At a Glance
What Is CICA?
The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) is a UK government scheme that compensates eligible victims of violent crime in Great Britain. If you were injured in an unprovoked attack, you can make a CICA claim even if nobody has been convicted, as long as the incident was reported to the police and the evidence supports your case.
What Do You Need to Make a CICA Claim?
Most CICA claims depend on two foundations: a prompt police report with a crime reference number and strong medical evidence. You usually need to apply within two years of the incident, though exceptions can apply in certain circumstances. Early legal advice helps avoid missed deadlines, incomplete evidence, and unnecessary delays.
Victims of violent crime shouldn’t be left to pick up the pieces of their physical and mental health on their own. After a serious assault, the impact often goes far beyond the initial injury. People can be left dealing with ongoing symptoms, emotional trauma, time off work, and uncertainty about recovery, while also trying to cope with forms, deadlines, and evidence requests.
That’s why the government introduced the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) in 1996: to support and compensate those who have suffered, at no financial risk to them, whether the perpetrator has been convicted or not. The scheme is designed to support eligible victims of violent crime in Great Britain by providing financial compensation where the scheme rules are met.
At Optimal Solicitors, we handle violent crime compensation claims with a calm, structured approach. We take the heavy lifting off the client, build the evidence properly, and present the case clearly, so you can focus on recovery rather than administration.
In this case, our experienced legal executive, Dominika Beza, supported a client after he suffered a brain injury following a violent attack. Discover how we helped him achieve £82,600 in compensation, along with some essential information regarding CICA claims to streamline the process, should you ever need to go through it.
What Happened: Unprovoked Assault Resulting in a Brain Injury
Our client was the victim of an unprovoked, serious attack committed by a group of around 10 teenagers outside of a shop. During the attack, our client was struck on the head with an object and suffered a brain injury.
Despite the difficulties caused by the injury, the client was able to contact our first response team for legal advice and support. Crucially, the incident had already been reported to the police and a police report had been obtained – an essential starting point for most CICA compensation claims after an assault.
From the outset, our focus was to minimise further stress and avoid repeated retelling of traumatic details. Once the police report existed, our job was to take over the process and build the claim properly.
The CICA Claim Process: How We Built the Case and Reduced Pressure on the Client
The case was assigned to our experienced legal executive and CICA case handler, Dominika Beza. She reassured our client that his case was in good hands and that we would be able to progress the claim and raise it with the CICA. Dominika’s role was twofold: to keep the process manageable for the client and to ensure the claim was supported by the evidence the CICA would expect for a serious injury case.
To supplement the police report and support the claim, we sought to provide the CICA with the entirety of our client’s medical records and reports from the attack. This included GP records, hospital attendances, and documentation showing the clinical detail of the brain injury and ongoing symptoms. It was in the records we received that we learnt the specific details around our client’s brain injury, along with expectations for future consultations, treatments and rehabilitation.
In claims involving head injuries and brain injuries, the quality of medical evidence is often decisive. The CICA needs clear records that show what happened medically, what treatment was required, and how the injury affected the person over time.
Before submitting the documentation, Dominika contacted the client to verify key details and ensure the evidence accurately reflected the reality of his symptoms and day-to-day limitations.
With CICA claims, once the police report is in place and the medical evidence is properly compiled, it is often possible for the solicitor to manage the case with very limited additional demands on the client. Dominika ensured the claim progressed smoothly, while keeping the client informed without overwhelming him with constant requests.
Outcome: £82,600 Compensation Awarded by the CICA
CICA claims can take time – particularly in cases involving serious injuries and complex medical evidence. This is where we must encourage patience and understanding with our clients. Dominika stayed in regular contact with our client, reassuring him that everything was in hand, nothing else was required from him, and that she would be straight in touch as soon as we received a response.
After approximately five years, the CICA made an offer of £82,600. Dominika had already examined the breakdown of all costs required to ensure our client never had to pay a penny
out of his own pocket for his injuries. This included any inconvenience, loss of earnings, rehabilitation and ongoing treatments. With Dominika’s advice and guidance, our client reviewed the offer and chose to accept.
While Dominika would have been willing to challenge the offer, we must be led by our clients’ decisions. The relationship between Dominika and this client was good and, ultimately, they were both extremely pleased and reassured that the offer would allow our client to move on with his life in the knowledge that all expenses relating to his injury and recovery would be covered.
Speak to Optimal Solicitors about a CICA compensation claim
If you or a loved one has been injured as the innocent victim of a violent crime, you deserve clear advice and a process that doesn’t add further stress. We can assess eligibility, explain how the CICA claim process works, and handle the evidence gathering and submissions on your behalf.
We regularly support clients with a wide range of injuries that may fall under the CICA scheme, including head and brain injuries, facial injuries and scarring, fractures and serious orthopaedic injuries, nerve damage, dental injuries, eye injuries and loss of vision, and psychological injuries such as PTSD, anxiety and depression where the required clinical evidence is available. If you’re unsure whether your injury qualifies, we’ll give you an honest assessment and guide you through the next steps.
What You Should Know About CICA Claims
Do You Need a Police Report for a CICA Claim?
Yes – the victim must have reported the incident to the police before making a CICA claim. The CICA cannot accept a claim without an official police report. A thorough police report not only enables a claim to be raised, but helps minimise further retelling of traumatic information throughout the process.
We completely empathise with victims who do not wish to involve the police, whether this be due to a lack of trust, vulnerability, or difficulty in retelling details of a traumatic incident. Dominika has spent a lot of time with victims of violent crimes and explains this requirement with empathy and understanding.
Is There a Financial Risk When Making a CICA Claim?
No – there is no financial risk for the claimant when raising a CICA claim. The worst-case scenario is that the claim is unsuccessful, in which case there are no additional fees for the claimant to pay.
How Much Work Does a CICA Claimant Need to Do?
Very little. Unlike other personal injury claims where there may be a defendant involved, it is rare that a CICA claimant will need to provide more information after the police report and full medical records have been submitted. In some cases, the CICA may ask to clarify the information provided, but this will be handled and streamlined by the solicitor.
Do You Need the Attacker to Be Convicted to Claim CICA Compensation?
No – you can raise a CICA claim even if you don’t know the perpetrator of the attack or they were not convicted. If you suffered an injury as an innocent victim of a violent crime, all you need is a police report to raise a claim.
If the offender is known, you may also be able to seek compensation directly from them, as well as raising a CICA claim. However, in many cases, the offender may not be in a position to cover any costs.
Can Non-British Citizens Claim CICA Compensation?
Yes – a victim does not need to be a British citizen to raise a CICA claim, as long as the incident occurred in Great Britain and the victim was an ordinary resident in the UK at the time.
What Can CICA Compensation Cover?
CICA awards follow scheme rules. In serious injury cases, the claim may cover the injury itself and, where applicable under the scheme, additional elements that reflect the wider financial impact such as loss of earnings, rehabilitation, and future recovery. Mental injuries may also be included, although confirmation must be provided by a clinical psychologist or psychiatrist.
Optimal Solicitors helps claimants achieve maximum compensation from the CICA by ensuring that the value covers all costs relating to a client’s injuries and ongoing needs. Strong evidence and careful presentation are key to ensuring the claim is properly assessed.
What Is the Time Limit for a CICA Claim?
A CICA claim is usually expected to be made within two years of the incident, although exceptions may apply in cases involving sexual assault, child abuse, and other specific circumstances.
- For children, time limits don’t start running until the victim turns 18, meaning they can usually apply up to age 20.
- If trauma or therapy caused a further delay, the CICA can still consider the claim. This is usually confirmed with a psychiatric report.
- If the offender was a parent or family member, the CICA carefully assesses whether the victim had “reasonable fear” which prevented an earlier report.
Each case is reviewed individually, but the CICA often allows late submissions if the reasons are well supported.
When Can a CICA Claim Be Refused or Reduced?
The CICA can refuse a claim or reduce an award if the scheme rules are not met. The most common reasons include:
- Late reporting to the police: if the crime wasn’t reported as soon as reasonably practicable, and there isn’t a clear, supported reason for the delay.
- Lack of cooperation: if the applicant didn’t cooperate with the police or later with CICA requests, for example by not providing information when asked.
- Relevant criminal convictions: if the applicant has certain unspent or serious convictions, the scheme can require the CICA to refuse or reduce compensation.
- Insufficient evidence: if there’s not enough police and/or medical evidence to support what happened and to link the injuries to the incident.
If any of these issues might apply, it doesn’t automatically mean the claim will fail – but it does mean the claim needs to be handled carefully and presented properly, with the right evidence and explanation where the scheme allows it.
