Criminal Injury
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Have you been the victim of abuse or violent crime?
You may be eligible for an award if you are the innocent victim of a crime and have sustained injuries. Speak to us today for your FREE assessment.
Individuals may be eligible for an award if they sustain a criminal injury directly attributable to being a direct victim of a crime of violence committed in a relevant place.
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No-Win, No-Fee
Oakwood Scotland Solicitors agrees to work on your CICA criminal injury claim on a ‘no-win, no-fee’ basis. If your claim is unsuccessful, you will not be expected to pay us a penny.
If you are successful in your claim, we take 25% plus VAT of the compensation meaning that the only time we will receive money is if we have brought your claim to a fruitful conclusion.
You will have a dedicated, CICA specialised advisor who will see your claim through from start to finish, assisting you in the event of any queries or issues you may have.
If it is preferable to you, we are able to assign you one of our female advisors to carry out your claim. Your advisor will ensure to pursue the CICA for the maximum amount of compensation possible from the scheme.
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We work on a No-Win, No-Fee basis.
Frequently Asked Questions
The CICA advises that an application with them takes on average between 12 to 18 months to resolve. It is important to note that this is a guideline and not guaranteed. The time it takes to come to a decision on a claim depends on a number of factors including severity of injury, the complexity of a claim and the co-operation shown by an applicant.
Sexual violence Fast-Track option
We want to make applying for the compensation you deserve as easy as possible for you.
When applying for compensation for crimes of sexual violence, the CICA presents a service which allows them to settle your claim quickly and with the least intrusion as possible. By utilising the injuries tariff, they can use fixed payments based on the nature of the assault. This will not take any psychological damage or additional physical injuries into account.
If this service is chosen, the CICA will:
- Check your eligibility and ask the police to send them a report of the crime
- Write with a decision
- Not need to obtain, access or examine any of your medical records
The CICA advises that they can complete all the steps in this process in around 8 weeks.
There is no need to panic. The CICA has a review process to allow you to challenge their decision. A legal representative can make this as easy as possible, guiding you on the reasons to apply for a review and the steps to take to further evidence your claim.
If you disagree with the review decision you are then able to take this one step further and appeal to the First-Tier Tribunal. The members of the First-Tier Tribunal are completely independent to the CICA and will consider the entire claim, noting both your side and that of the CICA.
Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority claims can be deceptively complex. While it may seem fairly straightforward upon first glance, the requests can be confusing, and the information required can be difficult to obtain.
Having an experienced representative available whenever you need to talk to them, guiding you through the process, can be a godsend. No matter is too trivial, and sometimes a simple chat about what you are going through can make a world of difference.
Having a legal representative has also been shown to improve the likelihood of success. The most recent government statistics illustrate that more people decide to undergo this type of claim on their own, than with a legal representative. Unfortunately for those without representation, they are more likely to end up with claims rejected when compared to those who seek legal help.
This could be attributed to numerous things such as lack of understanding of the claims process, the required criteria that need to be met, and failure to meet set deadlines, all of which can be assisted by having a legal representative.
Of those applicants who did not have any legal help with their claim and received compensation between 2020 and 2021, the average payout was £8,692. Those applicants who received compensation with the help of a solicitor received on average an additional £4,853, with a total average payout of £13,545.
Applicants who did not have any legal help:
£8,692 average payout.
Applicants with help from a solicitor:
£13,545 average payout.
Oakwood Scotland Solicitors agrees to work on your CICA criminal injury claim on a ‘no-win, no-fee’ basis. If your claim is unsuccessful, you will not be expected to pay us a penny. If you are successful in your claim, we take a percentage of the compensation meaning that the only time we will receive money is if we have brought your claim to a fruitful conclusion.
You will have a dedicated advisor who will see your claim through from start to finish, assisting you in the event of any queries or issues you may have. If it is preferable to you, we are able to assign you one of our female advisors to carry out your claim.
Your case handler will also continue to provide regular updates until the conclusion of your claim, ensuring the process is as stress-free and effortless as possible.
Testimonials
I was very happy with your service and am very grateful for your help. Ross was excellent in the way he dealt with my case.
E Whittaker
Thanks for your help with this, you’ve been excellent at helping me through the process.
J McInroy
I would definitely use your company again if I ever needed and would highly recommend you to others.