Brief Guide To Criminal Injuries Compensation

One of the more overlooked ways to make an injury claim stems from if you have been a victim of violent crime and sustained serious injuries. On first glance it’s easy to think that such an accident would be entirely a matter for the Police, however you are entitled to bring a claim for compensation through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA), which is a public body set up to compensate innocent victims of crime for their injuries.  

Here’s four easy steps as to how you can claim:

1. If your accident has occurred within the last two years and your injuries have lasted at least 6 weeks you will qualify for your application to be considered by CICA.
2. You should report the accident to the Police as soon as it happens.
3. You should approach your solicitor so as they can fill in a relevant form which will then be submitted to CICA who will make enquiries with the Police and your GP.
4. If your application is successful, CICA will place a value on each of your injuries and make an award for three most serious injuries you have sustained, they award one hundred per cent of your compensation for your most serious injury, thirty per cent of their valuation for your second most serious injury and fifteen per cent for your third most serious injury.

The outcome of this is that you should expect to receive a minimum award of £1,000.00. This system is an less well-known but useful avenue for clients who could not otherwise claim to obtain compensation for the inconsiderate acts of others.