Accident & Injury Claims

If you have suffered an injury in consequence of a violent crime you might be able to claim compensation.

The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) is a government backed body whose function is to administer and pay compensation to victims who have suffered a physical or psychological injury in consequence of a crime.

The following criteria must be satisfied before you may be eligible:-

1. You must have suffered a sufficiently serious injury – requiring at least two doctors appointments or a recovery time of six weeks.
2. The injury must have been sustained in England, Wales or Scotland.
3. You must immediately report the injury to the police and cooperate with their enquiries.
4. The claim must be filed with CICA within two years of the injury being sustained. In limited circumstances a claim may be made out of time but this is complicated and you should seek specialist advice.

In addition you may be entitled to compensation even if your injury is the accidental by product of a crime (for example, being struck by a car driven by criminals fleeing the scene of the crime). Any compensation may be reduced if CICA believe that you are partly responsible for the injuries.

The compensation payable by CICA is calculated by reference to a “tariff” depending upon the seriousness of any injury sustained. Other losses can sometimes be claimed for – for example, long-term loss of earnings.

The CICA do not pay towards legal fees. We are able to assist you on completing and submitting a CICA claim for a fixed fee in straightforward cases.