Understanding Criminal Injury Compensation

The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) is a government organization dedicated to supporting innocent victims of crime by processing their compensation claims.

The CICA is funded by the Ministry of Justice and provides compensation ranging from £1,000 to a maximum of £500,000 to individuals who have experienced mental or physical injuries due to criminal assault, as well as to victims of physical and sexual abuse.

You can seek compensation for any injury, whether physical or psychological, that you suffered due to an act of criminal violence. These may include (but are not limited to);

• Brain injury.
• Fractures.
• Dental injuries.
• Mental injuries.
• Loss of Earnings

If you’re unsure whether you’re eligible for compensation, you can always contact the Valoris Criminal Injuries Team by requesting a call or filling out our claim form.

Usually, you’ll want to start your compensation claim within two years of the crime. However, there are some exceptions we can go over with you. These include:

• If the claim involves a child, the two-year deadline begins on their 18th birthday, provided the crime was reported to the police while they were still a minor.
• If the claim involves historical abuse, the time limit begins when the abuse is reported to the police.
• If there are exceptional circumstances – such as the claimant having diminished mental capacity – the CICA might permit claims beyond the time limit.

Whether you’ve been injured recently or the claim is from the past, it’s always best to file as soon as possible. If you’d like to discuss your options, request a call, or fill out our claim form, we’ll get in touch.

The compensation you receive for a criminal injury claim depends on the injury you suffered.

The potential compensation may vary from £1,000 to as much as £500,000. The evaluation of payment will be conducted based on guidance provided by a government document known as the CICA Scheme 2012 (PDF).

If you have a successful claim for multiple injuries, you receive full compensation for the most severe and a percentage for the other two.

If this feels a bit overwhelming, don’t worry, our friendly legal advisors are here to guide you through your options. Just ask for a call or fill out our claim form, and we’ll be in touch soon!

If you’ve been the victim of a violent crime in England, Scotland, or Wales, you may be eligible for compensation. In some circumstances, the person or people who harmed you do not need to have been identified, charged, or convicted of a crime.

The CICA can award compensation if there’s sufficient evidence to demonstrate that a crime was committed.

We have helped many people claim compensation in cases where the attacker has died, even when the allegations were never investigated by police while they were alive. The burden of proof is lower in civil claims than in criminal cases. If sufficient evidence can be provided to prove the allegations, the claims can succeed.

You might also be able to claim compensation if you were injured while taking reasonable steps to prevent a crime, or if witnessing a loved one suffering from a violent crime has caused you psychological harm.

It’s really important to report the offence to the police as soon as it’s reasonably possible, which usually means within 48 hours unless there were exceptional circumstances that prevented you from doing so. Keep in mind, different rules might apply in cases of domestic and sexual abuse.

On average, CICA compensation claims take about 12 months to settle. Cases with more severe injuries might take longer, while some simple cases can finish much sooner.