Section 17A: Actions in respect of personal injuries resulting from childhood abuse

Prescription and Limitation (Scotland) Act 1973 · 1973 c.52

Part II: Limitation of Actions

17A(1)

The time limit in section 17 does not apply to an action of damages if—

(a) the damages claimed consist of damages in respect of personal injuries,

(b) the person who sustained the injuries was a child on the date the act or omission to which the injuries were attributable occurred or, where the act or omission was a continuing one, the date the act or omission began,

(c) the act or omission to which the injuries were attributable constitutes abuse of the person who sustained the injuries, and

(d) the action is brought by the person who sustained the injuries.

17A(2)

In this section—

  • "abuse" includes sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse and abuse which takes the form of neglect,

  • "child" means an individual under the age of 18.

About this text

This legislation text comes from legislation.gov.uk. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Reuse reviewed 21 August 2026 under Open Government Licence v3.0.