If you’ve been injured in a violent crime, you may have experienced profound physical injuries, emotional trauma, and financial losses through no fault of your own. Whilst exploring your options for claiming, you may have come across the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA). Therefore, you may be wondering things such as, ‘What is the CICA?’ and ‘How much could I receive?’ In short, the CICA is an executive agency of the UK government that can compensate victims of violent crimes across England, Scotland, and Wales who cannot pursue compensation through other claims routes.
Thankfully, our advisors are here to help you navigate the criminal injury claims process. At Legal Expert, we understand that starting a CICA claim can be a daunting prospect. That’s why our advisory team are available 24 hours, 7 days a week to answer your questions and provide helpful advice. As part of our free services, we can provide a confidential assessment to determine your eligibility to claim. Following this, you could be connected with one of our expert solicitors to start your criminal injury claim. On completely No Win No Fee terms, we can help with gathering evidence and handling all aspects of the CICA claims process.
To learn more about CICA claims, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our advisory team.
[link_btns]
What Is The CICA?
The CICA is a government executive agency sponsored by the Ministry of Justice that provides compensation to victims of violent crimes in Great Britain. As a ‘last resort,’ the CICA provides a route for compensating individuals who cannot pursue a claim through alternative avenues, such as the perpetrator or a vicariously liable third party.
The scope of CICA compensation can cover physical, psychological, and certain financial impacts that a violent crime has had. Compensation will be awarded in line with fixed tariffs set out by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012, up to a maximum of £500,000, depending on the injury and monetary costs.
To discover more about CICA with one of our friendly advisors, please get in touch today.
Types Of Claims Made Through The CICA
The types of claims that can be made through the CICA include physical assault and cases of sexual abuse. Specifically, CICA claims can cover:
- ABH, GBH, broken bones, burns, and lacerations due to a violent crime.
- Violent road rage attacks.
- Psychological injury, covering mental health conditions such as PTSD, depression and anxiety that may have arisen from a violent crime.
- Rape, sexual assault, and historical sexual abuse.
- Domestic violence.
To confidentially discuss your specific incident with our team, please contact one of our friendly advisors today. Our team can answer questions such as ‘What is the CICA?’ and ‘How could they help me?’
What Is The CICA Claims Eligibility?
The CICA claims eligibility requires that you show you sustained a physical or psychological injury in a crime of violence in Great Britain. Please see the full eligibility requirements in further detail:
- You must have reported the incident to the police.
- The crime must have occurred in England, Scotland, Wales, or another relevant place. This could, for instance, be a British-registered boat.
- You were criminally injured in accordance with the definition found in Annexe B of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012.
- Your claim must be started within 2 years of the incident.
What Are The Common Reasons For A Rejected CICA Claim?
The most common reasons for a rejected CICA claim include unspent criminal convictions, lack of police cooperation, and incidents not meeting the agency’s definition of a violent crime. There are several other reasons why an application might fail to meet the CICA’s strict eligibility criteria, including:
- Individuals with a violent criminal record. However, this is assessed on a case-by-case basis and entirely depends upon the nature and timing of the conviction.
- If the injuries you suffered before, during, or after the incident were due to your own provocation or disproportionate self-defence.
- If your injuries were caused by committing a crime yourself.
- The injury is not being listed in the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012.
- Your psychological injury has not been formally diagnosed by a clinical psychologist or psychiatrist.
To receive a free eligibility check from one of our advisors, please get in touch with our team today.
How Much CICA Compensation Could Be Awarded?
In successful claims, how much CICA compensation could be awarded is determined by the extent and number of your injuries, as well as what financial losses you incurred. As previously mentioned, the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme (2012) provides fixed tariffs which are based on various factors, including:
- The type of injury you experienced
- Whether there is a psychological impact
- The duration of physical or psychological symptoms
Please see the table below for some of the tariff figures for criminal injuries. Please note that the top figure represents the maximum amount that could be awarded by CICA.
| Injury | Severity | Tariff |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple serious injuries and special expenses | Serious - with special expenses such as care costs, lost earnings and specialist equipment costs | Up to £500,000 |
| Quadraplegia | Substantially complete in both the upper and lower limb levels | £250,000 |
| Paraplegia | Substantially complete | £175,000 |
| Brain damage | Moderately severe, with a serious disabling of mental or physical faculties | £110,000 |
| Moderate brain damage | Significant, with intellectual deficit and some degree of dependence on others | £82,000 |
| Leg injuries | 1 leg either lost or function totally lost with no remaining leg possessing useful function | £82,000 |
| Leg injuries | The loss of a single leg above the knee | £44,000 |
| Pancreas | Pancreas lost | £16,000 |
| Wrist injuries | Dislocation or fracture, with continued disability in both wrists | £11,000 |
| Kidney injuries | Loss of a kidney | £11,000 |
To get more information concerning the questions of ‘What is the CICA?’ and ‘How much could I claim?’, please see our criminal injuries compensation calculator. To receive a free compensation estimate, please feel free to contact our advisory team.
[link_btns]
What Is Factored In When Calculating CICA Compensation?
The severity, impact, and number of your injuries, as well as certain financial losses, will be factored in when calculating CICA compensation. The CICA limits how many injuries can be claimed to a maximum of 3, and compensation in such cases will be calculated using the following formula:
- The highest valued and most serious injury will be 100% rate of the tariff value
- The second-highest valued injury will be a 30% rate of the tariff value
- The third-highest valued injury will be at a 15% rate of the tariff value
Nevertheless, additional payments can be made if the violent crime resulted in:
- The loss of a foetus
- The contraction of a sexually transmitted disease
- A pregnancy
To learn more about what factors are considered when calculating CICA compensation, please get in touch with our friendly team today.
Can The CICA Compensate For Other Losses?
Yes, the CICA can compensate for other losses, including special expenses for certain costs you incurred as a result of your injuries. Examples of special expenses can include the following:
- Home adaptations to accommodate your injuries, such as chairlifts, hoists, and ramps.
- Specialist equipment needed to cope with your injuries, including wheelchairs, canes, and walking sticks.
- Any equipment or property that you relied upon as physical aids that were destroyed due to the violent crime, like glasses.
- The cost of professional help and assistance with food preparation or performing basic bodily functions.
- Expenses related to administering a claimant’s affairs if they lack mental capacity.
To claim special expenses, you must be able to show that your costs were reasonable, necessary, and directly resulting from the injury. Moreover, these costs cannot be obtained for free elsewhere.
In addition to your special expenses, you may be able to add lost earnings to your CICA claim, provided that you meet the eligibility criteria for these payments.
To learn more about special expenses, please contact our friendly team today.
How Long Is The Time Limit For Making CICA Claims?
The time limit for starting CICA claims is generally 2 years from the date of the violent crime. However, this might be extended if you are able to prove that exceptional circumstances prevented you from claiming within this period.
For applicants who were under 18 at the time of the crime, the following rules apply:
- If the incident was reported to the police while you were a minor, you will have 2 years to begin your claim from the date of your 18th birthday.
- If the report was not made until on or after you turned 18, the 2-year time limit will take effect from the date you first informed the police. In this instance, evidence will be required to explain why a claim is being made outside the standard timeframe.
For more information about the time limits, our team is here to help. Please get in touch with one of our advisors today for a free consultation.
What Will Be Needed To Claim Through The CICA?
Evidence will be needed to claim through the CICA, not only to support your case but also to show you meet the agency’s eligibility criteria.
To do this, you will likely need to provide:
- A crime reference number. This is essential, as the CICA uses this to assess your case and request further information from the police when required.
- Proof to demonstrate that you fulfil the residency requirements
- Documentation to prove your financial losses.
- Medical evidence to show the severity of your injuries, such as clinical confirmation of a psychological injury.
For further assistance with the process of evidence gathering, please contact our friendly advisory team today.
Can CICA Claims Still Be Made With The Help Of A Solicitor?
Yes, CICA claims can still be made with the help of a solicitor. Whilst an individual can apply to the CICA independently, a solicitor can assist with navigating the process and addressing any complex issues. With extensive experience in criminal injury claims, our solicitors can provide the following benefits:
- Delivering consistent case updates so you always know where your criminal injury claim stands.
- Helping with evidence-gathering and corresponding with the CICA, if necessary, during your claim.
- Putting you in contact with professionals to aid your recovery. This can include physiotherapists, cognitive-behavioural therapists, and counsellors.
- Assisting you with obtaining any required medical evidence.
- Explanations of legal jargon and terminologies relating to CICA claims.
- Providing straightforward guidance throughout, whether to answer questions such as ‘What is the CICA?’ or explain the legal process step by step.
To learn if you could be connected with one of our dedicated solicitors, please get in touch today for a free eligibility check.
No Win No Fee CICA Claims
Our expert No Win No Fee solicitors operate under a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA), which provides several benefits for our clients concerning service fees for a solicitor’s work. Specifically, there would be:
- Zero service fees to pay at the beginning of your claim.
- Zero service fee payments throughout the process
- Zero fees for services in the event that your case is unsuccessful.
If the claim is successful, your solicitor will be paid a success fee. Please be aware that the fee will be deducted from your compensation, but the percentage for this is legally capped. That means the bulk would stay with you.
Contact Legal Expert To Claim Today
If you would like further information concerning ‘What is the CICA?’ or how you could claim compensation, please contact us:
- Call us on 0800 073 8804
- Contact us online by filling out our form
- Use our free live chat widget on your screen
Learn More
For more information about criminal injury claims, please see some of our other guides:
- Discover how to claim for a road rage attack
- Find out who pays the costs for criminal injuries compensation claims
- See the following advice on murder compensation claims
Additional external resources:
- Get help with contacting the police from Gov.UK
- Read advice about when to call 999 from the NHS
- Learn how to report a crime or an incident with Police.UK
Thank you for reading our helpful guide addressing the commonly asked question, ‘What is the CICA?’