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In this paper, an engineering approach is developed for the residual strength analysis of damaged, especially impacted, laminated composites. The main features of the approach are 1) an independent damage characterization method, Damage Data Structure, DDS; 2) a new failure criterion — Damage Influence (DI) criterion for composite laminates with damage; 3) a simple model, Bending Strain Energy Density (BSED), for the prediction of impact damage; and 4) an algorithm for the residual strength analysis of single and/or multiple delaminations, either introduced by impact or pre-implanted . The applicability and effectiveness of this approach were validated by numerical analysis for the tensile strength of laminates with central open hole and the compressive strength of laminates with delamination (impacted or pre-implanted), for 52 different lay-ups and of 12 material systems. Good consistency of analysis results with test results is obtained.