Institutional Abuse Lawyers

Providing compassion and commitment, when you need it most.

We'll help you win maximum compensation.

Overview

If you are a survivor of abuse that you suffered as a child, while in the care of an institution or organisation, you may be entitled to compensation on a no win, no fee basis.

If you have not already accepted a Redress Scheme payment, a Civil Claim may be a better alternative. Our institutional abuse lawyers have the experience, compassion and tenacity to seek justice on your behalf.

Where does institutional abuse occur?

Institutional abuse can occur in various types of organisations where individuals are supposed to receive care, support, or protection. These institutions, both state-run and private, can include:

Child Welfare Institutions including foster care homes, orphanages, and other facilities created to care for children.
Religious Institutions: Some religious organisations have been implicated in institutional abuse, particularly in cases of sexual abuse by clergy or religious leaders.
Educational Institutions including boarding schools, colleges, universities.
Juvenile Detention Centres and youth correctional facilities
Sport Associations including amateur and professional clubs, as well as coaching and training programs.
Scouts and youth organisations
Hospitals, healthcare facilities and residential homes, including mental health institutions.
Military academies and cadet training programs.

How is institutional abuse compensated?

As a victim-survivor of institutional abuse, you may have suffered from physical, sexual and physiological abuse that has a long lasting impact on your life. At GMP Law, we understand that compensation does not undo the experience of abuse, but it does contribute to providing the recognition you deserve, and helping your ongoing recovery.

Survivors may be eligible to seek compensation for damages including:

Loss of earnings
Non-economic loss, such as pain and suffering
Past and future medical expenses including psychological treatment

You have a right to be compensated for your pain and suffering, loss and psychological damage. Engaging a professional institutional abuse lawyer who is well versed in abuse law and the National Redress Scheme will increase your chances of winning your case.

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Process

Making an institutional abuse claim

In cases of recent institutional abuse, reporting the incident to the police should be your first step. Emergency services will make sure that you’re safe and that you receive proper medical and psychological care as soon as possible.

For survivors of historical institutional abuse, following the National Redress Scheme enacted in 2018, you are eligible to file a claim.

When you seek compensation through GMP Law, you’ll meet with an experienced and compassionate lawyer to discuss your experience confidentially. With that information, we’ll be able to provide you with a no-obligation assessment of your eligibility to claim.

Your lawyer will then make sure that you are aware of all your options, make thoughtful recommendations and walk you through any legal processes that may need your attention.

Survivors of historical child abuse may file either:

A civil abuse compensation claim, or
A National Redress Scheme claim.

Gerard Malouf & Partners

How we help survivors of institutional abuse

Gerard Malouf & Partners’ offers no-obligation legal advice and a no-win, no-fee policy. Our consultations can be provided over-the-phone, or in person and are completely confidential and handled with compassion and sensitivity.

Our Institutional Abuse Lawyers have a track record of success winning the maximum compensation for our clients, in the minimum time possible.

> Read Our Case Summaries

Frequently Asked Questions

More information about abuse claims

Commonly asked questions about institutional and sexual abuse compensation.

What is the National Redress Scheme?

This organisation offers support to those who have experienced institutional child sexual abuse. They stand to:

Acknowledge that many children were sexually abused in Australian institutions.
Hold institutions accountable for this abuse.
Help people who have experienced institutional child sexual abuse gain access to counselling, a direct personal response and a Redress payment.

Survivors who have already accepted a Redress payment are no longer eligible to file a civil claim.

What is a civil claim?

A civil claim is where you sue the institution and/or offender responsible for the abuse. There are many benefits to choosing this option over Redress:

1. There is no limit on the amount of compensation that can be awarded and your case is assessed on its own merit.

2. A civil claim provides an opportunity to claim compensation in respect of:

General damages/non-economic loss (commonly referred to as ‘pain and suffering’).
Economic loss – consideration is given to the impact the abuse has had on your education and employment opportunities.
Treatment expenses – covering the cost of the treatment you reasonably require as a result of the abuse such as counselling, medication, etc.
Domestic care and assistance – for instances where the abuse has impacted on your ability to carry out domestic duties around the home.
Aggravated and exemplary damages – may be available against the defendant in certain circumstances.

3. A civil claim is not limited to the institutions who have registered with the Redress Scheme. A civil claim can be brought against any institution or individual offender.

4. The majority of civil claims will settle favourably for the plaintiff (person making the claim) without the need of going to a final hearing before a Judge.

5. Civil claims are not limited to sexual abuse. A claim can also be brought in respect of serious physical abuse.

Our Promise To You

Our Difficult Case Policy

At Gerard Malouf & Partners, it’s our professional obligation to strive for maximum justice and achievable compensation.

Our difficult case policy ensures that our senior lawyers and experienced management team oversee notably challenging cases. This makes sure that we achieve the best results for our clients seeking accident injury compensation.

We maintain integrity by not accepting a case if we believe it is unlikely to result in compensation, or if the costs to our client outweigh the benefits.

This is our core philosophy and what differentiates us from other law firms.