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agreement available on CICA claims cases.
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Since 1964, the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) and its predecessor (Criminal Injuries Compensation Board), has paid over £3 billion in compensation. In 1996, a statutory scheme was introduced under the provisions of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Act 1995.
Designed to compensate blameless victims of violent crimes including physical and sexual assaults, the CICA has been revised in 2001, 2008, and 2012, compensating for over 300 different injuries ranging in compensation between £1,000 - £250,000.
Individuals may be eligible for an award if they sustain a criminal injury directly attributable to being a direct victim of a crime of violence committed in a relevant place.
An estimated 473,000 people are the victim of sexual abuse in the UK every year, comprising of around 401,000 females and 72,000 males.
Of this 473,000 – 85,000 women and 12,000 men are the victims of rape, assault by penetration or attempted rape. That’s according to the Official Statistics bulletin produced by the Ministry of Justice, Home Office, and the Office for National Statistics in 2013 (An Overview of Sexual Offending in England and Wales).
While no-one should ever have to experience such traumatic experiences, the sad reality is that an increasing number of sexual violence-related incidents are being reported to the police each year.
The Crime Survey for England and Wales estimated that approximately 700,000 adults aged 16 to 59 years had experienced sexual abuse or assault in the year ending March 2018. That’s a figure equivalent to 2.1% of the population (aged 16 to 59 years).
If you been a victim of sexual violence, you may be entitled to payment from the Criminal Injury Compensation Authority (CICA). This is a government-funded scheme created with the intention of compensating blameless victims of violent crimes. For a more detailed overview of a CICA claim, please see our guide.
What is the CICA?
The CICA is a government-funded authority that aims to compensate blameless victims of an assault or other violent crimes. It was originally formed in 1996 with the sole purpose of providing compensation to blameless victims of violent crime. The value of compensation that it offers for a single injury can vary from £1,000 up to £250,000, with a maximum total payment of £500,000 being available for a CICA claim.
A physical assault is the most common form of claim that is submitted to the CICA. They can often involve unprovoked attacks, sometimes with the suspect using a weapon to inflict the injuries.
Will I be eligible to claim from the CICA after a criminal assault?
If you have been the victim of a physical assault, then you will have satisfied the first CICA eligibility branch of suffering a ‘crime of violence’.
Usually, the assault must have taken place in the past 2 years, although there are exceptions to this rule, and the assault must have been reported to the police as soon as reasonably practicable. For further details on eligibility, please see our in-depth guide on CICA claims.
How much will the CICA offer me for an assault claim?
Upon their formation, the CICA introduced a statutory Scheme in 1996, which has seen several amendments over time, containing a tariff of injuries. This tariff provides compensation for many common injuries that increase in value with severity and the ongoing recovery a victim is undertaking.
Victims of physical assaults can claim for, not only their physical injuries but also, the psychological effects that an incident has had on them. The compensation offered by the CICA for such injuries is again dependent on the severity.
Examples of some of the injuries that the CICA compensate for are below:
How long will the CICA take to complete a sexual abuse/assault claim?
The CICA advises that, from the date that they receive an application, it aims to take around twelve-eighteen months to make its initial decision on a claim.
This timescale can vary depending on the circumstances of the assault, the severity of injuries, and the complexity of the overall claim.
Why choose Oakwood Solicitors Ltd to make my CICA claim?
After sustaining an assault, we understand that the last thing an individual wants to do is progress down a stressful claims experience. At Oakwood Solicitors, we want to take away the stress of progressing with an assault claim while also helping you obtain the compensation you are entitled to. Our file handlers have experience with dealing with traumatic incidents and have received training in dealing with vulnerable people.
We will agree to work on your CICA claim on a ‘no-win, no-fee’ basis. The only time we will receive any money after an assault claim is if we bring your claim to a successful conclusion at which point we will take a pre-agreed percentage of your compensation. If your CICA claim is unsuccessful, you will not be expected to pay us a penny.
This arrangement obviously means that we are incentivised to try and obtain the maximum amount of compensation for your assault claim.
Contact Oakwood Solicitors Ltd and provide us with some details about your criminal injury incident. We will then assess the viability of your claim, and there is absolutely no obligation to proceed. You can provide information or get in touch by:
Molly Frost joined the Firm in June 2024 and specializes in abuse compensation claims. Having over 20 years’ experience helping survivors recover compensation, she is considered an expert in her field. Molly has acted as lead Solicitor in several group litigation matters arising out of abuse in children’s homes, and has been involved in several high-profile cases.
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