If you have been the victim of rape or sexual assault you may be entitled to claim compensation from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority. The CICA is a government funded organisation that makes payments to the victims of violent crime including rape and sexual assault.
Rape or sexual assault is never your fault and you are entitled to seek an award for the attack and the emotional and mental harm that results.
Mike Massen – Cohen Cramer Solicitors
Mike Massen of Cohen Cramer Solicitors has expertise and experience in dealing with such claims and can help you recover an award from the CICA.
We offer a free confidential consultation to assess and advise you on any claim that you may be able to make.
To qualify for an award you will need to show the following:
- you were a victim of a crime of violence
- the incident happened in the past two years although the CICA do have a discretion to extend this period in certain circumstances. They exercise this discretion mostly when dealing with applications for rape and sexual assault
- the incident occurred in England, Scotland or Wales
The Authority can reduce or refuse an award if:
- you failed to report the matter to the police within 48-72 hours of the incident. However, again the CICA have a discretion to waive this rule
- you failed to co-operate with the police
- you have unspent criminal convictions
To see if you are in a position to make an application for an award get in touch with us today:
- call: 0113 224 7830 (24 hours)
- email: enquiry@cohencramerpi.co.uk
- pop your contact details into the box at the bottom of this page and we will get straight back to you
You may not need a solicitor to act for you with your application to the CICA and if, due to the straightforward nature of your claim, we think that you can deal with the application process yourself we will tell you and point you in the right direction however if your claim is complex and involves a high level of injury with lost income etc you may want to consider obtaining legal assistance.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Does there have to be a conviction for me to make a claim? No – there does not even have to be an arrest, as long as you can show that you have been the victim of a crime of violence that is sufficient.
Will I have to go to court? No – the CICA is not like a civil claim and there is no opposition as such; you are making an application to a government body and not a claim against an individual.
Will my attacker find out about my claim? No – your claim is made to the CICA and your attacker is not notified and has no input in the process.
How would my award be calculated? The CICA has a tariff system. Your injuries are evaluated and placed in a particular bracket which determines the amount you receive. If you have multiple injuries you will receive payment as follows:
- 1st most serious injury – 100% of tariff award
- 2nd most serious injury – 30% of tariff award
- 3rd most serious injury – 15% of tariff award
You can claim lost income only after you have been off work for 28 weeks so if you are absent from work for 40 weeks you can only claim for 12 weeks.
If you have any further questions please get in touch:
- call: 0113 224 7804 (24 hours)
- email: enquiry@cohencramerpi.co.uk
- pop your contact details into the box at the bottom of this page and we will get straight back to you
Your claim can be dealt with on a ‘No Win – No Fee’ basis, this means that if for any reason we are not successful then you don’t pay us a penny for the work we have done.
For The Quality Legal Service You Deserve.