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Criminal Injury Claims

If you have been injured as a result of a violent crime, we understand the substantial impact this is likely to have on both you and your family. In such circumstances, you may be entitled to make a criminal injury claim.

Victims of violent crime who have sustained physical or psychological injuries can pursue a claim for compensation through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme which is administered by The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA).

At Wolferstans, our expert criminal injury claims solicitors can support you and your family with the full criminal injuries compensation process, ensuring that you are able to access the support you need.

Book your free initial consultation with our criminal injury claims solicitors in Plymouth

To discuss your criminal injury claim and whether you may be entitled to compensation, please get in touch by calling us on 01752663295 or use our contact form.

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How our criminal injury solicitors can help

When instructed, our expert criminal injury solicitors will work alongside you so that we can clearly establish the circumstances of your case and whether it will be in your best interest to make a claim through the CICA.

Our criminal injury claims solicitors will use their expertise to carefully assess your case and injuries, providing tailored advice on the process of making an application for a claim to the CICA.

We work on a contingency fee basis when handling criminal injury compensation claims. This means that we are only paid a percentage of any damages you receive for a successful claim for criminal injury through the CICA.

Types of criminal injuries we can assist withOur criminal injury claims solicitors have substantial experience and expertise in supporting clients who have sustained an injury as a result of violent and/or serious crimes. Types of crime we can assist with include:

  • Assault
  • Knife crime
  • Sexual abuse
  • Child abuse
  • Armed robbery
  • Acid attacks
  • Terrorist attacks

We can deal with a wide range of injuries that can stem from these types of crimes, such as:

  • Brain injuries
  • Psychological injuries
  • Fractures
  • Scarring
  • Fatalities

At Wolferstans, we are a local firm, renowned for providing a bespoke approach to all of our clients. That said, we have plenty of experience in working with clients up and down the country who are dealing with the effects of a criminal injury and have contact with various experts in all regions.

We understand that the CICA compensation process can be a daunting and confusing one. Our familiarity with the application procedure means that we know exactly what steps you will need to take in order to successfully claim compensation, providing the financial security that you and your loved ones deserve.

Further, our expertise is reflected by our team being on the Law Society’s Personal Injury Panel and the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) Panel.

How to claim for criminal injuries

The process for making a criminal injury claim differs from other types of personal injury, owing to the fact that an application will typically need to be submitted to the CICA.

Generally, the criminal injuries compensation process will involve a number of key steps, including:

  • Meeting with our criminal injury claims solicitors to discuss your case – This is likely to include the extent of your injuries, any reports submitted to the police, evidence of the crime and additional documentation.
  • Completing an online application with CICA – After you have submitted an application (which our team can help you with), CICA will begin an investigation.
  • Obtaining evidence regarding your injuries – CICA will require information from your treatment providers. We will liaise with CICA and the treatment providers to obtain the necessary detail.
  • Dealing with a settlement – If CICA confirm that you are eligible to receive compensation for your injuries, they will offer a settlement amount. With our team’s support, you could choose to appeal the settlement, or accept the decision.

Note that the exact process that will be followed is likely to vary, depending on the circumstances of the case.

Rest assured that our team’s experience in handling criminal injury claims means that we know exactly what will be needed to build an effective application, increasing your chances of receiving a suitable settlement that is proportionate to the injuries you have sustained.

Common questions about criminal injury claims

Anyone who has been the victim of a violent crime and has sustained a physical or psychological injury may be able to claim compensation.

That said, in most cases, it will have been necessary to have reported the incident to the police, as this will be a fundamental part of building a case with the CICA.

The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) deal with compensation claims from people who have been physically or mentally injured as a result of violent crime in England, Scotland and Wales.

CICA’s role is to consider applications for compensation according to the government’s Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme. The government sets the criteria and the amount of compensation the CICA can pay.

The amount of compensation you are likely to receive for a criminal injury can vary depending on various factors. The CICA will weigh up:

  • The severity of your injuries
  • Any care you may need now or in the future
  • If you have lost any earnings due to your injuries (or will in the future)

Our criminal injury solicitors will be able to advise you on how much you should expect to receive for your case and will be able to recommend you on the suitability of any settlements that are offered to you by the CICA.

There are strict time limits to be aware of when it comes to claims for criminal injuries.

Under normal circumstances, you will need to make a compensation claim within two years of the date of the injury. There may be some exceptions to this, such as if you were too ill, or did not have the capacity to make a claim within this time limit. This will be judged on a case-by-case basis.

There are no specific time limits when making a claim, though the majority of cases settle within two years. Naturally, more complex cases are likely to take longer to finalise, so it’s important that you are aware that the process could be a lengthy one.

Yes, claiming criminal injury compensation is still possible, even if the person who caused your injuries was not found guilty by a court. It simply needs to be demonstrated that you were a blameless victim in an act of crime and that you sustained an injury.

You may still be able to claim compensation, even if your attacker was not caught or formally identified. It still needs to be shown that a crime did take place and that this caused you to be injured.

Having a criminal record may have an effect on your eligibility to receive criminal injury compensation. For example, if you have any unspent convictions, criminal injury compensation claims could be denied, or compensation could be withheld or reduced.

Book your free initial consultation with our criminal injury claims solicitors in Plymouth

To discuss your criminal injury claim and whether you may be entitled to compensation, please get in touch by calling us on 01752663295 or use our contact form.