CICA Claims

Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority Claims

If you have been the victim of an attack or an assault, you could be entitled to compensation from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA). At McHale & Co, we can provide the guidance needed to give you the very best chance of getting the compensation to which you are entitled. Our personal injury team is among the best in the North West, and our skill and experience can help you make a successful claim.

Getting in touch with our team couldn’t be easier, simply call us today on 0161 928 3848 and we can discuss your position. If you would prefer us to get in touch with you, fill in our online contact form and we will give you a call back as soon as we can.

What is the CICA?

The CICA compensates innocent victims who suffer personal injury as a result of violent crime.

Many innocent adults and children are significantly affected by such crimes, and through the CICA, sums can be awarded for physical or psychological injuries. Indeed, while an attack or assault will often involve physical harm, they can also lead to longer term psychological damage that will affect the victim for years to come. Additional sums can be awarded for loss of earnings, or where there are other special expenses such as medical bills or the cost of being looked after.

If you have been physically or mentally injured as a result of a violent crime, you may be able to apply to the CICA for compensation.

Different types of violent crime

Violent crime can take many forms, but among the more common incidents of this type are:

• Sexual assaults, including rape and child abuse
• Assaults, such as attacks with a weapon, attacks by bouncers in a nightclub and muggings
• Assaults on infants, such as “shaken baby” cases
• Hit and runs
• Events leading to psychiatric harm, such as an armed robbery or incidents in the workplace

If you or someone you know has suffered any of the above, it is important you speak to an experienced legal team, such as McHale & Co, to further discuss your situation and to find out more about the next steps you should take to progress your claim.

It may be that the perpetrator of the attack was never identified or caught. However, this does not necessarily mean you will not be able to make a claim. By speaking with us today, we can discuss the best way forward and how you can claim the compensation you deserve.

Meeting the criteria

For an application to be considered by the CICA it must fall within the following strict criteria:

1. You must be a victim of crime of violence or injured in some other way covered by the scheme

2. You must be physically or mentally injured as a result

3. The incident must have occurred in England, Scotland or Wales

4. The injury must qualify for at least a minimum award available under the scheme, which is £1000

5. The matter must be reported to the police as soon as possible and you must co-operate with the police investigation

6. Your application must be received within two years from the date of the incident

Contingency agreements

Criminal injuries compensation cases do not attract legal aid or funding from the CICA. Basically, solicitors work on the basis of a fixed fee or a percentage of the client’s damages.

We can therefore act for you on a contingency agreement, which is a type of no win, no fee agreement, whereby we take a deduction from your award to pay our costs. However, if you are not successful there will be no cost to you. We will ensure that you receive the maximum amount of compensation that your injuries warrant. 

How we can help

McHale & Co has an expert understanding of claims of this nature. We pride ourselves on being a forward-thinking law firm that always works with integrity, doing what’s best for our clients at all times and keeping them updated as we progress their claim. If you consider you are eligible for compensation, our friendly, experienced and professional team will work hard on your behalf to ensure your application is processed promptly and efficiently in order to achieve the best possible outcome for you.

If you are uncertain whether you are eligible for compensation from the CICA, our team will be happy to discuss this with you.