Yes. Each case will be assessed on its own merits so it will certainly depend on why a claim is being sought now; however, we have successfully represented thousands of clients who have claimed compensation as an adult. Please talk to our specialist Criminal Injury Lawyers on 0113 320 5000 and they will be able to advise you further.
It may be possible. It will depend on your individual circumstances, however just because the assailant is deceased does not mean you will not be eligible for compensation. Call our specialist Criminal Injury Lawyers on 0113 320 5000 and they will be able to advise you.
Most claims take between 12 and 18 months. The timeline depends on the police report, medical evidence, and whether your injuries have stabilised.
We work for you on a no win no fee basis. The legal term for this agreement is known as a Contingency Fee Agreement. It essentially means that if for whatever reason your claim is not successful, providing the information you provide to us is true to the best of your knowledge and the failure is not your fault, you do not pay anything to us. In the event that your claim is successful we will deduct a fixed fee of your overall compensation amount. If you are successful, the minimum award available under the CICA scheme is £1000.00, meaning £250.00 + VAT would be deducted in respect of legal costs.
Absolutely not. We do not share your information with anyone else without your prior consent. As your compensation is paid by government funds, there is no reason why the assailant would be aware of your claim for compensation.
Experience tells us that it is beneficial to the overall success of your claim, to instruct a solicitor at the very start. The CICA do not offer a solicitor to you and you are able to apply directly; however, without extensive knowledge of the scheme we see too often that applicants who have applied directly, face trouble and stumbling blocks along the way. By instructing Winston Solicitors you are receiving specialist advice from our Criminal Injury Lawyers, representation throughout your claim, including at Review and Appeal stage if required. We will ensure that you achieve the maximum award for your injuries, including loss of earnings and special expenses where applicable.
No, you don't. The CICA expect an application to be made as soon as reasonably possible. The burden of proof for the CICA is lesser than what is needed in court; therefore, providing the police have agreed to investigate your allegations; this should be sufficient to proceed with an application. The CICA apply a limitation of 2 years* from the date of reporting to make a claim for compensation; therefore, waiting for the outcome of a court hearing could sometimes jeopardise your position.
You can contact us through our contact form or call us on 0113 320 5000.
The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) are a Government funded organisation set up to compensate innocent victims of violent crime. The intention of their payments is to act as a gesture of public sympathy for people suffering as a result of being an innocent victim of crime.
It can be a big step deciding to make a criminal injuries compensation claim. Our criminal injuries compensation calculator gives you an idea of the compensation you may be entitled to. The following video explains how to use the online calculator and what information you need to work out the compensation.
You need to add the injuries you have received following the incident. If you have multiple injuries and scarring you need to add these to the calculator as separate injury types. Choose the first one to add and then you will have the option to add further injuries at a later stage.
Please remember to include details such as operations as a result of the injuries you received, to which part of your body the injury was and how significant any scarring may be. There will be multiple options to choose from as you go through the process.
If you do have multiple injuries then the most serious injury is awarded at 100%. Any further injuries are then awarded at reduced rate. For instance a second injury is awarded at 30% of the total award for that injury and a third injury is 15% of the total award for that specific injury. Each award is added together to calculate the full compensation you may be entitled to.
Providing you have no previous convictions and you co-operate with the police and the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority then you may be eligible to receive the full award you are entitled to. The amounts calculated apply to the new Criminal Injury Compensation Authority (CICA) rules which do not allow for payments to be made for certain minor injuries.
Our criminal injuries compensation claims team check your application for free and will contact you to explain how to go forward with your claim. Using our No Win No Fee service means that you only pay legal costs if your claim is successful.
To talk to one of our specialist compensation claims advisors about your own situation please call us on 0113 320 5000.