Assault

CICA is a government scheme providing compensation to violent crime victims. It operates under a tariff scheme with fixed amounts for different injuries. Applications must be made within two years of incidents. CICA doesn’t require proving who committed assaults, only that violent crimes occurred.

Eligibility requires reporting crimes to police promptly and cooperating with investigations and prosecutions. CICA can refuse or reduce compensation if applicants have unspent criminal convictions or didn’t cooperate fully. Awards are lower than civil compensation but CICA provides compensation when perpetrators lack funds.

CICA applications must be made within two years of violent crime dates. This deadline is strict. CICA may accept late applications in exceptional circumstances, but this is difficult. The two-year deadline is shorter than three-year limitation for civil claims.

For children, applications can be made anytime before their 20th birthday. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible after incidents to ensure evidence remains available and police reports are accessible. Late applications face higher rejection rates.

Yes, you can pursue civil claims against perpetrators. However, most perpetrators lack assets or insurance making recovery difficult even if you win. Judgment debts can be enforced if perpetrators acquire assets later, but many judgment debtors never pay.

We advise realistically on recovery prospects before pursuing perpetrators. CICA claims are usually more practical for obtaining compensation. However, if perpetrators have assets or businesses, civil claims can recover substantially more than CICA tariff awards.

If assaults occurred at premises with inadequate security, you can claim against owners, operators, or security firms. These claims succeed when assaults were foreseeable and proper security would have prevented attacks. Examples include pubs or clubs with insufficient door staff, poor risk assessment, or inadequate response to trouble.

Evidence includes history of violence at venues, security arrangements on the night, whether staff intervened appropriately, and expert security evidence. These claims pursue premises liability insurers rather than perpetrators, improving recovery prospects.

CICA requires crimes to be reported to police as soon as reasonably practicable. Failure to report promptly may result in refused or reduced awards. You must cooperate with police investigations and criminal prosecutions. CICA obtains police reports verifying that crimes occurred.

We understand some victims don’t report immediately for various reasons. CICA considers individual circumstances when assessing reporting delays. However, reporting crimes strengthens claims significantly by creating contemporary evidence.

CICA doesn’t require identifying or catching perpetrators. You need only prove violent crimes occurred causing injuries. Police crime reports, medical records documenting injuries, and witness statements provide evidence. CICA accepts applications when perpetrators are unknown or uncaught.

Civil claims require identifying defendants. However, premises liability claims against venues don’t require identifying specific perpetrators, only proving assaults occurred and inadequate security contributed.

CICA uses a tariff scheme to calculate awards based on injury type and severity. Loss of earnings claims may also be possible depending on the impact on your ability to work.

Civil claims can recover more than CICA tariff awards as they’re based on full compensation principles without caps. However, recovery depends on defendants’ ability to pay. We advise on likely compensation through CICA and civil routes.