Am I entitled to claim criminal injuries compensation?

Want to know if you are entitled to criminal injuries compensation?This article will help you assess if you are entitled to make a claim – covering what you can claim for, how we manage the process on your behalf and the potential values associated with criminal injuries compensation here in the UK.

In addition, this article will cover where you stand if you are:

 

• The victim of a violent crime
• A witness to a criminal assault
• Or, if you have covered medical expenses due to a criminal assault

Read on to find out more.

 

Who can make a claim

 

• Someone who has suffered injury as a direct result of a violent crime
• Someone who witnessed an incident, or immediate aftermath, involving a loved one
• A close relative of someone who passed away as a result of the injuries sustained
• A child who was under 18 and was dependent on the deceased for parental services
• A qualifying relative who was financially or physically dependent on the deceased

 

What if I am the victim of a violent crime?

If you fall victim to a violent crime, we understand that the road ahead is a long and daunting one.

First of all, you may be seeking justice. Then, you may have to consider how your life will look going forwards, and how it might be shaped by the incident.

If you are a victim of a criminal assault, rest assured, our serious injury lawyers have the specialist skills to represent your case, and ensure you are fairly compensated for your experience.

 

• If your case is accepted, one of our expert serious injury lawyers will book a convenient time to call and discuss your claim
• We’ll be as transparent as possible around timeframes and compensatory values
• You’ll be kept in the picture at all times and receive a direct line of communication for your legal representative

We completely understand you will have a mountain of questions, but our flexible approach ensures you are supported every step of the way.

With over 30-years’ experience in serious injury law, Fletchers Serious Injury has the expertise to successfully secure criminal assault injury compensation claims.

 

 

What if I witnessed the violent crime?

Witnessing a violent crime, such as a criminal assault, can have a lasting impact on an individual psychologically. After witnessing such crimes, you may feel unsafe and anxious when going about your normal daily life.

It is possible to make a claim to CICA after witnessing a violent crime, if you can demonstrate that you have suffered psychological harm as a result of being caught up in the criminal act.

The victims involved don’t have to be somebody you know to have an impact on your wellbeing, and these are just some of the repercussions involved when witnessing a criminal assault, or violent crime:

 

• Losing track of your finances or failing to keep up with outgoings 
• Being unable to attend your place of work, college or university
• Not functioning as you were prior to the incident
• Generally dealing with trauma in the aftermath of the incident  
• Unable to talk openly about the experience
• A lack of confidence around being able to leave your home

Some examples of the psychological symptoms which can arise include, but are not limited to:

 

• Flashbacks
• Nightmares
• Hyper-vigilance
• Panic attacks
• Depression and anxiety

It is important to remember that simply witnessing the crime does not make you eligible for a claim. For a successful application, you must prove the incident has significantly affected your life due to the mental trauma you have suffered.

The process may involve a CICA assessor considering whether your mental state resulted from, or was exacerbated, by the incident, and will also consider your relationship to the victim. And it is recommended you see your GP if you believe you are suffering from psychological damage as a result of witnessing a violent crime.

Remember, regardless of whether you were directly assaulted and left with physical injuries, you can claim violent crime compensation.   

 

What if I am covering the expenses of the victim of a violent crime?

You may not be the victim of a violent attack, but you may be in search of compensation for victims of violent crime because you’re covering the expenses of the claim.

Typically, criminal assaults leave a devastating impact on the victim and those they are close to. Once more, tackling a claim on your own can be an eye-wateringly expensive business.

Ultimately, violent crime victim compensation is available to cover the following costs:

 

• Medical costs
• Surgical costs, such as corrective surgery
• Loss of earnings should the victim have to take time away from their work
• Funeral costs

For funeral payments, where someone has died as a result of sustaining a criminal injury, a £2,500 payment can be made to cover the cost of the funeral.

A further £2,500 can be made in circumstances where the initial sum will not cover the funeral expenses, but the total amount of funeral payments cannot exceed £5,000.

It’s important to know we have been dealing with criminal injury compensation claims for many years and we have secured the trust of our claimants through a direct and honest approach.

Regardless of whether you’re the victim, we completely understand the difficulties that come with facing a claim head on. Furthermore, we have built a strong and longstanding relationship with CICA, the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority.

 

How much compensation can I claim as a victim of violent crime?

As with most claims for compensation, it is difficult to advise on the exact figures of compensation for victims of violent crime until all the evidence is available for assessment. All injuries have different monetary values attached to them, depending on their severity.

For ease, the CICA Scheme has a banding tariff which sets figure per injury.

The injuries are banded from £1,000 to £500,000. Injuries on the upper side of this bracket would be injuries with serious and long-lasting life-changing consequences, requiring lifetime future care.

With violent crime victim compensation, CICA pay out for a maximum of three injuries.

After noting the value attached to the three individual injuries, CICA will rank them 1-3 from most serious to least serious. From here, CICA will pay 100% of the value of the first injury, 30% of the value of the second injury, and 15% of the value of the third value.

 

If you are a victim of, or witnessed an attack that resulted in criminal injuries, you could be entitled to criminal injuries compensation. Call our expert lawyers today to find out about your entitlement.

 

 

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