach claim. However, this is reduced to 1 year if you are claiming against a public body.

For more information about claiming for a personal data breach, get in touch with our advisors. If you are within the time limit and have an eligible claim, you could be passed onto one of our No Win No Fee solicitors.

Police Force Data Breach Statistics

Personal data breaches have impacted different business sectors and charities. The statistics from the Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2021 demonstrate the most common threat of data breaches or attacks amongst businesses and charities were phishing scams. 

Data Breach Graphs

According to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), which enforces data protection law in the UK, over the 3rd quarter of 2021/22, in all sectors, there were 2,404 data security incidents. This is a combination of non-cyber incidents and cyber incidents. The Justice sector incurred a total of 33, across both types of incidents. There weren’t any recorded breaches caused by a failure to redact personal information in this sector. 

When Does Data Need To Be Redacted? 

When data needs to be redacted, it is removed from the document it’s in, but the rest of the information can be released without data protection laws being breached. This helps protect individuals by hiding personal information that could be used to identify them. 

Examples of when data needs to be redacted: 

• If a Subject Access Request (SAR) is made and there’s personal information that doesn’t relate to the person who is requesting the data. 
• When information is published online and there’s no lawful reason for the personal data to be included. 

 If The Police Failed To Redact My Personal Data, Do I Report It To The ICO?

If a personal data breach affects your rights and freedoms, the organisation that is aware of the breach should inform you as well as the ICO. However, if you suspect a data breach and haven’t had notification of it, you should contact the organisation.

Should the organisation not respond satisfactorily, you could contact the ICO. However, you’d need to do this within 3 months of the organisation’s final response on the matter.

The ICO may then open an investigation. It’s important to remember that you cannot claim compensation through the ICO, but they may take measures such as imposing a fine on the responsible party. 

 How Much Could I Claim If Police Failed To Redact My Personal Information?

For calculating the amount of data breach compensation you could be owed, we offer a free tool for you to assess what your claim could be worth. You can use our compensation calculator.

The Judicial College produces guideline compensation brackets for psychological injuries. These brackets are based on previous personal injury claims that have been settled at court. There are some examples from the Guidelines in the compensation table below.

Material Damages 

Material damages are the compensation that could be awarded for the financial impact a data breach has on a data subject. For these damages, it would be beneficial for you to assess if any current or potential future losses have or would be inflicted on you.    

How could you assess losses after the police failed to redact your personal data?

You can assess the in and out-goings of your bank accounts, additionally, you can assess items such as: 

• Debit/Credit card details
• Bank statements/ details
• Credit rating 

Non-Material Damages

This term is used when discussing the compensation for the mental turmoil that you could suffer as a result of a data breach.

A medical assessment may be required in order to determine the severity of the mental harm you have suffered. An independent healthcare professional would assess your psychological injuries and make a report. This report could be used to help value your claim.

In the case of Vidal-Hall and others v Google Inc (2015), the Court determined that compensation could be claimed for mental harm, even if there is no financial harm. Previous cases showed that financial damage was required in order to claim for mental damages. Now, you can claim for either non-material or material damage or both.

For any further information on what you could do if the police failed to redact your personal data, then please don’t hesitate to contact our advisors. They are here to help you through the claims process and give you advice on how you could proceed.  

Begin Your Data Breach Claim Against The Police

To answer any questions you may have about what to do if the police failed to redact your personal data, our advisors are available 24/7 to offer answers, advice and guidance. You can contact us: 

• By telephone, on 0800 073 8804
• Via our live chat feature 
• Using our contact form

A No Win No Fee Agreement

No Win No Fee arrangements are a form of funding legal representation for a number of different claims. It is an arrangement that is made between you and your solicitor. It covers the work the solicitor will do and the fee that would be paid if your claim is successful.

If you have any questions about No Win No Fee arrangements, there are links provided at the bottom of this page that go into more detail about No Win No Fee arrangements. However, you could give us a call and our advisors would be happy to explain the process. 

Public Body Data Protection Breach Resources

There is a collection of resources that could be useful and interesting to you linked below: 

• Police Data Breach Compensation Claims Guide
• Medical records data breach
• Data has been breached, what can I do?

The ICO has guides and information on what you can do if a data breach occurs:

• Make a complaint
• How to report a breach
• How to minimise the risk of personal data breaches happening

If you have any questions or queries about what to do if the police failed to redact personal data, then please don’t hesitate to contact our advisors.

Can you get compensation for a data breach? In some cases, this could be possible. If your personal information was breached because of the failure of those who should have been protecting it and this caused you stress or anxiety for example then you may have a valid compensation claim. In such cases, a lawyer may be able to help you to claim depression data breach compensation.

Please consider that your claim will have at least some unique facets. It might be similar to other claims but won’t be exactly the same. You could have unique questions that fall outside of the scope of this guide. If you do, call and talk to one of our expert claim advisors on 0800 073 8804. Or you can ask us to call you back by messaging us using our contact form.

Select A Section:

• What Is A Depression Data Breach Compensation Claim?
• How Could A Data Breach Trigger Depression?
• Types Of Data Which Could Be Involved In A Breach
• How To Make A Depression Data Breach Compensation Claim
• Depression Data Breach Compensation Claims Calculator
• Begin A Claim For Depression Caused By A Data Breach

What Is A Depression Data Breach Compensation Claim?

Can I sue if my data is leaked? First off, let’s look at the law in the UK that protects your personal data. We have a number of bodies of regulation in play. This includes the UK version of the General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). It also includes the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA). The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is responsible for overseeing the adherence to these laws.

If these laws are not adhered to by any organisation that collects your personal data, it could expose it to unlawful use. The ICO can fine organisations (data controllers) when they fail to comply with data protection laws or when they are liable for a data breach.

Those who have their information exposed in a data breach can have a valid claim if they have evidence that shows how the data controller is liable for the breach. The data breach must have gone on to cause harm such as depression or financial losses.

Below, we cover some of the causes of data breaches, and how you could proceed with a claim. Call our claim advisors for further assistance.

How Could A Data Breach Trigger Depression?

Why could you claim depression data breach compensation? There are many ways you could be harmed mentally by a data breach. Your mental health could suffer due to emotional distress. At the severe end of the scale, you could suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder.

Data controllers handle so much of your personal and sensitive data. Special category data that is protected by data security laws need even more security. This type of information can include religious background, political affiliation, trade union membership, health data, and medical results. Information you would not want to be shared or exposed just to anyone.

If this was to happen you could suffer different kinds of mental illness. If you can prove that your mental health issues were caused by a data breach, and the data controller was liable you could be able to claim data breach compensation.

A case which was heard at the Court of Appeal in 2015, Vidal-Hall and others v Google Inc, set a precedent for claiming psychological harm when no financial loss happened.

Types Of Data Which Could Be Involved In A Breach

There are many types of personal data that could be put at risk, resulting in a claim for depression and data breach compensation. Below, we have given some examples.

• Information about you such as your genome data, ethnic origin, medical records, religious beliefs and union membership. Such information could potentially end up being shared intentionally or unintentionally with unauthorised parties by different kinds of workers such as care workers or someone working in human resources.
• Unique data to you. For example, your name, phone number, email address and postal address, and your date of birth.
• Key financial information such as the numbers of your credit card or debit card, and details of your bank account.

If data such as this has been compromised, this might lead to depression due to the data breach. Call our team for more advice on this.

How To Make A Depression Data Breach Compensation Claim

Before you try to make a claim for depression data breach compensation, you may wish to contact the data controller you suspect has exposed your data. They will be able to tell you how badly the data breach has impacted your data. Some organisations will have one or more people responsible for data privacy and security, and you should ask to speak to them.

You can also try reporting the data breach to the ICO. Keep in mind that the report has to be made within three months of contact with the data controller, otherwise, it will likely not be investigated.

If you are unsure how to proceed call our advisors today. They can assess your claim for depression data breach compensation in a free consultation. Any evidence that you can supply will also be looked over. If they can see you have a good case for compensation they will offer to connect you with one of our data breach solicitors.

Depression Data Breach Compensation Claims Calculator

If you have experienced depression caused by a data breach, you may be wondering how much compensation you could receive. There are many aspects of compensation to consider, as we examine in further detail in the following section. Therefore, we cannot guarantee how much compensation you will receive.

However, you can refer to the table below, which includes some figures from the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). Legal professionals may use this document when measuring compensation. The JCG pairs types and severity of injury with relevant suggested compensation figures. Please be advised that these figures do not guarantee the amount of compensation you may receive.

You can contact our advisors for a better estimate of your compensation. They can assess the various factors of your data breach and the impact it has had on you, which would be taken into account for your compensation. If eligible, they can connect you to a solicitor, and you may be able to begin a compensation claim with the help of their No Win No Fee services.

What Are Material Damages?

Your depression claim might also include some form of material damage. These cover financial losses. The table above only covers non-material damages for mental hardship. Below are some examples of the kinds of things you might claim material damages for.

• Money that was stolen from your bank due to the data breach
• Poor credit score due to the data breach
• Future losses caused by the breach
• Loss of earnings if you took time off work and lost out on pay.
• To cover the cost of any private medical care
• If you had to hire a nurse or medical help at home, then you might be able to claim this cost back.

Speak to one of our claim advisors and explain your situation. They will tell you what types of damages you might want to try and claim.

Begin A Claim For Depression Caused By A Data Breach

It can be possible to make personal data breach claims using the services of a No Win No Fee lawyer. This will mean no upfront solicitors fee. Non while the case progresses and only if the case wins will you need to pay a success fee to the solicitor. If the case fails there is no success fee to pay.

If you have any questions, our claim advisors can help you further. For the answers to any questions you have about making a claim for depression and data breach compensation, use the information below to get in touch with us.

Phone: 0800 073 8804

Contact form and webchat

Learn More About The Effects Of Data Breaches On Your Mental Health

Here are some useful links.

Find Out What Data An Organisation Has About You

Personal Data An Employer Can Keep About An Employee

Reporting A Data Breach

Read some of our related guides.

Local Authority And Council Data Breach Compensation Claims

Lost Or Stolen Paperwork Data Breach Claims

Finding A Data Breach Solicitors Near Me

Guide By Wheeler

Edited By Melissa.

Last updated 06/03/2025. In this guide, we will discuss the eligibility criteria that must be met to bring forward a compensation claim if your personal data is breached via WhatsApp. Throughout this guide, we will discuss the definition of a personal data breach, how such an incident could occur, and the benefits of using a No Win No Fee solicitor to make your claim.

Additionally, we will provide information regarding the data protection laws in place to protect your personal information. Together, the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA) govern how data controllers and processors handle personal data.

Data controllers make the overall decisions regarding the purpose and means of processing the personal data of data subjects. They can recruit data processors to act on their instructions. Both must adhere to data protection laws.

If you have any questions about making a personal data breach claim, please contact us at Legal Expert to speak to one of our advisors. They are available 24/7 to both provide confidential advice and perform a free assessment of your claim. Also, should they find that you could have a valid basis to bring forward a personal data breach claim, they may put you in contact with one of our No Win No Fee data breach solicitors.

To speak to an advisor, you can:

• Call us on 0800 073 8804.
• Contact us via our online form.
• Use our live support chat feature on this page.

Select A Section:

• What Is A Data Breach Via WhatsApp?
• What Data Could Be Breached Via WhatsApp?
• Screenshots Of My Data Were Shared On WhatsApp, Can I Claim?
• What Could I Claim If My Data Was Breached Via WhatsApp?
• Get Help Claiming If Your Data Was Breached Via WhatsApp

What Is A Data Breach Via WhatsApp?

There are criteria of eligibility that must be met to make a claim should your personal data be breached via WhatsApp. This is as follows:

• Firstly, the data controller or processor responsible for handling your personal data failed to adhere to data protection laws.
• This caused a security incident involving your personal data.
• You suffered financial losses or psychological harm a result.

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is an independent body operating in the UK to uphold personal information rights. They broadly define personal data breaches as security incidents that affect the confidentiality, availability, or integrity of personal data in both physical and digital forms. These are both protected under data protection laws.

Get in contact with a member of our team to learn whether you could be eligible to make a claim after your personal data was breached via WhatsApp.

What Data Could Be Breached Via WhatsApp?

If you have been affected by a WhatsApp security breach, you could be eligible to make a personal data breach claim. Personal data is information that can be used to identify you as a living person. Below, we have given some examples of personal data that is covered by the UK GDPR:

• Your date of birth
• Name
• Home address
• Email address
• Phone number

Furthermore, special category data, which is protected under Article 9 of the UK GDPR, is also a kind of personal data. This is data that is sensitive in nature and requires extra protection, such as your:

• Sexual orientation
• Political opinions
• Racial or ethnic origin
• Trade union membership status

If you suspect that your personal data was breached via WhatsApp, we recommend that you seek legal advice. Our team of advisors are available all day, every day, to respond to any enquiries and can connect you to specialist lawyers who can help you seek compensation after a WhatsApp data breach.

Screenshots Of My Data Were Shared On WhatsApp, Can I Claim?

If a data controller or processor shared screenshots of your personal data without a lawful basis to do so, this could be a breach of the UK GDPR. Data controllers are responsible for establishing a lawful basis to process your data, and if they intend to process your special category data, they must also establish a separate condition for processing under article 9 of the DPA.

The lawful bases for processing personal data, including screenshots of personal data, are outlined in Article 6 of the UK GDPR, and are as follows:

• Contract
• Consent
• Vital interests
• Legal obligation
• Public task
• Legitimate interests

The purpose of sharing personal data can determine which lawful basis is most appropriate. No one lawful basis is more valid than the others. As such, if an organisation shares screenshots of your personal data without consent, you may not be able to make a claim, so long as another basis was established.

What Could I Claim If My Data Was Breached Via WhatsApp?

If you were to bring forward a successful claim after your personal data was breached via WhatsApp, you could be eligible to receive data breach compensation for two kinds of harm. These are as follows:

• Non-material damage – The psychological harm caused by the personal data breach. This could include anxiety after a breach, stress due to a breach, depression, and in extreme cases, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
• Material damage – The financial losses you have suffered as a result of the personal data breach.

Below you can find a table of figures from the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) representing guideline non-material damage compensation amounts. Solicitors and other legal professionals can use the JCG to help them value a variety of compensation claims.

Please remember these figures are a guide, and not a guarantee of what you could receive.

Material Damage

You may also suffer material damage as a direct result of a personal data breach. Compensation for material damage could cover:

• Damage to your credit score
• Money stolen from your bank account
• Loss of earnings

For insight into how much compensation you could be eligible to receive in a payout, speak to one of our advisors.

Get Help Claiming If Your Data Was Breached Via WhatsApp

You could choose to use a solicitor when making a compensation claim after your data was breached via WhatsApp. They may offer you their services under a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). Under a CFA, a No Win No Fee solicitor will generally not require you to make any payments for their services upfront, whilst your claim is ongoing, or if your claim is unsuccessful.

You may wonder, ‘what if my claim is successful?’ In this case, a solicitor under a CFA will commonly take a small percentage of your compensation. This is referred to as a success fee. The law caps this amount, and your solicitor will discuss this fee with you before entering into the agreement.

How Our Solicitors Help You Claim

At Legal Expert, we have a team of specialist data breach solicitors with many years of collective experience. Understandably, you may want their support when making a data breach compensation claim. They are able to use their specialist skills to help with your claim by:

• Walking you through the claims process and supporting you with each stage
• Explaining key legal terminology and documentation
• Helping you obtain evidence and using this to build your case
• Explaining how data breach compensation is calculated and providing examples
• Spetting you up with specialist appointments, such as with a psychologist
• Negotiating settlements with third parties on your behalf

Our friendly advisors can discuss the role our solicitors will have throughout the claims process in more detail if you contact them by:

• Calling them on 0800 073 8804.
• Using their online contact form
• Using the live support chat feature on this page.

Learn More About Data Breaches

Please take a look at more of the data breach guides on our website:

• Hotel Data Breach Compensation Claims
• Police Data Breach Compensation Claims
• Do Data Breach Protection Solicitors Offer No Win No Fee?

Additionally, explore these external sources for further reading:

• Statutory Sick Pay (SSP), GOV.UK
• Mental Health Services NHS, NHS.UK

Thank you for reading this guide to the action you can take if your data was breached via WhatsApp.

Last Updated On 17th July 2025. Were you aware that if you have your personal data breached via text message, then you could potentially be in a position to make a compensation claim? Personal and sensitive data are both protected by data protection and privacy laws in many cases. If an organisation, one that handles personal data, is responsible for a data breach which involved your information being shared by text message to the wrong recipient you may be eligible to make a claim.

Please understand that all claims have their unique points. Meaning you may have questions that this guide can’t answer. We can only cover so much. However, if you do have more questions, then our team of advisors can help you with the answers. Call them on 0800 073 8804, or request a callback using our contact form.

Select A Section:

• What Is A Text Message Data Breach?
• What Data May Be Breached Via Text Message?
• How Could A Text Message Data Breach Happen?
• How To Claim If Your Personal Data Was Breached Via Text Message
• What Evidence Do I Need To Prove My Text Message Data Breach?
• What Could I Claim If My Data Was Breached Via Text Message?
• Get Help Claiming For A Data Breach Via Text Message

What Is A Text Message Data Breach?

In this country, we have some of the most stringent data protection laws in the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. Both these pieces of legislation aim to protect any personal information that is processed digitally or physically about you, the data subject.

Data controllers are usually an organisation that will instigate the collection of your personal data. If a data controller was to send personal data via text message to the wrong recipient this is classed as a data breach via text message.

This cannot only cause emotional distress to the data subject but the recipient could use your personal data. For example, using your data to steal your online identity and undertake fraudulent activities.

In such a situation, to be able to make a personal data breach claim you must be able to establish that those responsible for protecting and securing your personal information did not take the necessary steps to secure it. And this caused you to suffer harm as a consequence albeit financial or mental illness. 

What Data May Be Breached Via Text Message?

How can you have your data breached via text message? Lots of data controllers are using text messages as a way to communicate with customers or clients. This can mean medical institutions sending out appointments via text message or delivery companies sending time slots to customers. So there is a lot of information that could be contained within a text message including:

• Your name, address, date of birth, email address, phone number, or other identifying information.
• Sensitive financial information was sent. For example, your bank account number, or the details of a debit card or credit card.
• Information about yourself such as your race, religious beliefs, gender, trade union memberships, medical records, etc.

How Could A Text Message Data Breach Happen?

How can you have your data breached via text message? There are many ways that a data breach could happen. Mostly data breaches happen through human error for example typing in the incorrect number when sending a text message. Others can happen through cybercriminals hacking systems.

It is very easy to send SMS messages to the wrong person. This could be done by selecting the wrong recipient when sending the message.

How To Claim If Your Personal Data Was Breached Via Text Message

If you have your data breached via text message and are wanting to make a compensation claim then there are steps you can take to strengthen your case.

The UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA) allow data subjects who have had their personal data breached through in adherence to these laws to make a claim if they have suffered.

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) can fine data controllers/organisations when they fail to comply with the applicable data security laws. However, they can not award compensation to data breach victims.

The organisation, if they know about the data breach, should contact you without undue delay if a data breach has affected your rights and freedoms. However, if they are unaware of the data breach but you suspect that you have been involved in one you can contact the data controller yourself and ask for them to investigate.

If you are not happy with the response of the data controller you can ask the ICO to investigate. Keep any correspondence and this can all help in your data breach claim. 

What Evidence Do I Need To Prove My Text Message Data Breach?

Here are some examples of the evidence which may help if your data has been breached via text message:

• Copies of the text message in which your data has been breached.
• Communication records between you and the person who sent the message to show that you’ve informed them of the data breach.
• Copies of your correspondence with the ICO (if you report the data breach to them).
• Records of the ICO findings from their investigation (if they investigate).
• Psychiatric report or a therapist’s note to highlight the mental trauma you’ve suffered.
• Police report details to showcase the measures you need to undertake to protect yourself after a data breach.
• Financial documents, such as bank statements and invoices, to demonstrate the monetary losses arising from the data breach.
• Employment records to show an inability to return to work or the number of days missed.

The above list is only illustrative, and there may be other kinds of evidence which you could collect for your claim. This is the most crucial step in your data breach claim, as it highlights the liability of the other party and the impact on your life. Therefore, it is crucial to have sufficient and strong evidence. We understand that the process may seem time-consuming, but it doesn’t need to be that way if you seek expert advice. Contact us now for assistance with this step.

What Could I Claim If My Data Was Breached Via Text Message?

You may suffer mental injury if you have your data breached via text message. A case heard at the Court of Appeal in 2015, Vidal-Hall and others v Google Inc, set a precedent for claiming for mental harm when no financial loss happened.

The table below is based on the Judicial College guidelines that are used by the legal system to value mental injuries. It shows example compensation ranges for different types of psychological harm such as post-traumatic stress disorder or mental trauma such as stress and anxiety. We provide some figures from the guidelines published by the Judicial College in our table below as well as a figure (not taken from this document) to show you how you could be awarded for both your material and non-material damage in the same claim. Please only use our table as a guide. It does not represent the specifics of your data breach claim.

Material Damage Explained

‘Material damage’ is the term used to refer to financial losses that have occurred as a result of a breach of your data by text message.

You might lose out financially because of the data breach. For example, your credit card information might be used to make online purchases. Alternatively, you might have to take time off work to deal with the data breach, and lose out on your pay.

There may also be expenses related to making the claim itself. For example, having to use a courier service to send documents to your solicitor. These kinds of expenses may also be recouped as part of the claim in some cases.

It could be possible to claim these losses back, as well as any future predicted losses. Call and talk to our team to learn about how documented proof of losses must be provided.

Get Help Claiming For A Data Breach Via Text Message

You might be able to make a data breach claim using a No Win No Fee solicitor. If the claim is not a success, your solicitor is not going to expect to receive a fee. However, a success fee will be due if the claim is a success.

If you want to learn more about pursuing a claim, use the information below to get in touch. A member of our claims team can help you with more expert help and advice about claiming for data breached via text message.

Telephone: 0800 073 8804

Contact form and webchat.

Learn More About Messaging Services Data Breaches Claims

Here are some useful web links.

Personal Data Breaches Explained

How To Make A Complaint About A Data Breach

Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2025

Here are links to other, related guides that we have published.

Nursery Data Breach Compensation Claims Guide

School Data Breach Compensation Claims Guide

Guide By Wheeler

Edited By Melissa.

By Danielle Jordan. Last Updated 24th February 2024. How organisations store, access, process or share personal data is governed by rules and procedures set out in data protection laws. The police might need to hold or process your personal data for a number of different reasons. If the police sent your personal data to someone else unlawfully, then you may be able to claim. However, you would need to show that it caused you harm and the person it was sent to was unauthorised to view it.

This guide will talk about the responsibilities that organisations have when processing your data and what legal options you have if they mishandle your data. We’ll also look at how data breach compensation is valued, and the steps you can take to gather supporting evidence for a data breach claim.  

If you want to speak to someone immediately about making a claim, you can contact one of our advisers now by: 

• Filling out the form on our contact page 
• Using the live chat feature 
• Calling us on 0800 073 8804 

Select A Section 

1. The Police Sent My Personal Data To Someone Else, Can I Claim Compensation? 
2. Your Data Protection Rights 
3. When Could The Police Send Personal Data To Someone Else? 
4. What Evidence Do I Need To Make A Police Data Breach Claim?
5. What Could I Claim If The Police Sent My Personal Data To Someone Else? 
6. Contact Us About No Win No Fee Police Data Breach Claims 

The Police Sent My Personal Data To Someone Else, Can I Claim Compensation? 

A data breach is defined as an incident relating to security in which the confidentiality, security or availability of personal data. Personal data is any information stored digitally or physically that can be used alone or with other information to identify a natural person. 

The UK General Data Protection Regulations (UK GDPR) and Data Protection Act 2018  are the pieces of legislation that form the regime that outlines data protection laws in the UK. They set out strict rules and regulations for organisations that collect and process people’s personal data, including the police. 

If you suffered harm because of a police data breach, you could be eligible to make a claim for compensation.  However, you’d need to show that the police force’s failings led to the breach happening. If they did everything they could be expected to in order to protect your data but a breach happened anyway, you would not be able to claim. 

Our advisers can offer you more information on how to bring a claim forward against the police if they sent your personal data to someone else. Why not give us a call? Our advisors offer free legal advice and could put your claim forward to one of our solicitors provided the case is valid. 

Police Data Breach Statistics 

Legal Expert reached out to 43 territorial police forces in England and Wales, the national police force in Scotland, and three specialist police forces to obtain information on suspected data breach incidents. 3 police forces responded together so the sample size was 44. Requests were made under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, to which 89% of police forces responded.

This request found that between 2019 and November 2021 there were 13,332 suspected data breach incidents.

Your Data Protection Rights 

Under the GDPR, you have various data protection rights. You’re owed these by any organisation that decides how your data is processed (a data controller) or processes your data on behalf of a controller (a data processor). 

These rights are: 

1. The right to be informed. You should be told which of your data is being processed and why.
2. The right of access. You have the right to access the data organisations hold on you. You can make a request to receive a copy of the personal data an organisation has collected about you. 
3. The right to rectification. If the personal data held by an organisation about you is inaccurate, you have the right to ask that this is changed. 
4. The right to erasure. You have a right to request the removal of data held on you, although this can be refused in certain circumstances. 
5. The right to restrict processing. A right, under certain circumstances, to limit the ways in which organisations process your data. 
6. The right to data portability. You have a right to obtain and reuse your personal data across numerous services. 
7. The right to object. If you’re unhappy with the way that your personal data is being processed, then you can object to this under certain circumstances. 
8. Rights in relation to automated decision making and profiling. You have the right not to have a decision be made about you that produces legal or other similarly significant effects without human involvement. 

Your Rights When Police Hold Personal Data

As well as you having these rights, an organisation must also have a lawful basis under which to process your personal data. They are:

• Consent. Where the subject has given their consent for the data to be processed.
• Contract. Where processing the data is necessary to fulfil a contract.
• Legal obligation. Where there’s an obligation to process the data to comply with the law.
• Vital interest. Where processing the data could save someone’s life.
• Public task. Where processing the data is necessary for you to perform a task in the public interest with a basis in law.
• Legitimate interests. Where the processing is necessary for the legitimate interests of the processor or a third party. There must also be no overriding reason to protect personal data.

In the case of criminal data, there are 28 additional conditions for processing this kind of data. If you are concerned about the way a police force has used your data, you can report this to the ICO or raise your concerns with them directly.

For more information on whether you could claim if the police sent your personal data to someone else, speak with an advisor today. If you have a valid claim, you could be connected with a No Win No Fee lawyer from our panel.

When Could The Police Send Personal Data To Someone Else? 

The police may process your personal data if there is a lawful basis for doing so. For example, if you have committed a crime, then the police may share your personal data in an attempt to reprimand you. This would be lawful on the basis of a public task.

The police might also share your data with an organisation that you have granted access to through a Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) or criminal record check for an employer.  If this is the case, then the police might be able to share your personal data. This would be under the lawful basis of contract fulfilment.

However, the results of a DBS check could be sent to someone else without authorisation to see this. If this is the case, then a third party could see information relating to your previous criminal convictions.

If you were harmed by a breach of personal data by the police, you may be able to claim. Speak with one of our advisors to find out more today.

What Evidence Do I Need To Make A Police Data Breach Claim?

When making a claim for data breach compensation, having sufficient evidence could help support your case. Some examples of evidence that you could gather to help support your claim include:

• Confirmation that your personal data was involved in a police data breach. This could be a letter or email from the organisation responsible, confirming what personal data of yours was breached.
• If you discovered the breach, any correspondence between yourself and the organisation responsible regarding what personal data was breached could also be used as evidence.
• If you reported the breach to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), and they decided to investigate the breach, their findings could also be used as evidence. (The ICO is an independent body that upholds information rights).
• Evidence that you suffered mental harm due to the personal data breach. This could be a copy of your medical records stating any psychological injuries you have been diagnosed with.
• Evidence that you suffered financial harm due to the personal data breach. For example, a copy of your bank or credit card statements could help prove this.

If you have any questions about what steps you could take to prove your personal data was compromised in a police data breach in the UK, please get in touch with our advisors.

What Could I Claim If The Police Sent My Personal Data To Someone Else? 

If you had suffered a financial loss from the data breach, you could claim back the amount you lost under a head of claim known as material damages. For example, you could claim back a loss of earnings, a loss of money from a bank detail breach or an impact on your credit score after a credit card breach.

If the breach led to you suffering psychological harm or distress, you can now also be awarded compensation for the stress you suffered in the form of non-material damages. Following the ruling in the Court of Appeal case Vidal-Hall and others v Google Inc 2015, you no longer need to have suffered any financial losses to be awarded non-material damages; you can be awarded each head of the claim independently. 

The Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) can be used to value potential non-material damages. Some figures from the JCG have been included below: 

Our advisers can offer you more information on data breach compensation and potentially even value your claim for you. Why not get in touch to see how much you could receive if the police sent your personal data to someone else?

Contact Us About No Win No Fee Police Data Breach Claims 

A No Win No Fee solicitor can be used to represent you in a data breach claim. The support and guidance of a solicitor could help you to navigate the process of claiming. 

Under a No Win No Fee agreement, you would not be charged an upfront fee nor ongoing fees to represent you. Any payment to them would only be taken on the condition that your claim was successful. If you were not awarded compensation, they would not charge you for their services. 

Would you like to see if one of our No Win No Fee solicitors can represent you in your police data breach claim? If so, get in touch with one of our advisers. They offer free legal advice on making a claim if the police sent your personal data to someone else. Furthermore, they can assess your claim and, if they find it to be valid, put you through to a solicitor.

You can reach them via:

• The form on our contact page 
• The live chat feature 
• Calling them on 0800 073 8804 

Public Body Data Breach Claim Resources 

For other additional information, you might need:

• You can make a complaint about the police to the Independent Office For Police Conduct
• The ICO offers information on how to access the personal data the police have about you
• The NHS have guidance on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) 

Thank you for reading our guide on what to do if the police sent your personal data to someone else. We offer guides on other topics such as:

• Making A Claim If Your Sort Code & Account Number Were Disclosed In A Data Breach
• Claims Against Your Employer For A Data Breach
• Making A Claim If Your Medical Records Were Stolen In A Data Breach
• Brentwood Borough Council
• East Suffolk Council
• Solicitors Lost My Medical Records – Can I Claim?
• Sickness At Work Data Breach Compensation Claims
• Foster Care Data Breach Claims

Written by Charles

Edited by Stocks

This guide will explain how to make climbing wall activity personal injury claims. Many people enjoy using outdoor and indoor climbing walls to keep fit and practise rock climbing in a controlled environment. However, a climbing wall accident can happen if an activity centre neglects proper health and safety standards. Therefore, climbers could suffer an injury that was not their fault.

If an accident at a climbing wall has injured you, you may be eligible to claim compensation. If the centre caused the accident by acting negligently they could be liable to pay damages. To begin your compensation claim, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today:

• Call our claims helpline on 0800 073 8804
• Or contact us in writing about your claim

Climbing wall activity personal injury claims guide

Select A Section

• Climbing Wall Activity Personal Injury Claims Explained
• What Duty Of Care Does The Operator Of A Climbing Wall Have?
• Climbing Wall Activity Injuries
• How Could A Climbing Wall Activity Accident Happen?
• Climbing Wall Activity Personal Injury Claims – How Much Could You Claim?
• Get Help From A Personal Injury Claims Lawyer

Climbing Wall Activity Personal Injury Claims Explained

When we enjoy activities such as indoor climbing, the owner of the establishment owes us a duty of care. Therefore the proprietor is responsible for our health and safety as well as ourselves. If you suffer a climbing wall injury because of poor health and safety standards, you may be eligible to make climbing wall activity personal injury claims for compensation.

You could claim compensation for your injuries if:

• Firstly, the climbing wall venue owed you a duty of care. Either as a customer or an employee.
• Secondly, the venue breached the duty of care by neglecting health and safety standards.
• The poor standards of health and safety caused an accident.
• Finally, the accident injured you.

You may be able to claim compensation for rock wall fall injuries that were not your fault. To see if a climbing wall venue owes you compensation, please call us today to speak to an advisor.

What Duty Of Care Does The Operator Of A Climbing Wall Have?

The Occupiers Liability Act 1957 states that proprietors owe their patrons and other people who use their venue a duty of care. Therefore safety procedures should be followed to provide a safe place.

Under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, activity centres also owe their staff a duty of care, including full-time employees, agency workers and casual workers. Therefore the venue should carry out regular risk assessments to identify and remove potential safety hazards. If a worker is injured because of negligence, they may be eligible to claim for an accident at work.

Activity Centre Specific Legislation

Specific activity centres have to comply with two pieces of legislation. These are the Activity Centres (Young Persons’ Safety) Act 1995 and the Adventure Activities Licensing Regulations 2004.

The regulations require activity centres to do the following:

• Undergo regular inspections of their premises and safety management systems
• The centre must provide instruction on how to do the activities
• And the business must have a licence to provide the activity

Climbing Wall Activity Injuries

You could make climbing wall activity personal injury claims if you were injured because of an accident that was due to a breach in duty of care. Here are some examples of climbing wall injuries you may have experienced:

• Broken bones can happen if you fall off a climbing wall. A broken bone injury can be painful and debilitating. However, they usually heal with the correct treatment.
• Lacerations are deep cuts affecting the skin or the flesh. You may also suffer from severe bruising.
• You can suffer head injuries if you fall and hit your head. Head injuries can be minor, or a traumatic brain injury can be severe.
• Internal injuries include organ damage and internal bleeding. Internal injuries are life-threatening and require immediate medical attention.
• A haemorrhage means bleeding. Internal bleeding can be life-threatening.
• Rotator cuff tears are a type of soft tissue injury. They are tears to the tendons in the shoulders. These shoulder injuries can be painful, especially when you move your shoulder.

How Could A Climbing Wall Activity Accident Happen?

Injuries that are suffered on a climbing wall will not always be caused by negligence. Some are due to accidents that could not be avoided or through climbers not taking proper care of themselves. You can be injured climbing indoors or outdoors if the venue has not upheld proper health and safety standards.

Procedures a climbing wall centre could apply to ensure the safety of service users:

1. A qualified instructor could supervise the climbing activities. Incorrect supervision can lead to climbing wall accidents.
2. Employees should have the correct training for the activities they are instructing on.
3. Instructors should ensure that the participant’s harnesses are fitted correctly to prevent rock wall falls.
4. The venue should inspect their equipment regularly for faults.
5. Climbers should not be able to climb higher than they are supposed to.

Failure to follow the correct health and safety guidance can lead to climbing wall accidents and falls from a height, which can cause back injuries.

Who Could Be At Fault?

An indoor climbing venue could be liable for a climbing wall injury if unsafe conditions caused an accident. For example, the venue may have provided the participant with faulty equipment. The venue could also be held liable if they provide the climber with incorrect instruction or there is a lack of supervision, which subsequently led to an error, in which the climber was injured.

To see if you can make climbing wall activity personal injury claims, please contact us today for your free consultation.

Climbing Wall Activity Personal Injury Claims – How Much Could You Claim?

How much you are awarded in a successful personal injury claim depends on the injury suffered, how much pain and loss amenity is caused and financial implications. Below you will see a table that has compensation brackets in. The table looks only at one type of damage that could be awarded – general damages. However, special damages are not included.

Please note, that we have used guidelines from the Judicial College in the table. But the final amount of compensation you receive may vary, depending on the circumstances of your claim. Please feel free to call our helpline and we can estimate how much you may be owed.

Get Help From A Personal Injury Claims Lawyer

If you have legitimate grounds to make climbing wall activity personal injury claims, we can help you. Legal Expert can provide you with a skilled personal injury claims lawyer to manage your claim. What’s more, you can choose to make a No Win No Fee claim, if there is ample evidence to support your case.

If you choose to make a claim with a No Win No Fee solicitor there is no upfront fee to pay them. There are no fees throughout the course of your claim. If the case is won you will pay a success fee which is capped by law to the solicitor as their success fee payment. If your claim fails there is no success fee to pay.

• To begin your claim, please call us on 0800 073 8804.
• Or you can use our online claims form, to reach out to us.
• Finally, you can also speak to an advisor online, using the Live Support widget.

Read More About Activity Injury Claims

Please read these guides to learn more about claiming compensation for an activity or sporting injury.

An NHS guide to broken ankle injuries.

A guide to activity centre health and safety regulations.

Health and safety for leisure activities

We have lots more guides on personal injury claims which you can browse below: 

• A guide to the claims process
• Claiming compensation for quad bike injuries
• Activity centre injuries – how to claim compensation
• Claiming compensation for a mountain bike injury
• How does the personal injury claim process work?
• Missing tile accident claims
• Success fees in personal injury cases
• How many claims go to court?
• Special damages in personal injury claims
• CCTV footage in personal injury cases
• Claiming compensation for injuries caused by faulty furniture
• How to claim against your employer
• Compensation tables for personal injury
• Try our personal injury claims calculator
• Multi-story car park accident claims
• The Pre-Action Protocols in personal injury
• How much compensation can you get for a personal injury claim?

We hope this guide has been informative on the subject of how to make climbing wall activity personal injury claims.

Guide By Chelache

Edited By Melissa.

Outdoor activity centre injury compensation claims could be made if you experience an injury while engaging in paid-for outdoor activities. You could also claim on behalf of your child. Find out how to claim in this guide.

While engaging in activities, people should expect a certain level of safety. We look at licensing of outdoor activity centres. In addition to who is covered by the regulations. Also, we look at what makes an injured person eligible to claim as not all injuries will qualify for compensation. 

Activity centres must train staff or employ staff that are trained to carry out the activities safely.  If injuries occur due to negligence then those who have suffered could be able to make a personal injury claim. We explore what injuries could happen and what amounts of compensation could be awarded. 

To claim compensation, you must be able to prove negligence caused your injuries. We discuss what steps you could take following an injury that could help strengthen compensation claims. Time limits apply. We explain the time limits and what circumstances could lead to an exception. 

Learn how to claim with a No Win No Fee personal injury solicitor. They could be beneficial to ensure that your claim is filed in full and within the personal injury claims time limits. 

Our advisors are ready to discuss your potential claim.  

Start your claim today:

• Claim online
• Call us on 0800 073 8804
• Use the live chat feature

Select a Section

1. What Are Outdoor Activity Centre Injury Compensation Claims
2. Types Of Outdoor Activity Centre Accidents
3. How Common Are Accidents At Activity Centres?
4. How To Make Outdoor Activity Centre Injury Compensation Claims
5. Outdoor Activity Centre Injury Compensation Claims Calculator
6. Discuss Your Claim With Our Team

What Are Outdoor Activity Centre Injury Compensation Claims

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) currently is the licensing authority for the Adventure Activities Licensing Regulations 2004 (AALA). The Activity Centres (Young Persons’ Safety) Act 1995, make it a legal requirement for adventure activity providers for young people to have an inspection of their safety management systems and hold a licence. These are to reduce unnecessary risks of avoidable injuries and death. 

What activities require a specific licence:

• Caving: Mine exploration and cave diving are included.
• Climbing: Abseiling is included.
• Trekking: Walking and mountain biking are included, amongst other activities. 
• Watersports: Activities done on the sea or non-placid large bodies of water are included.

Those who provide activity centres must take reasonably practicable steps to protect the safety of service users. Outdoor activity centre injury compensation claims arise when the centre neglected its duty of care.

Our advisors are available to talk to you about activity centre negligence.

Types Of Outdoor Activity Centre Accidents

Outdoor activity centres can range from mountain biking to cave exploring. Any activity has a certain amount of risk and not all injuries will mean that there is a liable party. Below we explore how accidents could occur and what injuries could result. 

Causes of injuries could include: 

• Lack of fitness: Before participating in outdoor activity centre activities, your own fitness should be considered. For example, if you aren’t in shape for assault courses, they could present additional risks. 
• Poor/no instruction: Staff should have effective communication skills. To prevent some injuries, staff need to be able to act in time. For example, if the conditions suddenly change and staff need to bring participants to safety. 
• Correctly trained staff: staff that are not trained appropriately create a risk.
• Lack of preparation: Any activity that you undertake will come with certain levels of preparedness. Activity centres should have ready all the necessary equipment needed to complete the task safely. 
• Defective equipment: In addition, frequent checks of equipment should be carried out and recorded. A frayed zip wire harness, presents an injury risk from falls, for example. 
• Perilous terrain: activity centres should ensure that any terrain does not pose avoidable hazards that could cause injuries such as broken bones.

 How Common Are Accidents At Activity Centres?

We have chosen to use statistics from the Compensation Recovery Unit that is part of the UK government. It shows figures for recovery settlements for public place accidents. Records of Compensation Recovery Data (CRU) are kept by the Department of Work and Pensions. The yearly data in the public place accident settlements graph we have provided below runs from 1 April-31 March. 

 How To Make Outdoor Activity Centre Injury Compensation Claims

The steps you make following an injury could help strengthen outdoor activity centre injury compensation claims. In order to claim, however, you must be able to prove the activity centre acted negligently. 

Steps you could take include:

• Seek medical attention: Medical records following an injury could be submitted as evidence. In order to claim compensation, you might need an independent medical assessment. 
• Note contact details: Witnesses, if there are any, could be contacted for a statement at a later date. You will need to make a note of their contact information. 
• Take photographs: You could take photos of the equipment that caused your injury. 
• Get legal advice: Legal expertise could make the claims process seem a lot less stressful. 

 To begin your personal injury claim due to outdoor activity centre negligence, contact our advisors. 

How Long Do You Have To Claim?

Under the Limitation Act 1980, you typically have three years to begin outdoor activity centre injury compensation claims. The date the injury occurred may not be the date the time limit starts from. If you are unaware of your injury, for example, the time limit starts when you become aware. 

Other exceptions to the time limit also apply if: 

• Under 18 and a litigation friend does not claim on your behalf. You have three years after you turn 18 to begin your claim. 
• Lack the mental capacity to claim and a litigation friend does not begin the claim on your behalf. You also have three years after your recovery to start the claiming process. 

Contact our advisors to start outdoor activity centre injury compensation claims. 

Outdoor Activity Centre Injury Compensation Claims Calculator

If you decide to claim compensation, your claim has two potential heads. We explore each below. 

General Damages

Physical injuries as well as any psychological injury suffered as a result are claimed for under general damages. To estimate the value of your claim, solicitors refer to a document titled the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). In the JCG, a list of injuries is provided, alongside their potential compensation brackets. We have provided a few examples in the table below. 

Special Damages

To recover costs that occurred due to your injuries, you could claim special damages. You must supply evidence, such as receipts, to claim under this head. 

You could recover costs for:

• Medical expenses: Therapy costs or renting a wheelchair could be recovered, for example. In addition to any other medical bills. 
• Lost wages: Loss of earnings could be calculated using your payslips. 

Advice on what evidence you could supply towards special damages is available from our advisors. 

Discuss Your Claim With Our Team

The legal process for injury compensation claims could seem simpler with a legal representative. Costs associated with a traditional solicitor could be prohibitive, however. 

A No Win No Fee arrangement, such as a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA) is one way to minimise the financial risks associated with hiring a lawyer. A No Win No Fee solicitor does not take an upfront solicitors fee. A legally capped success fee, taken from the award, applies to successful claims. 

Our advisors are standing by to start your outdoor activity centre injury compensation claims. They can provide you with an estimate of the damages you could claim. In addition, they could advise you on what evidence you could use to strengthen your claim. Eligible claims might be passed to our personal injury solicitors. 

Start your claim today:

• Claim online
• Call us on 0800 073 8804
• Use the live chat feature

Leisure And Public Place Accident Claims

You may find these links useful for outdoor activity centre injury compensation claims:

• NHS Guide to Broken Bones
• Licensing Guidance for Adventure Activities Licensing Regulations 2004 from the HSE
• Illness and Your Child’s Education Guide from the Government If an Injury Will Keep Them Away From School

And more guides:

• How Much Compensation Can I Claim for an Accident in a Public Park
• No Win No Fee Compensation Claims Guide and Free Advice
• How Much Compensation for a Child Injury Claim