Calderwood House, Montpellier Parade, Cheltenham GL50 1UA
Our personal injury solicitors provide clear legal advice and support for people who have been injured as a result of a violent crime. We can advise on compensation claims for physical and psychological injuries, helping you understand your options and the evidence that may be required to support your claim.
CICA Application Advice
A Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority application is not an ordinary negligence claim. The government scheme uses defined eligibility rules and a tariff for physical and mental injuries, and it can reduce or refuse awards because of delay, conduct, convictions or lack of cooperation. our solicitors can assess eligibility, prepare the evidence, value the available categories and challenge a decision through review or appeal. Legal advice is particularly useful where the injuries are serious, several tariff injuries overlap or the reason for late reporting needs careful explanation.
Our legal team checks the crime-of-violence definition, police reporting, cooperation, convictions, residence rules and application deadline before work begins. We identify the tariff injuries and evidence needed for loss of earnings, special expenses or fatality payments, prepare explanations for any delay and advise on the risk of review. If a decision remains wrong, we can assess the route to the First-tier Tribunal and its deadline.
The scheme can compensate eligible victims of violent crime in Great Britain for tariff physical or mental injury. It may also provide loss of earnings, special expenses and fatality payments where the detailed conditions are met. A criminal conviction is not essential, but the event and injury must be proved on the balance of probabilities.
An adult application should normally be made as soon as reasonably practicable and within two years of the incident. CICA can extend only in limited exceptional circumstances. Different deadlines apply where the applicant was under 18 at the time. Applicants should not wait for a trial to finish before applying.
CICA obtains police information and may require medical evidence, proof of earnings loss, treatment records and explanations of delay. A mental injury usually needs diagnosis or prognosis by a psychiatrist or clinical psychologist to meet the tariff.
Common issues include late police reporting or application, insufficient cooperation, an injury below the tariff threshold, inability to show a crime of violence, conduct connected with the incident, and unspent convictions. Loss of earnings and special expenses have additional eligibility requirements and are not paid merely because a financial loss occurred.
A review can reduce as well as increase an award because CICA reconsiders the decision. We explain that risk before a challenge.
Tariff injury payments currently range from £1,000 to £250,000, and the maximum total scheme award is £500,000. Multiple-injury rules mean the values are not simply added in full. CICA does not generally pay an applicant’s solicitor costs, so our legal team will explain the proposed fee arrangement and how it affects any award before taking the case on.
Our solicitors assist applicants in Cheltenham and the surrounding Gloucestershire area with applications, reviews and tribunal appeals.
CICA Application Advice FAQs
Answers about convictions, police reporting, deadlines, mental injury, award values and appeals.
No. CICA applies the balance of probabilities and can decide a claim without a conviction if the available evidence is sufficient.
It should be reported as soon as reasonably practicable. Delay needs explanation and can affect eligibility.
Adults normally apply within two years. Extensions are limited, and different rules apply to people injured as children. The accident date, date of knowledge, age and capacity must be checked because an exception should never be assumed.
Yes, if it meets a tariff description and the required specialist diagnosis or prognosis. The expert must address diagnosis, causation, treatment and prognosis rather than relying only on the first medical attendance.
Injury tariff payments range from £1,000 to £250,000, with an overall maximum of £500,000 including eligible additional payments.
You normally request an internal review first, then may appeal the review decision to the First-tier Tribunal within the stated deadline.
Yes. The scheme can withhold or reduce an award because of an applicant's unspent convictions, using rules based on the sentence. The exact conviction, disposal and rehabilitation position should be checked before deciding how to proceed.
Possibly, but the scheme applies stricter conditions than an ordinary civil claim, including a qualifying period and eligibility requirements. The payment basis may not match actual salary, so work history, incapacity and evidence need careful review.
Respond by the stated deadline or request a reasonable extension with an explanation. CICA may seek police, medical, identity, residence or earnings evidence. Missing a request can lead to the application being decided without important material or treated as withdrawn.
Yes. An adult can act for a child, and different time-limit rules recognise that a person injured while under 18 may apply later in defined circumstances. Prompt application is still preferable because police and medical evidence become harder to obtain.
Tell us how the injury happened, the treatment received and any response from an insurer or compensating body. We can assess the available legal route, evidence, limitation position and likely next steps.
Arrange a telephone call or visit our Cheltenham office by appointment. We assist clients in Cheltenham and the surrounding Gloucestershire area. We will explain the scope of work, funding terms and likely legal costs before proceeding.
Call 0330 900 0377, email info@pembridgesolicitors.co.uk or request a consultation.
Pembridge Solicitors
Calderwood House, Montpellier Parade
Cheltenham GL50 1UA
Office visits by appointment.
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