In this guide, we will look at the process of claiming criminal injuries compensation. There are several channels through which you could make a claim if injured as the result of a crime of violence.
Criminal injuries compensation claims guide
If you experienced a violent crime, the incident might have injured you physically. Furthermore, you may have experienced psychiatric harm because of a violent crime. You can claim for both kinds of injuries in a criminal injury claim.
There are three main ways you can claim. You could:
- Claim through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority.
- Make a civil claim directly against the perpetrator.
- Claim against a third party that is vicariously liable for the incident.
We may be able to help you if you have grounds to claim. We can offer you free legal advice about pursuing compensation for criminal injuries. If we can see that you are eligible, one of the experienced criminal injury solicitors from our panel can manage your claim to help you claim.
To begin your claim, please get in touch with us today. You can:
- Call us on 0161 696 9685
- Contact us using our online claims form to see if you could claim
- You can also find our advice widget at the bottom corner of your browser.
Select A Section
- What Is A Criminal Injury?
- Who Can Claim Criminal Injuries Compensation?
- How Much Criminal Injuries Compensation Will I Get?
- No Win No Fee Claims For Criminal Injuries
What Is A Criminal Injury?
A criminal injury is a physical or psychological injury caused by a violent crime. Below, we have included some examples of crimes of violence that could cause someone to be injured:
- Rape, sexual abuse or sexual assault. This includes historical sexual abuse.
- Physical assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH) or grievous bodily harm (GBH). For example, this could include assault causing a stab injury
- Murder or manslaughter. In cases of a fatal injury caused by a crime of violence, certain relatives may be entitled to claim.
The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority is a government scheme set up to compensate victims of violent crimes. The CICA should be used as a last resort when claiming, meaning that compensation should not be available from anywhere else. Furthermore, the incident needs to have been reported to the police in order for you to claim.
Victims of violent crimes can claim through the CICA, even if the perpetrator was not identified or prosecuted. For more information about how CICA claims differ from claims made through other channels, speak with a member of our team today.
Is There Another Way To Claim Criminal Injuries Compensation?
As well as claiming through the CICA, there may also be an option for you to claim compensation against the perpetrator directly or against a vicariously liable party.
In order for you to claim against the person who injured you directly, you would need to know who they are. They would also need to have the available funds to compensate you.
Alternatively, you could experience an assault because of a vicariously liable party. For example, if you experienced sexual abuse from a member of staff in a school, and it transpired that they had previous convictions that should have stopped them from being employed, but a DBS check was never done, then you could be entitled to claim.
Please get in touch with our team to learn more. You could be connected with a solicitor from our panel if you have a valid claim.
Who Can Claim Criminal Injuries Compensation?
To be eligible to claim through the CICA, the following conditions need to apply:
- You were injured in a crime of violence
- The crime was reported to the police
- The incident happened in England, Scotland, Wales or another relevant place
There is also a time limit that applies to criminal injury claims. For claims made through the CICA, this time limit is generally 2 years from the date that the incident was reported to the police; this is usually expected to be the date of the incident. However, if exceptional circumstances resulted in the reporting of the incident or the start of the claim being delayed, then a claim could be begun outside of this time period.
Please get in touch with us today to see if you can begin a criminal injuries compensation claim. If your case is valid, you could be connected with a lawyer from our panel.
How Much Compensation Will I Get?
You may be wondering how much criminal injury compensation you will get. The CICA can award the following types of compensation to victims of a violent crime:
- Compensation for injuries includes compensation for physical injuries and psychiatric injuries such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- Compensation for loss of earnings if you could not work for more than 28 weeks after the incident and this will not be backdated.
- Special expenses are reimbursement for necessary expenses associated with your injuries. For example, if your hearing was damaged after an assault, you can claim compensation to cover the cost of getting a hearing aid. In order to claim special expenses, you also must have lost earnings or earning potential for more than 28 weeks after the incident. This will be backdated.
The table is based on the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012 tariff, which the CICA uses to value injury claims.
| Injury Category | Notes | Damages |
|---|---|---|
| Sexual Assault | A sexual assault resulting in a severe mental illness. The illness has been diagnosed and is permanently disabling. | £27,000 |
| Sexual Assault | A sexual assault resulting in a moderate mental illness. The illness has been diagnosed and is permanently disabling. | £22,000 |
| Burns | Severe burns to the upper limb | £11,000 |
| Burns | Moderate burns to the upper limb, but not minor. | £2,400 |
| Clavicle Fracture | Affecting both clavicle bones and resulting in continuing disability that is significant. | £4,600 |
| Clavicle Fracture | Affecting both clavicle bones but with substantial recovery. | £2,400 |
| Lung | Punctured both lungs. | £4,600 |
| Lung | Punctured one lung. | £1,500 |
| Scarring | Scarring to the upper limbs causing serious disfigurement. | £3,500 |
| Scarring | Scarring to the upper limbs causing significant disfigurement. | £1,000 |
If you sustain more than one injury that you are claiming through the CICA, you will not receive the full amount from this tariff. In cases with multiple injuries, 100% will be awarded for the injury with the highest value, 30% for the injury with an equal or second highest value and 15% for an injury with the third or equal highest value. Certain injuries, such as the loss of a foetus, could be awarded from a separate tariff.
Please feel free to contact Advice.co.uk, and we can value your claim based on your specific injuries and personal circumstances. An advisor could connect you with a lawyer from our panel.
No Win No Fee Claims For Criminal Injuries
You may have the option to make a No Win No Fee claim if you work with a lawyer from our panel. When you make a No Win No Fee claim, you generally don’t pay an upfront solicitors fee when you claim. Furthermore, you usually won’t pay your lawyer anything as the claim progresses.
In the event of a successful claim, a legally-limited success fee will be taken from your settlement. If you lose your claim, you generally don’t pay your lawyer for the work they’ve done on your case.
To see if you are eligible to claim criminal injuries compensation, please get in touch with us today:
- Call our helpline on 0161 696 9685
- Contact us via our website
- Ask an advisor a question, by using the live chat feature on this page
Read More Of Our Criminal Injuries Claims Guides
The following information may be helpful if you want to make a criminal injury compensation claim.
Help and support victims of crime– Guidance from the charity Victim Support
How to get help if you were raped or sexually assaulted – An NHS guide
Giving evidence in court as a victim or witness – A government guide
Thank you for reading our guide to claiming criminal injuries compensation.
Check out some of our guides below:
- How much compensation will I get for an assault claim?
- Sexual abuse compensation
- How to report historical sexual abuse
- How families of a murder victim could claim compensation
- Sexual abuse by a father compensation claims
- Sexual abuse at school claims
- Criminal injuries compensation – How much will I receive?
- How long does a CICA claim take?
- Sexual abuse by a family member claims
- Making a CICA claim with a criminal record
- Stepfather sexual abuse claims
- Sexual abuse claims guide
- Husband sexual abuse claims
- Family friend sexual abuse claims
- Grandparent sexual abuse claims
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