How To Make A Criminal Injury Compensation Claim
By Mumtaz Shah
If you have been a recent victim of a crime, then there is a very good chance that you ll be entitled to make a criminal injury compensation claim under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme.
CICA - Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority
Great Britain has in place the oldest compensation scheme for people who suffer criminal injuries as victims of crimes, with the first version having been introduced in 1964. Based along the lines of a personal injury compensation claim, the CICA compensates victims of violent crime who have suffered any:
injury, whether that be physical or mental, as a result of being the victim of a violent crime
possible loss of earnings that the victim may endure as a result of such criminal injury
bereavement suffered as a result of a loved one having died as the victim of a violent crime.
Since 1996 the CICA has adopted a fixed tariff criminal injury compensation scheme as set out by parliament in the Criminal Injuries Compensation Act 1995 for those who are entitled to make a criminal injury claim.
Making A Compensation Claim
If you plan to make a claim to the CICA for criminal injury compensation, then you ll need to show that you have suffered either physical or mental harm as a result of having been the victim of the violent crime in question.
Note that you need to show that a crime took place, you do not need to show that a conviction resulted from the crime you are claiming took place.
If you have grounds to believe that you have a criminal injury claim, you can obtain a compensation form from a personal injury solicitor, which you then need to compete and return.
The CICA then acknowledges receipt of your form and should process the claim. Keep in mind that this can be a lengthy process and can take anywhere up to 18 months after you have submitted the criminal injury compensation claim.
Also, as the scheme is for victims of violent crimes, the minimum compensation payable under the scheme is