In our work at Hudgell Solicitors we have been privileged to stand at the side of families who lost loved ones in the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing and to represent their interests at the ongoing Public Inquiry.
Our legal team has been immersed in the detail of how this barbaric attack was ever able to happen, leading to the tragic loss of 22 lives, for the past two years.
Questioning how and why lives were lost has rightly been the key focus of the Inquiry, as ultimately, it is being held to learn lessons and ensure that future such attacks are better prepared for, and hopefully prevented from happening at all.
However, when this Inquiry reaches its conclusion, the legal focus will swiftly shift from questioning how lives were lost to asking how survivors are supported in the long term.
Legal cases will become about the people left with life-changing physical injuries, those psychologically damaged by the horror of what happened that night, and those left in sheer panic as they searched for loved ones they feared had possibly been killed.
Dedicated legal team has provided rehab and financial support
We are proud that supporting this group of people has long been the focus for our team at Hudgell Solicitors.
It is perhaps fair to say that the many injured survivors have at times felt somewhat the forgotten people of May 22nd, 2017. Many witnessed first-hand the horror as it unfolded but were not granted Core Participant status at the Inquiry.
However, determined to provide all survivors with the best support possible, our team has worked with rehabilitation providers and financial advisors to ensure we are in a position where we fully understand the needs of each and every person who has turned to us for support, despite there being no route to compensation claims until after the Public Inquiry concludes.
We have been gathering evidence from all the injured parties as to their particular circumstances, injuries and rehabilitation needs, as well as understanding the impact on life through loss of earnings, and the extent of future care needs.
Criminal Injury civil claims have been made on behalf of clients, providing a route to bring in some level of damages whilst the outcome of the Inquiry, and then the launch of an expected group action compensation claim, is awaited.
It means that when the Public Inquiry concludes and the Chairman gives his findings into the response of rescue services and the Government in its duty to protect the public from terror attacks, we will already be in a position to know exactly what support our clients need and deserve, and we will hopefully minimise and future timescale for reaching an outcome in their civil claims.
Many ‘secondary victims’ may be able to make a compensation claim
Compensation has perhaps been a term shied away from by many ever since the attack happened, as no amount of money can turn back the clock for anybody affected by the events of that day.
However, we are now more than five years on, and people are still in need of dedicated, life-long packages of support.
We have no qualms in now saying that compensating victims properly has to become a focus for all.
This is a group of people who have remained quiet, patient and dignified throughout, understanding that despite their pressing needs and continued life struggles, there is a legal process in place which had to be followed.
Of course, those closest to the blast, and those left with serious physical and psychological injuries, need compensation packages which enable full rehabilitation programmes, future care and which will also cover past and future loss of earnings.
But there will be hundreds of others, who as yet have not sought legal advice, who will also have claims for damages.
I represented clients at the inquests into the Hillsborough disaster of 1989, an event which resulted not only in the loss of life of so many, but also of course impacted on so many others whose loved ones were attending.
Similar to the Manchester Arena attack, it saw people suffer directly by being injured at the event as the tragedy unfolded, and also left people with long-lasting psychological injuries, either from seeing loved ones being injured, or fearing they would be harmed as the tragic event unfolded.
Determining who is classed as a ‘secondary victim’ will be a key issue.
The legal proceedings around the Hillsborough disaster led to what has now become known as the ‘Alcock Test’ being established, which helps decide which people, who were not directly injured in the event, should also be compensated for the psychiatric impact.
This will see people deemed to have a sufficiently close relationship of love and affection with a primary victim (for example husbands and wives and parents and children), those in close proximity to the incident and its immediate aftermath, and those who have suffered nervous shock through what was seen or heard at the accident, or in its immediate aftermath.
Clearly, there remains work ahead and continued patience from the many victims, but as I said earlier, the focus has to be on ensuring everybody whose lives have been damaged by the Manchester Arena attack are properly compensated and supported. Anything less, would be a failure to deliver justice.
If you would like to speak to one of our dedicated team of solicitors who are representing survivors of the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing and advising on potential compensation claims, call us on 0808 159 2931.
