Criminal Injury and Abuse

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Criminal Injury Claims

If you have suffered as a result of criminal injury you should contact a solicitor to help you make a criminal injury and abuse compensation claim. Seeking justice during a harrowing and difficult time can help to bring some peace of mind by enabling you to pay for any medical assistance or therapy you may need and compensating you for time taken away from work or other commitments during your recovery.

The expert criminal injury solicitors at JMW understand the difficulty you are facing at this moment and we will work with you to ensure your criminal injury claim is successful. We have vast experience in sympathetically, sensitively and successfully handling cases of this kind, including claims made to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA).

To find out more about criminal injury compensation, contact our team of expert solicitors today. Simply call us on 0345 872 6666 or fill in our online enquiry form and we will get back to you at a time that is convenient for you.

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How JMW Can Help

A criminal injury can involve suffering physical and psychological harm, and this makes it all the more important that you have immediate access to the best kind of support, such as counselling or psychiatric help. Making a claim for criminal injury compensation may be the last thing on your mind, but our solicitors are here to help you through the process with minimum hassle. There is usually a time limit that applies to these types of claims, so it’s important to contact a legal specialist as soon as you are ready.

The criminal injury claims team at JMW Solicitors will make the claims process as straightforward as possible for you, as we understand recounting incidents like these can be incredibly distressing. We will carry out a full investigation into the circumstances of your injury and collect information and evidence that can help strengthen your case.

Throughout the process, we will provide regular updates on the status of your claim, keeping you updated on the next steps. Our aim is to make the claims process as easy as possible for you and we handle all cases with the sensitivity and diligence they deserve.

Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) Claims

Not all criminal injury claims are made against the organisation that failed to prevent the crime from taking place. The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) is the government agency responsible for handling claims from people who have been physically or mentally injured as a result of being a victim of violent crime in England, Scotland, or Wales. 

When a criminal injury claim is made on your behalf, it is the CICA who will ultimately pay your compensation award, although a solicitor will still handle the process of making a claim on your behalf.

A CICA compensation award will cover:

  • The abuse suffered
  • Any injuries sustained
  • Psychological damage
  • Cost of any therapies following abuse

Even if an offender has not been caught or identified, crime victims' compensation can still be paid out by the criminal injuries compensation board.

This can be a complex area of law to get to grips with, and we would urge you to seek the advice of a solicitor if you think your claim may match the circumstances we have outlined above. Even if you have suffered some form of abuse, but are unsure about what to do or whether you can make a claim, our solicitors will be able to advise you of the next steps in confidence.

Criminal Injury in the Workplace

We specialise in a range of criminal compensation claims, and one of the most common includes assaults in the workplace. Unfortunately, it is not unknown for employees to be assaulted at work. This can happen to almost anyone in their place of work but is more common among care assistants, nurses, security guards, and prison officers.

We all expect to be kept safe at work; however, attacks in the workplace can and do happen. Employers have a duty of care to safeguard their workers and do everything possible to keep them from harm. If your employer has put you at risk of foreseeable or preventable injury, or has not adequately protected you, a compensation claim may be brought for the pain and suffering caused.

Your employer may be held responsible if you are assaulted at work if:

  • They ignored previous violent behaviour from a co-worker, patient or client who later attacks you
  • They have left you to work alone, leaving you in a vulnerable situation
  • You have not been given adequate training to deal with hostile situations
  • You have not been provided with adequate personal protective equipment (PPE)

To pursue compensation for an incident where you were assaulted at work, get in touch with our solicitors today to make a criminal injury compensation claim.

Why Choose JMW?

The expert criminal injury solicitors at JMW are experienced in dealing with sensitive subjects, and are not only dedicated to bringing you the justice you deserve, but will do so in the way that brings the least amount of stress to you.

Recognised by The Legal 500, our firm is well-known throughout the country for our successes and our service to people across many areas of the law. If you or someone you know has suffered a criminal injury, you may be at further risk, which is why it is vital that you employ a solicitor you trust to represent you properly and effectively.

FAQs About Abuse and Criminal Injury

Q
How do I make a criminal injury compensation claim through CICA?
A

Making a CICA compensation is relatively straightforward. To start a claim, you must have:

  • The crime reference number
  • The name of the offender (if known)
  • The contact details for any medical experts who have provided treatment
  • The date of any court case 

Our solicitors will then take care of the rest by liaising with the CICA.

Q
Who can claim compensation for a criminal injury?
A

You might be able to claim criminal injury compensation if:

  • You were the victim and suffered an injury
  • A close relative died and you are looking to claim on their behalf
  • You witnessed a crime happen to a relative
  • You were required to pay for medical care or funeral fees for the victim.
Q
How much compensation could I receive following a criminal injury?
A

The amount of compensation you will receive largely depends on the severity of your injuries. There are certain criteria for an award of compensation set out in CICA’s Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme. If you satisfy the criteria, the amount of compensation you receive will be assessed from a set of tariff awards available.

Compensation amounts can also be determined by any expenses incurred as a result of your injuries, such as time taken off work, medical treatment, care requirements, and so on. Our solicitors will be able to advise on the amount of compensation you are likely to receive following a criminal injury.

Q
What type of criminal assault does the CICA handle?
A

The CICA will handle any type of criminal assault that has caused physical or psychological injury. Some examples of the type of assault it handles include:

  • Common assault
  • Assault causing actual bodily harm (ABH)
  • Assault causing grievous bodily harm (GBH)
  • Assault in a public place
  • Assault at work
  • Domestic assault
  • Assault by a security guard or ‘bouncer’
  • Criminal assault
  • Assault leading to a fatality
  • Assault with a weapon
  • Sexual assault - any sexual contact without consent

If a case involves more than one kind of assault, the CICA will award a compensation settlement based on the crime that is most serious.

Q
What are my rights if I am assaulted at work?
A

If you are assaulted at work by a co-worker, a client or a supplier, it is important to know your rights. Such experiences can be especially traumatic because people spend a lot of their time in their workplace, and if they no longer feel safe, this can impact their quality of life.

Under some circumstances, you may have a right to claim compensation. Your employer has an overall responsibility to keep you safe, and if they have failed to do so, you may be owed damages, but there are lots of factors that can affect this and it is best to speak to a solicitor about your specific situation.

You have the right to work in a safe environment, which means your employer must assess any risk of violence that you are likely to face in your job, and take steps to reduce this risk. Some people are more likely to be assaulted at work, either because of the type of work they do, the material conditions of their job, or the people they come into contact with while undertaking their duties. But even if your workplace doesn’t fit into these categories, your employer must still reduce any risk of physical, psychological or sexual abuse where they can. You must be able to prove that your employer failed in this capacity to pursue a claim against them.

You may be able to pursue a claim even if you were assaulted at work by someone who is not an employee, such as a visitor or a customer. Below, we have listed some more conditions which could affect your right to compensation, with more detail on your employer’s responsibilities and how these might affect your circumstances.

Q
Can I claim compensation for an assault through CICA?
A

You may be able to claim compensation through CICA if you have experienced a violent crime or suffered an injury that is covered by the scheme. You can claim even if you don’t know the identity of your attacker, but you must have reported the incident to the police.

Under CICA’s definition, crimes of violence can include physical attacks that cause injury to a person, threats that cause a reasonable fear of immediate violence, and sexual assault.

You can also claim for prolonged, serious abuse, such as domestic assault of an adult or a child. In such incidents, you may not need to demonstrate that you sustained an injury due to the attack, but you should still report all such incidents to the police.

Payments through the scheme are determined by the nature and severity of the injuries sustained in the assault. This includes:

  • Burns, whether in one or multiple areas of the body
  • Major paralysis
  • A medically recognised condition
  • Mental injury
  • Peripheral sensory nerve damage

More information about claiming compensation for assault through CICA, including a more detailed list of injuries and incidents that the scheme covers, can be found here.

Talk to Us

To get in touch with a solicitor about making a claim for any injury or abuse you have suffered, contact JMW on 0345 872 6666 or complete our online contact form and we will call you back. We are here to ensure you have the support you need for the new start you deserve after such a traumatic event.

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