If you have suffered a physical or mental injury due to a violent crime, you may be eligible to claim compensation. If so, you might be wondering, ‘How much criminal injuries compensation will I get?’
A guide on how much criminal injuries compensation you could get
This guide will seek to answer this question and also explain the eligibility criteria for claiming compensation through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA). As well as looking at how much a claim could be worth, we’ll also examine the different payments that could make up a settlement in a criminal injury claim.
We will look at some of the evidence you may be asked to provide for your claim and explain the services a solicitor from our panel could provide under No Win No Fee terms.
Our advisors are ready to talk If you’d like more information on making a criminal injury claim through the CICA. Furthermore, if you do have a valid claim, you could be connected with a lawyer. Getting in touch is free, so please do not hesitate to either:
- Call 0333 000 0729;
- Fill out our form online to contact us;
- Select the live chat feature on this page.
Select A Section
- How Much Criminal Injuries Compensation Will I Get?
- When Could I Claim Criminal Injuries Compensation?
- How Long Do I Have To Claim Criminal Injuries Compensation?
- What Evidence Do I Need To Claim Criminal Injuries Compensation?
- How Does The No Win No Fee Criminal Injuries Compensation Claims Process Work?
- How Much Criminal Injuries Compensation Will I Get? – Find Out More In These Guides
How Much Criminal Injuries Compensation Will I Get?
The answer to the question ‘How much criminal injuries compensation will I get’ depends on a number of factors, such as the injuries suffered and their severity. There are two kinds of payments that a successful claim could consist of. The first of these is a head of claim that directly relates to the injuries themselves.
The CICA will calculate this form of compensation using a tariff found in the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012. You can claim for multiple injuries; however, a formula would apply to the payments made for certain multiple injuries. You will receive 100 per cent of the tariff figure for the highest-valued injury you claim for, but for the remaining injuries:
- 30% of the tariff value is given for the second-highest valued injury (or one valued equally to the injury that’s worth the most).
- 15% of the tariff figure is awarded to the third-highest valued injury, or injury with equal value.
A claim can cover physical injuries, mental harm, or a combination of both. Certain circumstances could attract an award calculated separately from the above formula; this includes becoming pregnant, contracting an STI or losing a foetus due to a crime of violence.
Some examples of injury tariffs can be seen in the table below.
Compensation table
| INJURY | NOTES | AWARD |
|---|---|---|
| Brain Damage | The injured person suffers a very serious brain injury with severe physical impairment. | £175,000 |
| Major Paralysis - Not Resulting From Brain Damage | Severe cases of hemiplegia, which is paralysis to one half of the body. | £110,000 |
| Eye | The loss of both eyes. | £110,000 |
| Arm | Paralysis, or loss of function, in both arms. | £82,000 |
| Kidney | Either both kidneys, or the injured person's only remaining kidney, suffer permanent serious damage. | £55,000 |
| Ear | Permanent total deafness impacts both ears. | £44,000 |
| Burns | Severe burns are inflicted on the face. | £27,000 |
| Mental injury | A seriously disabling and permanent mental injury. | £27,000 |
| Wrist | Fractures to both wrists, with continuining significant disability. | £11,000 |
| Femur | A fracture to the thigh bone on one leg that the injured person recovers substantially from. | £1,800 |
How Much Could I Get For Special Expenses?
The CICA can consider claims for special expenses. These should be reasonable, required, and experienced as a direct result of the incident you’re claiming for.
If you qualify, you could claim for the likes of:
- Physical aids which were damaged or lost due to a crime of violence. This could include glasses.
- Special equipment like physical aids made necessary by injuries suffered in the incident.
- The cost of providing bodily function care, meal preparation or supervision to ensure the safety of yourself and others.
In certain cases, you might also be able to claim for a loss of earnings that the crime of violence has caused you to incur. If you need any further information about gathering evidence for special expenses or loss of earnings, our advisors can provide relevant and free guidance.
When Could I Claim Criminal Injuries Compensation?
Before asking, ‘How much criminal injuries compensation could I claim,’ it’s important to establish if you are eligible to claim criminal injury compensation through the CICA for your injuries.
The CICA can provide compensation for victims of violent crimes in Great Britain or another relevant place. It considers the victim of a violent crime to be someone injured in an incident or someone who witnessed either a violent crime where a loved one sustained criminal injuries or its immediate aftermath.
To claim, you would need to show that:
- You were a victim of a crime of violence, as defined above;
- The incident was reported to the police as soon as is reasonably practicable;
- There is a direct link between the incident and your physical and/or mental harm, plus any special expenses you claim for.
A crime of violence, under the 2012 Scheme’s definition, could include assault (including sexual assault), physical or sexual abuse, or certain threats. This is not an exhaustive list, so to learn more and find out if you are eligible to claim, please speak with our advisors.
How Long Do I Have To Claim Criminal Injuries Compensation?
Generally, the CICA expect you to begin making a claim within two years of when you reported the incident to the police. However, some circumstances may change the time limit.
You are expected to report the incident to the police immediately, but the CICA can allow for reasonable causes of delay. Similarly, if the incident was reported to the police right away, but there was a delay in starting the claim because of exceptional circumstances, this could be taken into consideration.
Someone who was injured in a crime of violence while under 18 years old has their time limit paused until they turn 18. From there, they have until their 20th birthday to claim, provided the incident was reported to the police before they turned 18. Alternatively, if it was not reported while they were a child, they would have two years from the date of the report to the police.
Exceptions may also be made for victims of historic abuse in certain circumstances. You can learn more by speaking to our advisors.
What Evidence Do I Need To Claim Criminal Injuries Compensation?
As well as giving proof of the special expenses discussed earlier, you must show that you are eligible to claim criminal injury compensation from the CICA. You will need to provide them with:
- Proof that you are a British citizen or otherwise meet their residency or nationality requirements.
- A police crime reference number as proof of your report.
- Medical records, such as scans, X-rays or psychiatrist reports.
The CICA can speak to the police to get information on the incident which could then be used in your claim. They may seek police insight into your conduct during the incident or your criminal record, as these factors can affect the payout you are offered.
Please get in touch with our advisors if you would like to discuss further the evidence you may need to present to the CICA. If one of our advisors feels you have a valid claim, they could put you in contact with a No Win No Fee solicitor.
How Does The No Win No Fee Criminal Injuries Compensation Claims Process Work?
You could seek the professional support of a solicitor from our panel for your criminal injuries compensation claim made through the CICA. A solicitor could help you submit a claim and keep you updated on its progress. What’s more, they may be able to do this under a form of No Win No Fee agreement called a Conditional Fee Agreement.
Under this contract, you would not pay solicitor fees:
- Upfront;
- As the case progresses; or
- At all, if the case loses.
A solicitor would collect a success fee at in the event of a winning claim. This fee is a percentage of the compensation and is legally limited by the Conditional Fee Agreements Order 2013.
Contact Us
Our advisors can give useful information relevant to the question, ‘How much criminal injuries compensation will I get?’ They can assess your case for free and consult with you about your potential claim. If you have valid grounds to seek compensation through the CICA, an advisor could put you in contact with a solicitor from our panel. To get started, all you need to do is:
- Call 0333 000 0729;
- Contact us online;
- Open the live chat tab below.
How Much Criminal Injuries Compensation Will I Get? – Find Out More In These Guides
For more useful guides:
- More information about assault claims.
- Guidance on how to report historic sexual abuse.
- Looking at whether compensation can be claimed for sexual abuse that was not reported to the police.
- If you have experienced abuse in a hospital, you can read our guide about the steps to take if you’re eligible to claim compensation for this.
Some handy external resources:
- Police.uk – Reporting a crime.
- Victim Support guidance on coping with crime.
- NHS – Health A-Z.
Thank you for reading our guide. If you are still wondering, ‘How much criminal injuries compensation will I get?’, speak with a member of our team today.
