Compensation for Victims of Crime

If you’ve been injured in an assault then it can have a drastic effect upon the rest of your life. Depending upon the severity of any physical injuries sustained, you may even be permanently physically disabled and thus unable to pursue the line of work that previously provided your living. Even lesser injuries may result in expenses such as medical bills.

Over and above any physical injury sustained, there is also the psychological impact which such an assault is bound to have. Knowing that another person has deliberately injured you is a disturbing and frightening thought, and one that may well result in long term mental problems such as depression and anxiety. While money itself can never totally make up for suffering of this kind, the knowledge that you’ve been compensated may go some way towards restoring your sense of fairness and justice.

Can I still get compensation if no one was convicted?

Yes. If you’ve been injured as a result of another party’s criminal activity then you can claim compensation even if nobody has been convicted of the crime in question, or even if nobody has been charged. This is because compensation in cases such as this is not claimed from the guilty party but is instead paid by a body known as the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority.

What does the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority do?

The Criminal injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) is a government-funded body. It was created in 1996 with the specific aim of making it possible for anyone meeting its criteria to make a claim for compensation.

The fact that the CICA exists means that the compensation available is not dependent upon the assets held by the responsible party. Instead, the CICA will examine the type and severity of your injuries, analysing the ongoing impact on your life and calculating expenses incurred by costs such as lost earnings and medical bills. Having weighed all the relevant details, the CICA will then offer you a fair amount of compensation.

Can I call you for free advice?

If you feel you have been the victim of criminal injury as a result of the illegal actions of another, call free on 0800 234 6438, or fill out the form at the top of this page and an expert legal adviser will contact you. They’ll take down the details of your case and let you know whether they feel you’re eligible for compensation. If you are, they will find an expert lawyer to work tirelessly alongside you in order to build a persuasive case and, since most work on a no win no fee basis, the process won’t cost you a fortune.