Did you know you could be eligible for compensation if you have suffered physical or mental injuries as a result of a violent crime? Here at St Helens Law, our dedicated team can work on your behalf to bring your claim to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA). This guide to criminal injury compensation claims tells you everything you need to know about how to make a claim. A successful claim will see you receive compensation worthy of the pain you have endured.

Who are the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority?

The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) is an executive agency of the government. They award compensation to people who have been physically or mentally injured as a result of a violent crime in England, Scotland or Wales. CICA handle as many as 40,000 applications and claims each year. They aim to process matters as quickly, fairly and sensitively as possible.

How can I submit a CICA claim?

By employing the services of St Helens Law, you can submit a CICA claim in St Helens. Our devoted solicitors present your claim for you. We have almost 20 years’ experience as a firm and have submitted countless claims on behalf of our clients. We are accredited by the Law Society Lexcel and the Law Society in Conveyancing Quality.

To begin the process of submitting a claim, you can visit our office in the town centre. An appointment is not always needed, and your first meeting is always free of charge. It will take roughly 30 minutes. If you cannot reach our office, you can get in touch via email or by calling us directly on 01744 742360.

Once your claim is underway you will be given access to your own FileView account. This allows you to keep up to date with your case. You will also be given the contact number and e-mail address of the St Helens Law solicitor who is looking after your claim.

St Helens CICA Claim Guide

How much can I expect to receive for my CICA claim?

CICA reward compensation amounts between £1,000 to £500,000. The figure you receive depends on the severity of your injuries. You will not be charged by us if your claim is unsuccessful as we work on a Contingency Fee basis. If your claim is successful, our fee is 25% of the amount you are awarded.

Am I eligible to make a CICA claim?

As well as mental or physical injuries, CICA compensation claims are considered if you have suffered the following:

  • Physical or sexual abuse
  • Loss of earnings because of your injuries
  • A fatality caused by violent crime, which is inclusive of:
    • Bereavement payments
    • Payments for loss of parental services
    • Financial dependency
    • Funeral payments

Not every Criminal Injury Claim in St Helens is successful. You need to be eligible under the rules of the authority to successfully claim.

What are the eligibility rules for a CICA claim?

To be eligible you must be a direct victim of the crime that took place in Great Britain, therefore compensation will only be passed to the claimant if the incident their claim refers to occurred in England, Scotland, Wales.

It is also required that the incident your claim refers to has been reported to the police. A claim will not be successful if it has not been reported to the police. You must contact the police regarding the incident as soon as is reasonably possible. Applications can be put to CICA, through St Helens Law, up to two years from the date you first inform the police about the incident.

Contact St Helens Law

For any further information, you can contact us by calling 01744 742360 or via info@sthelenslaw.co.uk. Alternatively, you can submit your details through our enquiry form.