Despite what many newspapers and news programmes may have you believe, crime is overall on the decrease in the UK. A study released by the Institute for Economics and Peace in 2013 showed that our fear of violence is greater than the reality; with 17% of Britons thinking they’ll be a victim of violent crime, whereas fewer than 4% will experience it.
Rates of murder and violent crime have fallen more rapidly in the UK in the past decade than many other countries in Western Europe, said researchers. The UK Peace Index, from the Institute for Economics and Peace, found UK homicides per 100,000 people had fallen from 1.99 in 2003, to one in 2012.
The research by the international non-profit research organisation came at the same time as a separate study by Cardiff University, which suggested the number of people treated in hospital in England and Wales after violent incidents fell by 14% in 2012, with 267,291 people requiring care, down by 40,706 from 2011.
While violent crimes often occur between gang members and criminals, sometimes the victims of these crimes are innocent members of the pubic, simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. If you have been unfortunate enough to be the victim of a violent crime here in the UK, there are a number of ways to make a claim for compensation.
One option to make a personal injury claim against the attacker directly, however as the perpetrator of the attack is often unable to financially compensate the victim, or may never have been caught, identified or convicted, this is not a route usually recommended.
Another option (if the attack / assault took place whilst at work and as the result of your employer exposing you to unnecessary risk of personal injury) would be to make a personal injury compensation claim against your employer.
A further option is go through The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA). This is the government body created to provide compensation to innocent victims who have suffered injuries as a result of violent crime. This scheme aims to provide some form of financial compensation to the victim.
If you have been the victim of a violent crime, and are considering claiming CICA Compensation, then remember:
- Report it to the police straight away – keep the unique police reference number, as well as name & number of the police officer.
- Keep the contact details of the doctor, if you were treated for the injury
- Start the claim within 2 years of the assault
- If it’s rejected and you wish to appeal, you have 90 days from the date of rejection.
- Keep copies of all paperwork
The CICA make all their decisions following a set of rules called the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme. This Scheme guides them on eligibility and the level of payment they can make.
You may be eligible to apply if:
- You have been injured seriously enough to qualify for at least the minimum award (£1,000).
- You were injured in an act of violence in England, Scotland or Wales. An offender does not necessarily have to have been convicted of, or even charged with that crime.
- You have made your application within two years of the incident that caused your injury. (They may accept applications outside this limit if exceptional circumstances prevented you from submitting an application earlier).
You will not be eligible if
- You did not report the incident to the police.
- you were injured before 1 August 1964
- you have already applied for an award for the same criminal injury, under the 2012 Scheme or under any earlier Scheme operating in England, Scotland and Wales
- the injury happened before 1 October 1979 and you and the person who injured you were living together at the time as members of the same family in the same household
- the injury and the act of violence took place outside England, Scotland or Wales
They may also refuse or reduce an award because of:
- your behaviour before, during or after the incident in which you were injured
- your criminal record
- your failure to co-operate with the police or with them
- your delay in informing the police
It’s important to note that criminal injury legal expenses are not covered by the CICA scheme. If you are a member of a trade union or other union then you may find that your legal expenses are covered by them. Similarly, some forms of insurance and even some financial products may offer assistance with the legal costs and this can help to keep your costs down by paying the legal fees for you. Check with your insurers, your union, and other financial services to see if you are covered.
If you are not covered, then instead of paying legal costs from your compensation, we would usually recommend that you deal with the claim yourself without assistance from a solicitor. You can start a claim yourself here - https://www.gov.uk/claim-compensation-criminal-injury
However if you’ve suffered serious criminalinjuries, considerable losses or your claim involves particular complexity, then we may be able to help ensure you receive the maximum amount of compensation you’re entitled to. We offer a no win no fee service and will work with you and the CICA to make sure you receive the best possible compensation settlement. In addition we can advise on state benefits and other payments which may be available to you
We Can Help
If you feel you have a criminal injury claim as a result of a violent crime, or are unsure and would like to talk your situation through, then get in contact. Our friendly specialist advisors can talk to you about your situation and see if you have a valid claim. There is no charge for this service and you are under no obligation to claim with us.
If You Have a Genuine Claim, Contact a Genuine Company
May I Claim, is a trading name of R Costings Limited and our CRM number is 25770
If you’ve had an accident that wasn’t your fault and suffered an injury - you can trust us to handle your claim professionally.
Call us now on 0800 756 7774 and talk to us to find out if you have a claim - or fill in our Quick Claim form (on the right of this page).
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