Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) Claims Solicitors
If you’ve been a victim of a violent crime, you may be considering seeking compensation from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA).
Our criminal injury solicitors have achieved great results and positive outcomes for a number of clients making CICA claims. We understand how tough the aftermath of a violent crime can be, not only on you but your family and friends. We pride ourselves on giving our clients the best advice with a straightforward approach.
Our personal injury lawyers know that each case is different, and so we ensure we have the best understanding of your experience and your needs to obtain the best outcome for you.
What is CICA?
The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) is a Government-funded scheme that compensates victims who have suffered injury/injuries as a result of a violent crime.
The scheme covers both physical and psychological injuries. To claim for a psychological injury, however, you must have been diagnosed with a recognised condition by a psychologist or psychiatrist.
How can Barcan and Kirby help me with a criminal injury claim?
As well as helping you to start a CICA claim, our expert personal injury solicitors can review your existing application if you have started the process independently. We can also advise you on the value of your claim, make an appeal to the CICA Tribunal and potentially apply to re-open a closed case.
Our team will also help you to access specialist treatment and rehabilitation so that you can make the fullest possible recovery from your injuries. We can also involve our Court of Protection team in cases where the individual lacks the capacity to make decisions regarding health and finances.
What injuries can you claim for through CICA?
If you have been injured as a result of a violent crime, you may be able to claim through the CICA scheme. Our personal injury solicitors help individuals to claim through CICA for:
- Injuries sustained from assault, including Grievous Bodily Harm (GBH) and Actual Bodily Harm (ABH)
- Domestic abuse injuries
- Threats of violence (which constitute assault) that have caused psychological injuries
- A friend or family member being murdered
Common types of injuries associated with CICA claims include:
- Head and brain injuries
- Psychological injuries
- Fatalities
- Fractures
- Scarring
Are there time limits for making a CICA claim?
Unlike other types of personal injury claims, the time limit for CICA claims is two years. However, there are some exceptions:
- Children: if the crime was reported to the police whilst the victim was still a child, you can start a claim at any point before their 20th birthday.
- Child abuse: if the claim is regarding historical child abuse, you have two years from the date the abuse was reported to the police as an adult.
- Mental capacity: if the victim lacks mental capacity, the time limit may be extended. This is assessed on a case-by-case basis, and we can advise you on this.
If your injury has significantly changed or your condition has severely deteriorated, you can potentially ‘medically’ re-open a CICA claim if you can prove it would result in injustice if the case were not reopened. Our specialist solicitors can advise you on this process.
No win, no fee CICA claims
Our personal injury lawyers make CICA claims on a no win, no fee basis. This means that you will not pay anything unless your claim is successful.
If your CICA claim is successful, our fees are deducted from your compensation.
As with any type of personal injury claim, we offer a no-obligation initial consultation with a member of our team. This gives you the opportunity to talk through your potential case with us in detail and to discuss your options.
Contact our personal injury solicitors about a CICA claim
Our CICA claims solicitors advise clients across the UK* from our offices in Bedminster, Bishopston, Bristol city centre, Kingswood and Thornbury.
If you or someone you know has been an innocent victim of a violent crime, our criminal injury solicitors in Bristol are here to help. Call us on 0117 325 2929 or fill out our online enquiry form.
* While we can act for clients across the UK, the accident must have happened in England or Wales.