Our personal injury specialists regularly assist clients in making criminal injury claims and obtaining compensation.

What makes an Injury a 'criminal' injury?

A criminal injury is one you have sustained during a direct attack of which you were the victim of an injury you have suffered as a direct result of illegal activities carried out by another person.

You can be given compensation for your injuries even if the perpetrator of the crime was never caught, charged or convicted.

Can I claim?

You could be entitled to compensation if you meet the following criteria:

You were seriously injured
You were the blameless victim of a crime in England or Wales (this includes attacks)
You reported the crime to the police as soon as you were able and cooperated fully with all subsequent investigations

Your claim must be registered within two years of the crime's occurrence.

Recent changes to the law

The government's Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme was heavily revised in 2012. In short, these changes made it much more difficult for victims of criminal injuries to obtain compensation – particularly those who have sustained injuries that are considered "minor" from a legal perspective.

Those who have suffered serious injuries are now the only types of victims who are likely to be successful in securing compensation.

The Ministry of Justice has agreed to reconsider its plan to cut criminal injury compensation awards in a surprising U-turn.

The Ministry proposed that payments under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme should be limited to victims with serious injuries, to make the Scheme more “sustainable”. Last year, £449m was paid out to victims of criminal attacks, and the Ministry of Justice estimated that restricting compensation to the most serious cases would reduce this figure by around £50m. Junior justice minister Helen Grant said that these minor injuries included “sprains and fractures”.

However, following disapproval and debate in Parliament, the proposals will be reconsidered. The move has been welcomed by victims’ groups, MPs and personal injury solicitors alike, as the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme is widely regarded as an essential resource for victims, and a cornerstone of the British justice system.

For a victim to be eligible, they must:

Be the blameless victim of a crime in England, Scotland or Wales
Report the incident to the police immediately, and co-operate fully
Apply within two years of the injury

It is hugely important that you seek the advice of an expert personal injury lawyer if you are considering making a claim – and certainly before you try to begin the process.

Making criminal injury claims

Currently, blameless victims of violent crime can make an application to the Criminal Injury Compensation Scheme, a government funded organisation set up in 1964. The severity of injuries and impact on the victim’s life are assessed, and the level of criminal injury compensation decided based on this. There are 25 tiers of compensation that could be awarded, ranging from £1,000 to £500,000, with the option to claim additional care costs or loss of earnings. The scheme also awards compensation to the relatives of people who have died as a result of a criminal injury.

However, an offender does not need to be convicted or charged for the crime in question.

Discuss your case with Sheldon Davidson Solicitors

We have extensive experience in handling criminal injury cases and are ready to help you make a claim if you have been seriously injured and fit the criteria listed above.

Give our team a call to find out whether or not you are entitled to make a claim. Alternatively, fill in one of our enquiry forms and we will get back to you quickly

If you have suffered injuries as a result of a criminal act, contact Sheldon Davidson Solicitors for help making a claim to the Criminal Injury Compensation Scheme.