The amount of criminal injury compensation you are likely to receive is decided by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA). The CICA is an independent body established to provide compensation to victims of violent crime who have been injured in England, Scotland, or Wales.
The CICA has a set of guidelines and tariffs that they use to determine the amount of compensation that should be awarded in each case. The guidelines take into account various factors, such as the type and severity of the injury, any ongoing physical or psychological effects, and any loss of earnings or expenses incurred as a result of the injury.
Even when the perpetrator of the injuries is caught and found guilty a compensation claim is not made against the criminal as they would likely not have sufficient funds to cover it and would not be covered by any personal liability insurance. This responsibility falls on the CICA who evaluates the merits of any claim and award compensation accordingly.
For a case to be successful the CICA must determine whether or not you played a part in the criminal act and if it resulted in you suffering physical or psychological injuries. This could range from being witness to a criminal act that has a psychological effect on you right through to suffering a most serious physical attack. When considering injuries suffered the most obvious ones are often the physical ones such as cuts, bruises, scarring, or broken bones.
Often the psychological effects are long term and do not heal as readily as the physical injuries. Anxiety, stress, and even depression can result from being caught up in criminal acts and do not always surface immediately after the incident. These can reveal themselves months or even years later and can have long term effects.
The CICA only compensates for injuries that according to their tariffs are worth over £1,000. The most serious injury awards go up to £500,000. You are able to claim for more than one injury, getting the full value for the most serious injury with subsequent injuries receiving a reduction according to the CICA rules. Usually, the three most serious injuries will be compensated but there are some incidents that fall outside this rule.
You may also be compensated for the loss of earnings, medical expenses, and some other costs that occurred as a result of the injuries.
There are many factors that can determine any compensation award like the type of injury, the severity of the injury, and any long term effects it has on your life. We offer a no win no fee service to give advice and help guide you through the process of making a claim whilst ensuring maximum recompense.
