Claiming Compensation After a Criminal Injury
Posted on 8th January 2021 at 18:49
If you have suffered an injury because you were the victim of a criminal act in England, Scotland or Wales, you may have the right to claim compensation through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme.
This can certainly be a very traumatic time if you are a victim and making a claim may not be the first thing on your mind as you try to recover. The scheme is there to help, however, and you have two years in which to make any claim.
Who Can Claim?
Injuries can be both physical and psychological or a combination of both. Compensation may be able to help you get over this difficult period and achieve a full recovery. It can also cover costs such as funerals if you have lost a loved one because they were a victim of a crime.
To claim for compensation, you need to have been a blameless victim or witness to a crime and have suffered an injury as a consequence. This might be something easily observable such as a stab wound or a head injury. It can quite often, however, be less visible including the psychological trauma you have suffered causing mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety and PTSD.
What is the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority?
The CICA was set up at the end of the nineties to provide compensation for those who have been a victim of a crime or to compensate loved ones who have lost someone because of a violent crime. It is essentially part of the Government and has the authority to issue compensation whether someone has been caught for the crime and convicted or not. Payments can be for mental or physical injury, sexual or physical abuse, including domestic violence and can include loss of earnings because you are unable to work or restricted in what you do.
At a glance:
You need to make a claim within two years of the incident taking place – this can only change under exceptional circumstances.
You must also be a UK resident and the incident has to be reported to the police for you to be eligible for compensation.
The amount that can be awarded will vary depending on the severity of your injuries and their long term effect.
The CICA only considers cases that have a value of more than £1,000.
Claiming Criminal Injury Compensation
It’s a good idea if you have been the victim of a crime and suffered an injury to contact a solicitor as soon as possible. At DSM Legal, we operate a no win no fee service which means that you don’t have to find up front costs for any claim. We’ll be able to listen to your story and talk you through all the options available to you.
Of course, this is going to be a distressing time – you’re a blameless victim and you’re probably more concerned with getting better than claiming for compensation. We’re an experienced and understanding legal team who have a strong track record of representing those who have been the victims of crime and suffered an injury.
Contact DSM Legal Solicitors today to find out more on 01925 937070.
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