By Stephen Kane. Last Updated 24th November 2023. This guide provides information about making a claim for assault. There are several avenues you could potentially take to seek compensation for assault. Firstly, you could make the claim directly against the perpetrator, if they have been identified and have the funds to pay compensation Finally, if neither of these ways is viable, you could make your claim through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA). The CICA award compensation to people who have been physically or mentally injured during a violent crime in England, Scotland and Wales. You can find more information on each of these ways later in our guide.
Compensation for Assault Claims Guide
You may be wondering, ‘How much compensation will I get for an assault in the UK?’. Following this, we look at how compensation is calculated when claiming via the CICA by looking at the tariff set out in the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012.
Additionally, we define assault and discuss the differences between grievous bodily harm (GBH) and actual bodily harm (ABH). This is followed by looking at what evidence you will need to apply for compensation through the CICA.
This guide concludes with a discussion about the benefits of having the support of a No Win No Fee solicitor during the claiming process.
If you would like to discuss your potential criminal injury claim, get in touch with one of the advisors from our team. They can answer your questions about launching a criminal injury claim and give you free advice.
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Select A Section
- Examples of CICA Payouts
- When Could I Make A Claim For Assault Through The CICA?
- Can I Claim Compensation For An Assault That I Witnessed?
- I’m The Victim Of A Crime – Does Compensation Being Awarded Require Evidence?
- Assault Compensation Claims With No Win No Fee Solicitors
- Violent Crime and Assault Victim Support
Examples of CICA Payouts
Many potential criminal compensation payouts are sought through the CICA. This is because you would have to claim compensation through them if you’ve been the victim of a violent crime in England, Scotland or Wales and are unaware of who the perpetrator is.
Furthermore, you could also use the CICA if you’re aware of who the perpetrator is and they simply don’t have the funds to provide you with sufficient compensation.
The table below can give you a better idea of what assault claims compensation you could receive through the CICA. They have a tariff that they use to provide compensation to victims of violent crime. Please note that the first entry in the table is an estimated figure that is not taken from this tariff.
| Injury | Description | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple serious injuries plus financial losses | You may receive a payout for multiple serious injuries plus a payment for special expenses as well as lost income. | Up to £500,000 |
| Major paralysis | Cases that aren’t a result of brain damage. Paraplegia that’s substantially complete with impairment of lower extremities’ sensory function. | £175,000 |
| Sight loss | Where sight has been lost in one eye. | £22,000 |
| Eye | Both retinas detached. | £13,500 |
| Jaw | A fractured jaw bone that requires an operation and causes a continuing disability that is significant. | £6,200 |
| Finger | Loss of index finger. | £6,200 |
| Scarring | Serious disfigurement to the head. | £3,500 |
| Scarring | Significant disfigurement to the face. | £2,400 |
| Head | A minor injury with minimal brain damage that lasts 28 weeks or more. | £1,500 |
| Elbow | Fracture or dislocation of one elbow where a substantial recovery is made. | £1,500 |
| Mental injury | A mental injury that is disabling and has been confirmed by a psychiatrist that lasts between 6 and 28 weeks. | £1,000 |
It’s important to note that, with the CICA, the amount of compensation you receive can vary depending on the extent of your injuries and how they may continue to affect you.
If you are claiming for multiple injuries, you would only receive 100% of the compensation for the injury that is considered the most valuable. After that point, you would receive 30% compensation for the second most-serious injury and 15% for the third most-serious injury, respectively.
Assault Compensation Payouts – What Are Special Expenses?
The CICA can also award additional compensation to help you with the financial burden of your injuries. This type of compensation is called special expenses and you may be eligible to request it as part of your assault claim if:
- Items vital to your health were damaged during your assault
- You now required physical aids in your day-to-day life
- Your care costs and other treatment costs you may have incurred
If you have been financially impacted by your assault, you can reach out to one of our advisers for a free review of whether you could be able to claim special expenses, or other forms of assault compensation payouts that the CICA can offer.
When Could I Make A Claim For Assault Through The CICA?
If you would like to make a CICA claim, then you must be able to meet the eligibility requirements. These include:
- You must have reported the incident to the police if you wish to seek compensation for assault. The CICA will need your police reference number as part of the claims process.
- The criminal injuries compensation claim time limits must be adhered to. We look at these shortly.
- You must have suffered injuries in a crime of violence. These could be mental or physical injuries, or both. A crime of violence is, as per the CICA definition, an attack, an act that is violent in nature that results in harm, the threat of an attack where the person has reasonable firmness to be in fear, sexual assault and arson.
- The incident must have happened in England, Wales, Scotland or another relevant place.
- You could also make an assault claim as a witness. We look at this in the next section.
If you have any questions about your eligibility to seek compensation through the CICA, speak with an advisor from our team.
Can I Claim Compensation For An Assault That I Witnessed?
For criminal injury claims, you could potentially claim compensation for an assault if you witnessed the immediate aftermath of an incident where a loved one was injured. However, you must prove that because you witnessed this crime of violence, you sustained some form of psychological injury.
The immediate aftermath means the period immediately following when the person was injured. For example, if your partner was attacked and you found them right after the attack happened, you could make a claim. However, if they were attacked and you were told about the incident later that evening, you wouldn’t be able to claim.
So, if you have suffered a mental injury, such as depression or post-traumatic stress disorder, after witnessing an assault, compensation may be awarded to you following a successful claim. Contact our advisors today for further guidance regarding criminal injury claims.
I’m The Victim Of A Crime – Does Compensation Being Awarded Require Evidence?
If you intend to submit a claim for an assault to the CICA, you will need to provide certain evidence for your case. Evidence should include the following:
- A crime reference number. This will confirm that you have reported the assault you’re claiming for to the police, which is a requirement for CICA claims. The CICA can use this crime reference number to liaise with the police and acquire information they need for your case.
- Medical evidence that confirms the injuries you’re claiming for. Such evidence for assault claims may include your medical records and a report from an independent medical professional who examined you.
- Proof that you meet the residency requirements to make a CICA claim.
We recommend getting support from a solicitor when you intend to make an assault claim, since one of the benefits is that they can assist with gathering evidence.
For more advice on how to make an assault claim or to ask questions such as “how much compensation will I get for an assault in the UK?”, contact our advisors for free today.
Assault Compensation Claims With No Win No Fee Solicitors
If you are seeking compensation for an assault, then we recommend getting support from a solicitor who has experience with this type of claim. After discussing your assault claim with one of our advisors, they could connect you with a solicitor on our panel. They have years of experience handling various types of criminal injury claims and may offer to work with you on a No Win No Fee basis with a Conditional Fee Agreement. This is a type of No Win No Fee agreement.
When working with a solicitor on a No Win No Fee basis, you will not have to pay them any upfront or ongoing fees. You also generally won’t have to pay your solicitor for their services if your case fails. Instead, a success fee is paid should your claim be successful. This success fee is a legally capped percentage that your solicitor will deduct from your compensation award.
Contact our advisors if you would like to learn more about claiming assault compensation with a No Win No Fee solicitor. Our friendly team are available 24/7 to help answer your questions and offer you free advice.
Contact our advisors today:
- Call 0161 696 9685
- Use our live chat
- Or you can contact us online.
Violent Crime and Assault Victim Support
- CPS – Victims and witnesses – The details from the Crown Prosecution Service on how victims and witnesses are treated.
- Crime statistics – The Office of National Statistics information on crime in the UK.
- Domestic assault and abuse – How you can get help.
- Victim support – A charity set up to support victims of crime.
- NHS Page on Domestic violence and abuse – This NHS page is a guide to domestic violence help.
- Broken Tooth Injury Claim – If you’ve suffered from a broken tooth that was the fault of another, find out how you could claim.
- Permanent Scar Claim – If you have a permanent scar after an accident or injury that was due to another’s negligence, find out here how you could claim.
Other Criminal Injury Claim Guides
- Criminal Injuries Compensation
- Rape Victims Compensation Claims
- How Much Compensation Will I Get For An Assault Claim?
- Sexual Abuse Compensation Claim Amounts
We hope you found this guide about claiming compensation for assault helpful. If you have any further questions, please feel free to get in touch at any time.