Statement of Effects
This information contains a summary of the law and is correct at the date of publication. It is not legal advice. You should always seek legal advice about your individual situation.
What is a statement of effects?
The statement of effects is a detailed statement, written by you, which tells the Assessor a number of important things:
- How the offence occurred
- The type and extent of your injuries
- How those injuries have affected your enjoyment of life
- All the ways in which the offence has affected your life from the date it happened to now
Your will support the credibility of your claim and will help the Assessor decide the extent of your losses and the appropriate amount to award you.
Your statement is very important and should be as detailed as possible.
What do I include in my statement?
The following information should be included in your statement
- Personal details.
- Who you live with.
- A “snapshot” of what your life was like before the offence, including:
- Work and home life.
- All the hobbies, sports and activities you enjoyed doing
- How much they enjoyed your life
- Details of events leading up to the offence
- Details of the offence itself, including:
- When and where the offence occurred;
- The details of what happened;
- Any pain that you suffered during the offence;
- How you were feeling and what you were thinking during the offence
- Any other details such as what was said, who was present, what happened immediately after the offence.
- Details of physical injuries and how these have affected you from the date of the offence until now. This should include:
- How much pain you have been in
- What the injuries were
- The type of treatment you have had
- Any side effects of the treatment
- Details of mental injuries and how these have affected you from the date of the offence until now. This may include:
- Any difficulties with sleeping
- Flashbacks
- Continuing recollections of what happened
- Difficulty concentrating
- Avoiding people and places
- Irritability or outbursts of anger
- Panic or anxiety attacks
- Low mood or depression
- Shame, guilt, fears
- Feeling numb or detached from what is going on around you
- Inability to trust people
- Relationship difficulties
- Any other way that your life has been affected as a result of the injuries. This should include:
- any inability work and any lost earnings to date, and how you are going to lose income in the future.
- any inability to do the sports, activities or hobbies that you enjoyed doing before the offence.
The statement should be signed and dated at the end and is included in your application.
Resources
If you would like some legal advice specific to your circumstances, please make an appointment at the Fremantle Community Legal Centre
We are located at:
Level 1 Suite 31
Fremantle Malls
35 William Street
Fremantle
WA 6160.
Telephone: 08 9432 9790 (9.00 am-4.00 pm weekdays)
You might also find the following services useful:
Legal Aid WA
Telephone: 1300 650 579 open Monday to Friday 8.30am to 4pm pm except public holidays.
Office of Criminal Injuries Compensation
Level 10, Golden Square
32 St George’s Terrace
PERTH WA 6000
Telephone: 08 9425 3250 (9:00am to 4:00pm weekdays)