The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) is a government run scheme which deals with compensation claims for individuals who have been physically or mentally injured because they were the victim of a violent crime. The CICA provides the opportunity to victims to make a civil claim for the injuries they have sustained.
To qualify for a claim you must have suffered a criminal injury; an injury caused by a crime of violence. Injuries can be mental or physical and can arise in a variety of ways such as sexual assault, domestic abuse, physical assault and child abuse. The CICA can also help with victims of historical abuse such as child abuse, historical sexual abuse, and rape. Victims of crime may apply to the CICA to claim for compensation for the harm they have suffered. Successful claims range from £1,000 to £250,000. The tariff of injuries range from burns, paralysis, nerve damage, injuries to limbs and wide ranges of sexual abuse, including sexual assault over clothing.
The amount of compensation awarded is case dependent. The nature and severity of your injuries will determine the value of the award which is made by the CICA The value of the compensation awarded will be further determined by the impact of the injuries sustained such as: loss of earnings, damage to property, counselling, medication, and any form of medical treatment or care.
The eligibility to make a claim through the CICA focuses largely on time. A claim must be made no later than 2 two years from the date of the crime, however exceptions apply where the claim concerns historical abuse. Also, the crime must have taken place in England or Wales and reported to the police as soon as reasonably possible. Cooperation with both the CICA and the police is vital for a successful claim.
If you or someone you know has suffered mental or physical injury from a crime of violence historically, or in the last two years, contact our Abuse and Personal Injury team by sending us an email to info@ramsdens.co.uk or calling us on 01484 821 500 to discuss pursuing a CICA claim to compensate for your innocent losses.