Criminal Injuries Compensation

A criminal injury claim is one of the most traumatising types of incidents you can claim for. The range of possible physical and mental injuries that can occur from a criminal attack is too vast to list, due to the broadness of the term. It is sometimes possible to claim against the attacker, though the majority of these types of cases are dealt with by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA). The scheme was set up by the Government in 1964 and is funded by the Ministry of Justice to provide compensation to victims of violent crime.


CICA Guidelines



The criminal injury compensation board has a very clear set of criteria that must apply to you in order to make a claim. The CICA award amounts ranging from £1,000 to £500,000, dependant on the severity of your injuries and the impact they have had on you and your loved ones’ lives. In order to claim criminal injury compensation from CICA, you must:


  • Have received a physical or mental injury from a violent crime
  • Suffered injuries serious enough to be worth the minimum amount of compensation under the scheme.
  • Been a victim of crime in England, Scotland or Wales
  • Reported the incident to the police within 48 hours
  • Received documented medical attention for your injuries
  • Submitted an application to a solicitor within two years from the date of the attack

It is also essential that you fully co-operate with the police investigation following the incident. Your compensation may be significantly reduced if you are deemed to have behaved inappropriately before or during the incident, e.g. were attacked whilst breaking the law yourself or you were aggressive or abusive towards the attacker.

Claiming Criminal Injury Compensation



There is a common misconception that you are only eligible to claim compensation if an attacker has been convicted. This is not the case, as the CICA has also dealt with many cases in which a defendant has been acquitted or even if an attacker is unable to be traced. Whatever the circumstances, if you believe that you are entitled to compensation for criminal injuries then Lawson Taylor are here to help. Our personal injury solicitors are experts in this type of claim and will treat your case with the sensitivity it requires. Unlike most claims that we deal with, we are unable to guarantee that you keep 100% compensation unfortunately. This is because the CICA do not cover the costs of the solicitors as it is a Governmental scheme. However, as always, we operate on a no win no fee basis.

For advice and information on criminal injury compensation, contact Lawson Taylor today.