Claiming Compensation for a Crime Related Injury

Any injury which occurs as a result of any criminal action are usually eligible for a compensation payment from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA). The amounts given vary widely, but they do help the victims of crime to get their lives back to how they were before the injury happened.

Most people are confused about how CICA payments work and who is entitled to them. Some claims companies help people to make their claims, simplifying the process. The following gives a basic run down on what to expect if you choose to claim compensation in this way.

There are four ways you can claim compensation from CICA:

For your own injuries resulting from a violent act against you
For the death of a loved one who has died as the result of a violent act
For any money lost through being unable to work
For any out of pocket expenses resulting from your injuries

Eligibility

CICA makes its decisions based on the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme which is a guide which explains the level of payments allowed. Claimants can proceed with their claim if:

They have serious enough injuries to reach a threshold of £1,000 for a claim.
The injury resulted from an act of violence in either Scotland, England or Wales. The offender does not to have been convicted or charged.
The application is made within two years of the incident taking place.

CICA may decide to not offer compensation if your behaviour before the incident could have led to you being injured, if you have a criminal record, if you failed to help with police enquires or there was a delay in informing the police.

Making an application

CICA has a website where applications can be made or you can contact victim support who can make the application on your behalf. If you don't have a computer you can apply via the post using a form CICA will send out to you.

What happens then?

CICA will give you a reference number which is attached to your claim. This will allow you to follow the progress of your claim and to be identified if you need to call CICA.

CICA will contact your doctor or hospital if you were treated by them and the police or other organisations who are aware of what happened. Contacting these people will help CICA to establish if you are eligible and if the process can continue.

It can take more than one year to complete this process and for you to receive your compensation. Some cases may even take longer, especially if they involve future loss of earnings of serious injuries.

Generally CICA will offer a one off payment as a lump sum, however if this is going to take a long time to work out they may offer an interim payment which will be deducted from the final payment.

This decision can be appealed and your case can be reviewed if you are not happy with your compensation amount or it is rejected. Otherwise your payment will be put directly into your bank account and you can continue with the recovery from your injuries.

Claiming compensation for injuries resulting from crime is an important part of recovering from the violent incident which occurred. It can help you to cover medical expenses or simply to take some time to get your life back to normal.

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