The intentional nature of being hit by a car as a weapon (vaw attack), whether as a terrorist incident or a singular crime of violence, can have profound and long-lasting impacts. As such, you may be giving some thought to making a compensation claim. Our friendly group of advisors are here to help guide you through the vehicle used as a weapon claims process.
At Legal Expert, we’re here to help you through this extremely challenging time. We understand that the prospect of starting a claim can seem daunting, especially due to the intentional and malicious nature of the attack. Fortunately, our friendly advisors work around the clock to provide personalised assistance to people just like you. Through this free service, you could receive an eligibility check that looks at the strengths of your case. Following this, you could be connected with one of our specialist solicitors to help you start the claims process. On a No Win No Fee basis, you could enjoy regular claim updates, advice on the best way to claim and assistance with signing key legal documents. As experts in compensation claims, our solicitors are ready to help you secure the payout that you rightfully deserve.
To start your claim today, please get in touch with our friendly team:
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I Was Injured By A Car Used As A Weapon – Civil Claim Or A CICA Claim?
If someone intentionally used their vehicle as a weapon to cause injuries, you may be wondering which avenue you should take to pursue a claim. In all, there are two possible routes to seek compensation: a civil claim (this will be filed and handled like a personal injury claim) or a criminal injury claim. The route you will take will be decided on a case-by-case basis, as it entirely depends on:
- How the incident occurred
- Who caused the incident, and whether they’ve been identified
- Whether a civil claim is possible at all.
A civil claim, in most instances, is made possible by claiming against the at-fault driver or their motor insurance company under the Road Traffic Act 1988. However, when learning that the vehicle was used as a weapon, insurers may refuse to cover the incident. This may be because this type of incident is not a road traffic accident but an intentional criminal act.
Instead, you could make a criminal injury claim through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA). This government agency ultimately helps to provide compensation payouts to victims of violent crimes suffered in Great Britain or another relevant place.
How Could The Compensation Be Different?
The compensation could be different depending on whether you make a civil claim or a CICA claim. Compensation is calculated using different methods and documents for civil and CICA claims.
For civil claims, compensation is calculated by assessing the severity of your injuries, your recovery period, the effect on your quality of life and any financial losses you suffered. The award for pain and suffering is typically valued in line with the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). Please also note that civil claims are generally awarded higher compensation amounts.
For CICA claims, compensation will be valued in line with fixed tariffs set out in the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012 (the Scheme). This scheme ultimately contains set values for a range of physical and psychological injuries.
To learn more about how compensation is calculated, please get in touch with our helpful team today.
How Do I Know If I Can Claim Through The CICA
To know if you can claim through the CICA, you must be able to meet their eligibility requirements. In doing this, you must satisfy that:
- You have reported the incident to the police
- The incident must have occurred in Great Britain or another eligible location
- You were the direct victim of a crime of violence, and you suffered injuries as a result.
- Your claim must be started within 2 years from the incident.
However, if exceptional circumstances prevented you from making a claim within 2 years, the time limit could be extended. To learn more about this, please contact one of our friendly advisors today.
What Should I Do Immediately After The Attack?
After the attack, your first priority should be to ensure the safety of yourself and any others in immediate danger. As such, you could take the following steps:
- If the attacker still poses an immediate threat, it’s essential that you find an escape route. For instance, running somewhere a vehicle cannot reach, such as a shop.
- Call the emergency services as soon as you possibly can. Not only will this help to catch the attacker, but it will also provide useful evidence further down the line.
- Seek urgent medical attention. Depending on the severity of your injuries, you may require an ambulance for immediate medical treatment. Other avenues may include A&E, urgent care facilities or your GP.
- Cooperate with the police. Especially if the attack was targeted at multiple individuals, offering your version of events could be vital in identifying the attacker. Additionally, if you are making a claim through the CICA, this is one of the requirements.
Please contact our helpful team today to learn more about vehicle used as a weapon claims.
Common Injuries Sustained In Vehicle Used As A Weapon Claims
Please see the following examples of common injuries sustained in vehicle used as a weapon claims:
- Broken bones and fractures
- Severe leg injuries, sometimes leading to amputations
- Grievous bodily harm (GBH)
- Serious head injuries
- Spinal injuries
- Psychological injuries such as PTSD, anxiety and depression
- Internal injuries from blunt trauma. This could include injuries to the liver, stomach and spleen.
In intentional attacks, injuries could be much more severe. Moreover, the impact of a vehicle can cause catastrophic and often life-altering injuries.
To discuss your personal experience with one of our advisors, feel free to get in touch today.
What If The Car Was Stolen Before The Attack?
If a car was stolen before the attack, it will not impact your ability to make a compensation claim. As such, the police and other authorities will work to try and identify the attacker, using witness reports and physical evidence to help them. Nevertheless, even if the perpetrator is not caught, you can still make a CICA claim for criminal injury compensation.
In civil claims, you could pursue compensation through the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB). In all, the MIB is an organisation that helps to compensate victims of accidents with uninsured or untraced drivers. Our expert solicitors could correspond with the MIB on your behalf to prove negligence, ensuring that you receive the payout that you deserve.
To learn more about stolen vehicle claims, please get in touch with our helpful team today.
What Vehicle Used As A Weapon Compensation Can I Get?
The amount of vehicle used as a weapon compensation you could get will be valued in line with fixed tariffs. As we previously mentioned, if your claim is for a vehicle used as a weapon, your compensation would be valued in line with the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme.
Please see some examples of CICA pay-outs below which have been taken from the Scheme. It should be mentioned that the first figure is the absolute maximum that could be paid out in a successful claim.
| Injury Type | Severity | Tariff Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple Very Serious Injuries with Loss of Earnings and Special Expenses | Very Serious | Up to £500,000 |
| Quadriplegia | Substantially complete to both upper and lower limb levels | £250,000 |
| Paraplegia | Substantially complete | £175,000 |
| Brain damage including the serious disablement of physical or mental faculties | Moderately severe | £110,000 |
| Brain damage with some dependence on others, personality change | Significant | £82,000 |
| Loss of one leg | Above the knee level | £44,000 |
| Loss of one leg | Below the knee leve | £33,000 |
| Severe damage to both legs | A continuing signifcant disability | £16,500 |
| Moderate damage to both tibia (shin bones) | A continuing signifcant disability | £11,000 |
| Fractured Femur of one leg | A continuing signifcant disability | £4,600 |
Alternatively, if you’re looking to make a civil claim, please see our helpful compensation calculator to find out how much you could receive because settlements are calculated in a different manner.
What Special Expenses Could Compensation Payout For?
A compensation payout could cover special expenses such as care costs and the costs of specialist equipment. In essence, the award of special expenses will compensate you for specific monetary losses you may have suffered as a result of your injuries. As such, please see the following examples of special expenses that could be included in vehicle used as a weapon claims:
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- The cost of criminal damage to property from the incident, such as broken glasses
- Home adaptation costs due to your injures. This may include hoists, chairlifts, ramps and new doors to accommodate wheelchairs.
- Specialist equipment required to cope with your injuries.
- Care costs relating to your bodily functions or the preparation of food.
Moreover, you could also claim for any lost earnings you may have suffered; to do this, you must fulfil the specific requirements.
To claim special expenses, these costs must be reasonable, necessary, directly related to the incident and not free elsewhere.
To discover more about special expenses, please feel free to get in touch with one of our friendly advisors today.
4.8 (466 reviews) No Win No Fee Vehicle Used As A Weapon Claims
Our team of advisors are here to help you through this time in your life. By answering your questions, providing helpful advice and assessing your case, we could help to put your mind at ease. You could also be connected with one of our No Win No Fee solicitors experienced in vehicle used as a weapon claims to help you. By operating under a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA), our solicitors will provide you with the following benefits:
- No solicitor service fees at the beginning of your case, as it progresses or in the event that your claim is unsuccessful.
- If your claim is a success, you will pay a success fee to your solicitor. This fee’s percentage is capped by law and will be subtracted from your compensation. Subsequently, you’ll always enjoy the bulk amount.
You could also enjoy the following on a No Win No Fee basis:
- Explanations of legal terminologies to provide you with a full understanding of the vehicle used as a weapon claims process.
- An assessment examining whether the CICA is the best route to claim, or whether you could make a civil claim instead.
- Help with signing key legal documents
- Assistance if you need to appeal your case to the CICA.
- Advice on gathering any additional items the CICA ask you to submit.
To learn more about the benefits of a Conditional Fee Agreement, please contact our advisory team today.
Contact Legal Expert’s Solicitors
To learn more about vehicle used as a weapon claims, please get in touch with our team at Legal Expert today:
- Contact us online by filling out our online form
- Call us on 0800 073 8804
- Use our free live chat feature
Learn More
To learn more about criminal injury claims, please see some of our other guides:
- Learn about who pays the costs for criminal injuries compensation claims
- Get help with acid attack victims claims
- See the following advice on murder cases claims
Additional external resources:
- See the following advice on what to do after an incident from the NHS
- Learn about how to get support as a victim of crime from Gov.UK
- Get support from the helpful charity Victim Support
Thank you for reading our useful guide on vehicle used as a weapon claims.
