CICA - What it's all about.
The CICA Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme is made by the Secretary of State, under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Act 1995. The Current scheme is the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2008
If you really want to look this Act up, go to http://www.opsi.gov.uk/ACTS/acts1995/ukpga_19950053_en_1 It's not exactly a riviting read but there it is, in all its glory, thirteen sections explaining how it works.
Really, you do not want to read the Act. You really want to read this somewhat shorter article about CICA Criminal Injury Compensation and how it affects you.
These are the important points you need to ask yourself, to find out if you can make a CICA criminal injuries compensation claim: Have you been injured by an act of violence? Have you told the police about the incident? Have you co-operated with the police?
They seem simple questions but let's look at them in more detail. To claim CICA criminal injury compensation, you need to have been injured by an act of violence. In other words someone must have punched you; or stabbed you; or struck you with a weapon, such as a broken glass; or even in an extreme example run you down (on purpose) with a motor vehicle; or shot you with a gun or rifle etc etc. The commonest criminal injury case we deal with is an assault, where someone punches another or perhaps kicks them.
You will be unable to claim criminal injury compensation if you agreed to a fight. For example if someone says to you 'come on, let's sort this out in the car park' and you voluntarily take part. No matter how badly you are injured, you will be unable to claim compensation.
It is extremely important that you tell the police immediately about the assault. These days nearly everyone has a mobile telephone or access to one or to a land line telephone. If you do not make a timely report to the police, then your claim may be invalid. The simple reason for this is, the sooner you inform the police, the sooner they can arrest the culprit. It's not good enough to telephone the police a few days later, or even the next day.
You also need to co-operate with the police. If the assailant is found and arrested and then you decide not to go ahead with the prosecution because you feel intimidated or simply cannot be bothered, then you will be unable to claim criminal injury compensation.
So, tell the police and then co-operate........................