By Stephen Anderson. Last Updated 11th July 2022. This guide will explain the process of claiming victim of crime compensation. If you’ve been injured as the result of a violent crime, there are two potential channels through which you can claim compensation.
Victim of crime compensation guide
You can claim compensation against the perpetrator directly, provided that they’ve been identified and have the available funds to pay you compensation. You can also claim through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA). We will take a closer look at these later on in this guide.
Also in this guide, we talk about the different types of attacks and injuries that victims of crime may experience and they could potentially claim for. If you have been hurt by a crime, then you may have questions on how to get compensation for this. We’ll explain the steps and criteria involved in making crime injury claims. As part of this explanation, we will also address what information needs to be reported to the police for compensation payouts in the UK.
Further into this guide, we will also discuss potential compensation payouts that may be offered if you are able to make a successful claim for criminal injuries through the CICA.
To learn more, get in touch with our advisors. The call is free, confidential and there’s no obligation to start a claim if you do not feel ready. You can:
- Call us on 0800 408 7825
- Email or write to us at Public Interest Lawyers
- Use the ‘live support’ option to the bottom right of this screen
Select A Section
- How Do You Claim Victim Of Crime Compensation In The UK?
- How Do You Seek Victim Of Crime Compensation UK Payouts?
- Can You Claim For Victims Under The Age Of 18?
- Getting Help With Making A Claim
- Calculating Victim Of Crime Compensation In The UK
- Contact No Win No Fee CICA Claim Solicitors Today
How Do You Claim Victim Of Crime Compensation?
As we have already mentioned, there are two main channels through which you can claim victim of a crime compensation for injuries caused by a crime of violence. You can claim directly against the person directly, or make a claim through the CICA.
If you would like to claim directly against the person who violently injured you, they must have the available funds to pay you compensation. You also need to know who they are in order to launch a claim.
In order to claim through the CICA, there’s no requirement for the person who injured you to have been identified. However, the incident must have been reported by the police.
Some of the injuries that you could sustain as the result of a criminal attack include:
- Cuts or lacerations
- Broken bones, for example, a fractured breastbone
- Injuries to your internal organs like your kidney.
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Depression or anxiety ( or other mental health impacts)
How Do You Seek Victim Of Crime Compensation Payouts?
If you’re interested in claiming victim of a crime compensation through the CICA, it’s essential that the crime was reported to the police. This should be done as soon as possible. Usually, this is straight after the incident; however, if exceptional circumstances prevented you from doing so then your claim may still be considered.
The time limit for claiming CICA compensation is 2 years after the date of the event. However, if you can prove that you were unable to claim within this timeframe because of exceptional circumstances, then you may still be able to claim.
You must cooperate with the police in order to claim. If you do not cooperate with them, then the CICA may decline payment.
What Are The Two Different Routes To Compensation?
An alternative to a claim via the CICA is to seek compensation directly from the perpetrator. However, this can be more difficult for a number of reasons.
In some circumstances, you might not be able to identify the person who attacked you. If this is the case, your only option for compensation would be through the CICA.
Furthermore, if the perpetrator has been identified but doesn’t have sufficient assets to award you compensation, then a claim against them would likely be unsuccessful.
Can You Claim For Victims Under The Age Of 18?
You can receive victim of crime compensation while under the age of 18. As a parent or guardian, you can complete a CICA application on their behalf.
Once a child turns 18, they have 2 years to claim provided that the incident was reported while they were a child. If it was not reported, they should do this as soon as possible and then the two-year time limit begins. Just as with adult claims, exceptions can be made where extenuating circumstances apply.
In addition to this, it’s possible to claim for people who cannot apply for themselves due to a lack of mental capacity. Speak with our advisors for more guidance on how to claim a CICA compensation award on behalf of someone who cannot claim themselves.
Getting Help With Making A Claim
Applying via the CICA scheme is something that everyone can do. It is not essential to have legal representation but it’s important to remember that the claims process can be somewhat daunting to navigate by yourself.
With this in mind, a criminal injury No Win No Fee solicitor could offer you the support and expertise to help the claims process run more smoothly than it otherwise would.
Accessing this support and advice is easy. Simply get in touch with our team and we could connect you with a lawyer from our panel in minutes.
Calculating Victim Of Crime Compensation
When you claim victim of crime compensation through the CICA, your compensation award can consist of payments for your injuries as well as any special expenses. You will need to provide medical evidence to prove your injuries.
Your injuries can then be compared to those listed in the CICA tariff of awards. We’ve included examples of CICA payouts below:
| Injury | CICA Tariff | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Burns | £33,000 | Covering over 25% of total skin, with significant scarring |
| Major paralysis | £110,000 | Severe impairment of sensory or motor function of one half of body |
| Quadraplegia | £250,000 | Substantially complete affecting both upper and lower limb levels |
| Brain damage | £110,000 | Where serious mental or physical disablement mean that the injured person is substantially dependent on others |
| Epilepsy | £44,000 | Uncontrolled despite medication |
| Eyes | £44,000 | Serious, permanent loss of visual field |
| Scarring (head) | £3,500 | Serious disfigurement |
| Sexual assault | £27,000 | Resulting in severe mental illness that is permanently disabling and has been confirmed by medical prognosis. |
| Sexual assault | £22,000 | Transmission of HIV, Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C |
In addition to physical or emotional harm, you could claim special expenses. This covers any reasonable or necessary costs that were incurred as a direct result of your injury.
For example, you could claim for the cost of a physical aid that was damaged in the attack, like a walking stick. You can also claim for loss of earnings or the cost of any home adaptations that you need because of your disabilities.
In order to claim special expenses, you will need to have lost earning potential for at least 28 weeks following the incident. Special expenses will be backdated to the date of the incident, but loss of earnings will only be paid from the 29th week onwards.
Contact No Win No Fee CICA Claim Solicitors Today
Thank you for reading our guide on claiming victim of crime compensation. A solicitor from our panel could take your case on a No Win No Fee basis. This means that:
- There’s nothing for you to pay your solicitor upfront or while the claim progresses
- If your claim is unsuccessful, then you won’t pay your solicitor anything
- In the event of a successful claim, a legally-capped percentage will be deducted from your settlement by your solicitor.
If this is something that interests you, you can get in touch by:
- Calling us on 0800 408 7825
- Emailing or writing to us at Public Interest Lawyers
- Using the ‘live support’ option to the bottom right of this screen
Helpful Victim Support Resources
Below, we have included links to some additional guides that you might find useful:
Claim after rape or sexual assault.
Hit and run compensation through the CICA.
NHS rape and sexual assault guidance
We hope that reading our guide on claiming victim of a crime compensation in the UK has proven useful for you. If you would like to speak to an advisor about making a criminal injury claim, then you can choose to contact us at Public Interest Lawyers for support. You can reach us online or on the phone by using the contact details featured in this guide.
Article by EA
Publisher ET