Criminal Injury Compensation Claims

If you have been the victim of a crime and have suffered from an injury because of it, you may be entitled to compensation from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority or CICA. It can be the last thing on your mind if you have been the victim of a violent robbery or something like a sexual assault. 

 

At DSM Legal, however, you’ll find a sympathetic and helpful team who can take the stress out of claiming. You can also access our no win no fee service which means you don’t have to pay anything unless your claim has been successful. 

 

 

The CICA is a government agency that handles any claims from people who have either been hurt physically or mentally because a crime was committed and they are the blameless victim. It operates across England, Scotland and Wales and routinely handles about 40,000 cases, paying out compensation of about £200 million, each year. 

 

 

If you have been the victim of a crime and suffered either mentally or physically as a consequence, then you may be able to apply to the CICA for compensation. A mental impact can include problems such as post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. 

 

You need to have reported the crime to the police and any delay can impact on the amount of compensation you receive. It does not matter whether someone has been caught and convicted of the crime, you can still claim if you are a victim and the police have been informed. 

 

In general, you need to make a claim for compensation within two years of the event taking place. There are circumstances where this can be waived, particularly in relations to sexual abuse and assault, but you need to get good legal advice to see where you stand. 

 

The level of claim will obviously vary depending on the type of trauma you were subjected to. Claims are not usually paid out if the merit amounts to less than £1,000 but top amounts have been paid out up to and over half a million. You may also be able to claim because you have had to take time off work and lost out on wages because of an injury. 

 

You should always choose a solicitor that specialises in criminal injury compensation claims. We operate from our central office in Warrington and can provide experienced injury solicitors who will certainly make a difference to your claim. With a no win no fee basis, you won’t need to worry about finding money to make your claim – we’ll keep you informed every stage of the process and all our fees are transparent once we have reached any settlement. 

 

If you have been the victim of crime and have suffered injury because of it in the last couple of years, we recommend that you contact the professional and friendly team at DSM Legal Solicitors. 

 

We’ll be able to talk through your options and give you a good idea how successful your claim is likely to be. Our offices have free onsite parking as well good disabled access. Contact us today on 01925 937070 to find out more.