The police have a priority and duty to protect life, preserve peace and prevent criminal offences. Due to the nature of their role, they can sometimes be exposed to violent or confrontational situations where they might have to apply a degree of reasonable force. However, situations can arise in which a police officer or police force acts negligently, causing physical or psychological harm to individuals. If it can be shown that a police force failed to adhere to professional standards or failed in their duty to protect, which led to you suffering injuries or harm, you could seek police negligence compensation.
If you’re giving thought to making a claim, you might be wondering, ‘How much compensation for police negligence could I receive?’ This will depend on the injuries you sustained, as well as their severity. With this said, we understand that compensation can in no way undo the harm you’ve experienced, but it can be used to fund any ongoing medical expenses, cover the costs of lost earnings, or even act as financial redress after experiencing an injury caused by the negligent actions of a police officer.
To discuss your particular case and receive free advice on claiming compensation, you can contact a member of our friendly advisory team.
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Here at HowMuchCompensation.co.uk our expert advisors are on hand 24 hours a day 7 days a week to assess your compensation claim. Should you require free advice we can connect you to a specialist solicitor.
Jump To A Section
- How Much Compensation For Police Negligence Could I Get?
- What Is Considered When Calculating Police Negligence Compensation?
- Can Police Negligence Cover Other Damages?
- Can I Make A Claim For Police Negligence Compensation?
- What Are Some Examples Of Police Negligence?
- How Can I Bring A Compensation Claim Against The Police?
- Get Help From How Much Compensation
- More Information
How Much Compensation For Police Negligence Could I Get?
How much compensation for police negligence you could get will depend on the severity of the injuries you suffered, the psychological impact of said injuries, and whether these caused you any financial losses. Each claim is judged on its own merits and calculated on a case-by-case basis.
However, compensation can consist of two heads of loss, called general and special damages. General damages are awarded for the physical and mental pain and suffering your injuries have caused you, whereas special damages are for the associated financial losses.
When valuing the first type of loss, professionals may use frameworks such as the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) for guidance. Within this document are compensation guidelines for a wide range of injuries based on severity.
In our table below, we have used some figures from the JCG for injuries you may have suffered. Please be aware that the top entry has not been taken from the JCG, and this is no guarantee of compensation, but only a guideline.
| Injury | Severity | Compensation |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple severe injuries + special damages | A number of severe injuries paired with financial losses such as lost income, care expenses or rehabilitation costs | Up to £1,000,000+ |
| Brain or Head Injury | Very Severe - the injured person will require full-time nursing care | £344,150 to £493,000 |
| Paralysis | Paraplegia - the presence of increasing paralysis will impact the amount awarded | £267,340 to £346,890 |
| Back | Severe (i) - serious damage to the spinal cord or nerve roots | £111,150 to £196,450 |
| Arm | Injuries Resulting in Permanent and Substantial Disablement - significant permanent residual disability | £47,810 to £73,050 |
| Skeletal Injuries | Fractures of Jaws (i) - a number of fractures with severe pain and permanent consequences | £37,210 to £55,570 |
| Le Fort Fractures of Frontal Facial Bones | £29,060 to £44,840 | |
| Shoulder | Severe - brachial plexus damage resulting in significant disability | £23,430 to £58,610 |
| Pelvis + Hips | Moderate (i) - significant injury to hips or pelvis but any permanent disability is not major | £32,450 to £47,810 |
| Less Serious Leg Injury | Less Serious (i) Fractures From Which an Incomplete Recovery is Made or Serious Soft Tissue Injuries | £21,920 to £33,880 |
To receive a free evaluation of your compensation claim, you can contact our advisors.
We are here to help you
Here at HowMuchCompensation.co.uk our expert advisors are on hand 24 hours a day 7 days a week to assess your compensation claim. Should you require free advice we can connect you to a specialist solicitor.
What Is Considered When Calculating Police Negligence Compensation?
When calculating police negligence compensation, factors such as the severity of your injury, the expected recovery period and what financial losses you have experienced are all considered. Factors taken into consideration when general damages are being calculated could include:
- What injuries have been suffered, and if there is more than 1
- The severity of said injuries
- Whether any psychological damage was suffered
- What treatments you have needed
- Your expected recovery period
- Whether your injuries have impacted your engagement in hobbies, work, social life, etc.
To learn more about the factors considered in calculating compensation, contact us today. Alternatively, you can use our compensation calculator for a better estimate of how much compensation for police negligence you could receive.
Can Police Negligence Cover Other Damages?
Yes, police negligence can also cover financial damages caused by your injuries. For example, if you’ve been injured in a way that has now prevented you from working, these lost earnings could be claimed back under special damages.
Below, we discuss some more examples of special damages:
- Loss of current or future earnings: if your earning potential has been affected by your injuries, you could claim not only for the current loss of earnings, but also any projected future earnings that you would’ve earned had you not been injured.
- Medical expenses: associated costs of any treatments, prescriptions or consultations can all be claimed back as special damages.
- Rehabilitative or recovery costs: if you require therapy services, whether this be physiotherapy or even psychiatric help, the costs of these services can form a portion of special damages.
- Cost of care: if you require specialist professional carers, this can be a huge expense. Police negligence compensation can also cover this within special damages.
Special damages could also be sought for costs like travel expenses or any other miscellaneous out-of-pocket expenses caused by your injuries. That said, you must retain evidence of these financial losses, which may include bank statements, payslips, and invoices to substantiate the costs.
For more information about what police negligence compensation can cover, please get in touch with us today.
Can I Make A Claim For Police Negligence Compensation?
You could make a claim for police negligence compensation if you have been injured as a result of police misconduct. The police must ensure to follow the professional standards, including the standards of conduct set out in the Police (Conduct) Regulations 1999.
Additionally, when the police are exercising their authority, such as while performing an arrest or while a suspect is under police custody, the police need to uphold certain standards. This includes the codes of practice within the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) as well as adhering to the Bail Act 1976.
If you were harmed during an interaction with the police due to these standards not being upheld, you could be eligible to seek compensation.
For a free case evaluation, you can get in touch with our advisors today. They can advise on the validity of your personal injury claim, entirely obligation-free. This offers you the chance to assess the options available with no commitment.
What Are Some Examples Of Police Negligence?
Examples of police negligence include excessive force during an arrest, wrongful detention, or a failure to follow proper procedural processes, which later results in injury. Not just this, but there are many circumstances where a police officer’s actions can result in avoidable emotional or physical harm.
Below, we have provided a few examples of how a police officer or force might act negligently:
- While pursuing a suspect at speed in a vehicle, the police officer fails to exercise due care and attention while on the roads. Despite moving out of the way for the police vehicle, they still crash into the back of your car, causing you to suffer whiplash and a severe back injury.
- Despite following the police officer’s instructions during an arrest, a police officer uses their baton unnecessarily. This causes you to suffer a broken leg as a result.
- A police officer, during an arrest, used unnecessary physical violence, leading to soft tissue injuries as well as severe head injuries.
These examples are by no means exhaustive, but provide an illustration of how police negligence might occur. If you’d like to discuss the circumstances of your own case, please contact our advisory team today.
How Can I Bring A Compensation Claim Against The Police?
In order to bring a compensation claim against the police, you must hold evidence that proves negligence happened and highlights how police misconduct took place. This can include a copy of the complaint you submitted to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). This is the independent watchdog for policing in Wales and England. It could also include your medical records and any video footage of the incident. For further examples of evidence, you can refer to our guide on how to prove negligence.
In addition to holding evidence, we also have to ensure that your claim is brought within the limitation period. This is typically 3 years from the date of the incident, as per the Limitation Act 1980. Exceptions apply to this time limit, and you can learn more about them in our guide regarding the limitation period for personal injury claims.
By working with a solicitor from our panel, you would have support gathering evidence to support your claim. They would also ensure your case is filed on time. Get in touch with us today to learn more about how a solicitor from our panel could help you.
Get Help From How Much Compensation
Here at How Much Compensation, our panel of experienced solicitors work on a No Win No Fee basis. The specific type of contract they offer is a Conditional Fee Agreement. This means they could work on your claim without you having to pay any upfront or ongoing costs for their services. You also wouldn’t have to pay for their completed services if the claim were to fail.
Instead, if your claim was successful, a small, legally limited percentage of your compensation would be deducted as your solicitor’s success fee. This is limited in line with the Conditional Fee Agreements Order 2013, to ensure that you receive the majority of your compensation.
In addition to working on a No Win No Fee basis, working with our panel of solicitors can offer a range of benefits, including:
- Regular updates about how your claim is progressing
- Help with gathering evidence to form a strong body that strengthens the basis of your claim
- Ensuring your compensation is inclusive of the full extent of damage caused by your injuries, including financial losses
- Working with you to develop a recovery plan that suits your needs
- Handling the entire process on your behalf, from paperwork related to your claim to corresponding with the relevant parties
- Making sure that your claim is started within the permitted time limit
Contact Our Advisors To Get Started
Get in touch with our advisory team today if you have any questions, such as, ‘How much compensation for police negligence could I claim?’. They can also assess your case and offer you free advice.
- Call us on 0800 408 7826
- Contact us online
- Speak to an advisor using our live chat
More Information
Why not read more of our guides about:
- How to make a historical sexual abuse claim
- Criminal injury claims and how much compensation you could receive
- How much compensation for assault?
Helpful External Resources:
- Government guidance on making police super-complaints
- Read the government guidance on requesting CCTV footage of yourself.
- A guide to making a complaint to the IOPC
Thank you for reading our guide exploring how much compensation for police negligence.
