Compensation For Murder Victims Families Partner Or Relative 2021 Update
By Edward Robinson. Last Updated 26th February 2021. Welcome to our guide to murder compensation claims. Losing a loved one is devastating. But it becomes all the more devastating when they have been the victim of murder or manslaughter. This is something that no family should have to accept. While we cannot turn back time and change what has happened, we can help you to get compensation for a murdered parent or loved one. We have many years of experience in securing compensation for the families of murder victims. This includes compensation for the pain and suffering your loved one went through. Plus, it also includes payouts to cover loss of benefits, emotional suffering, and any other expenses associated with the unlawful killing of your partner or relative.
Such cases can be a bit more complicated, as you will usually be launching the claim to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority, as opposed to the person who killed your family member. This is why you need a personal injury firm that has an extensive amount of experience in such cases. Luckily, you don’t need to search far. Our team have undergone rigorous training and have the expertise required. Read on for more information on securing compensation for a murdered relative or partner.
Alternatively, get in touch with our specialist advisers in the following ways:
- Calling us on 0800 073 8804
- Writing to us about your case by clicking here
- Or chat with us now using our live chat
Select a Section
- A guide to murder claims.
- What is murder?
- Murder statistics in the UK.
- What is the Criminal Injuries Compensation Act 1995?
- What to do if a partner or family member has been murdered.
- How to begin a murder compensation claim.
- What can be claimed for following the murder of a partner or family member?
- How long do I have to make a claim when a loved one has been murdered?
- How much compensation will I get after the murder of a partner or family member?
- No Win No Fee murder claims.
- Why choose us as your claims service for a murder claim?
- Call for free advice and to start a claim.
A guide to murder claims
If you want to make a compensation claim on the behalf of a murder victim, you may be feeling a bit overwhelmed by all of the information on the Internet. It can be difficult to know where to start. That is why we have put this guide together, condensing all of the information in an easy to understand manner. If you have any queries, all you need to do is give us a call and we will be happy to explain further. But, first, what will you find in this guide? Well, we will explain everything from starting such a claim, to the time limits in place for securing murder compensation, as well as the various damages you will be able to claim for.
What is murder?
Murder is the unlawful premeditated killing of one human being by another. Manslaughter is a term used to describe the killing of one human being by another when there is no malice aforethought. Manslaughter can also be used to describe killings whereby ‘circumstances do not amount to murder.’ The most important factor with manslaughter is that there would have been no intention to kill. We can help you to claim compensation for manslaughter and murder.
Murder statistics in the UK
The statistics regarding murder in the UK make grime reading. The most recent Office of National Statistics figures reveal that crime rise is the biggest it has been in a decade. These statistics are for the 12-month period proceeding March 2017. They show that there were 723 homicides, which represents a 26 per cent rise. It is worth noting that these figures include the 96 Hillsborough manslaughter cases from 1989. The murder rate had previously increased at a rate of 11 per cent in 2015, with 573 homicides taking place. The acceleration of such crimes is worrying to say the least. If someone you love has had their life taken from them unlawfully, it is important to seek compensation on their behalf.
What is the Criminal Injuries Compensation Act 1995?
The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) is part of the UK Government. It is an executive agency, which administers compensation to those that have been the victim of violent crime in England, Wales, and Scotland. In Scotland, the Justice Directorate fund the CICA. In England and Wales, the Ministry of Justice funds it. At the time of writing, Carole Oatway is the current Chief Executive. The CICA was set up in 2006, and the Criminal Injuries Compensation Act 1995 is an important part of this.
The Criminal Injuries Compensation Act 1995 was designed to provide the establishment of a scheme of compensation for criminal injuries. It outlines everything you need to know regarding how the CICA administers compensation to victims. You can view the act in full here. The act outlines the basis on which compensation is calculated, claims and awards, reviews, appeals, reports, accounts, financial records, and much more.
What to do if a partner or family member has been murdered
If someone you love has been murdered, it is important to take the necessary steps to get compensation on their behalf. Not only does this relate to compensation for the pain and suffering your partner or family member went through, but it also relates to compensation for the loss you have experienced. Make sure you gather any necessary evidence. This includes crime reports, making notes of what happened, photographs (if applicable), and witness contact numbers. In most cases, the police will have a lot of evidence on file, which can be used.
How to begin a murder compensation claim
Making a claim for murder compensation is easy when you work with us. All you need to do is give our friendly team a call, and we will be with you every step of the way. We will explain the claim process and we will handle everything in the most efficient manner.
murder compensation claims
We always begin every claim with a free consultancy session. This gives you the chance to ask any questions you have about making a claim. We will also ask you a number of questions about what happened. This is nothing to worry about. We don’t want you to have to relive what happened to your loved one, but it is important that we know all of the facts so that we can advise you in the best possible manner. You can rest assured that we always operate to the highest levels of confidentiality.
You will also be pleased to know that all of our in-house solicitors work on a No Win No Fee basis. This means that you are not going to have to pay any legal fees if we are unsuccessful in our quest to secure compensation. This gives you complete monetary protection. You can find out more about our No Win No Fee approach towards the end of the guide.
What can be claimed for following the murder of a partner or family member?
If someone you love has been murdered, you can claim for the following:
- Bereavement award – This award is designed to compensate families of the murdered victim for their suffering and pain.
- Funeral expenses
- Medical expenses – This covers any medical expenses that the victim incurred before they died.
- Punitive damages
- General damages – This covers the suffering and pain your loved one experience, as well as loss of family income.
- Loss of benefits – This includes the likes of pension payments and disability payments due to the death of a loved one.
- Loss of future earnings
- Mental suffering and emotional pain
- Long-term adverse effects – This covers the likes of loss of on-going protection and care, as well as loss of potential future inheritance.
To learn what else you can include within murder compensation claims, please get in touch.
How long do I have to make a claim when a loved one has been murdered?
In most cases, you will have two years from the date of the murder to make a personal injury claim. If you did not find out that your relative was murdered for a number of years due to the investigation being on-going, you will have two years from the date that the case was deemed a murder.
You may be wondering why you have two years instead of three years, as most personal injury claims have a time limit of three years. This is because you will be making a claim to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA). Criminal injury claims have a smaller time limit.
This is why it is important to get in touch with us as soon as possible. The sooner you start the claim process, the easier it will be. This is because the details will be fresh in your mind and it will be a lot easier to gather important evidence such as witness statements.
If your loved one was murdered more than two years ago, please do give us a call to see if you will still be able to make victims of a murder compensation claim. In some circumstances, there are exceptions to the two-year limit, so please don’t rule it out until you have spoken to one of our experts.
How much compensation will I get after the murder of a partner or family member?
One question we often get asked is how much compensation for death of a family member will I receive? Of course, it is understandable that you would want to know this. Unfortunately, however, it is simply impossible to provide you with an accurate figure. This is because all murder cases are different and there are so many variables involved. The last thing we would want to do is promise you ‘x’ amount of money and then fail to deliver. Any solicitor that promises you a specific payout amount is not being genuine. You may have even come across a victim support compensation calculator online. Again, this will only ever provide an estimate, so please do not place all of your hopes on the figure you are provided with.
We can still give you an idea regarding how much compensation you will get, though. Below, we have put together a table that displays the typical payout amounts for murder claims. If you cannot find the relevant payout in this table, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us for more information. We would be more than happy to advise you further on this.
| Reason for compensation | Typical payout | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Murder (One relative claiming) | £11,000 | If one person is claiming on behalf of the deceased crime victim, this is the payout they will usually receive. In most cases, this will be the partner of the deceased. |
| Murder (Numerous relatives claiming) | £5,500 per applicant | If more than one person is claiming compensation for the murder victim, the payment will be reduced to £5,500 per applicant. In most cases, this relates to when both parents and children claim. |
| Loss of companionship, protection, and care for family members | £2,000 – £100,000 | The compensation awarded depends on the level of loss experienced and the number of family members. There are instances whereby a higher awarded than the maximum stated is paid out. |
| Loss of anticipated earnings | £10,000 – £400,000 | If you expect to be off work in the future because of what has happened, you will be able to claim for loss of anticipated income. This is calculated based on what you currently earn as well as your future earning potential. There are instances whereby a higher awarded than the maximum stated is paid out. |
| Loss of benefits | £5,000 – £500,000 | This compensation is designed to cover any income you have already lost. There are instances whereby a higher awarded than the maximum stated is paid out. |
| Pain and suffering | £1,000 – £200,000 | The level of suffering and pain the murder victim experienced will determine how much compensation is awarded. |
| Punitive damages | £1,000 – £275,000 | Depending on the complexity of the claim, there are instances whereby a higher awarded than the maximum stated is paid out. |
| Funeral costs | £3,000 – £10,000 | There are instances whereby a higher awarded than the maximum stated is paid out. |
| Mental anguish | £3,550 | Expectation of end of life and fear of death. |
For more precise estimates on the potential value of murder compensation claims, please speak to our advisers today on the number at the top of this page.
No Win No Fee murder claims
One of the key benefits of our service is the fact that all of our murder compensation claim solicitors work on a No Win No Fee basis. This means that your financial situation will not determine whether you are able to make a claim. A lot of people don’t make claims for compensation because they don’t feel that they have enough money for the legal process. This is something you do not need to worry about when you work with us. You won’t need to pay a large upfront sum. You also don’t need to panic about being in a position whereby you have huge legal bills to pay and no compensation to cover the cost. This will never happen because with the No Win No Fee structure you are only going to pay legal fees if your case is successful. If, for some reason, we do not secure compensation for you, you won’t need to pay us a penny.
There are many knock-on benefits associated with working with No Win No Fee solicitors. This includes the fact that you can have complete peace of mind that we will never waste your time and we will always put 100 per cent effort into your case. If we do not feel that your case is strong enough to secure compensation, we will tell you from the offset. We have nothing to gain by giving you false hope. On the other hand, solicitors who charge per-hour often take on cases with a slim chance of compensation in order to take their clients’ money. After all, whether the case wins or lose, they are still going to get paid at the end of the day. Our No Win No Fee service gives you the assurance that we are working hard for you. Remember, you won’t get a second chance to make a claim.
To learn more about No Win No Fee murder compensation claims, please speak to our specialist advisers.
Why choose us as your claims service for a murder claim?
We know how important it is to choose a claims service with care when you are seeking compensation for murder victims. Unlike a lot of other companies, whereby their main aim is to take your hard earned cash, our aim is always to secure the maximum amount of compensation for you. This is evident via our No Win No Fee approach. We genuinely care about getting justice for our clients. We can’t even begin to imagine what you are going through at the moment, but we will always be extremely respectful of your situation. Our customers are always at the centre of what we do, and this is one of the main reasons we have managed to build such an impeccable reputation in the industry.
We also have many years of experience, and all of our solicitors have undergone extensive training. We have handled thousands of personal injury victims to get the compensation they deserve over the years, and so you can be certain that we have the expertise that you are looking for. We are only ever a phone call away should you need us or have any questions about your case. Of course, we also respect that you are going through an awful time, and so we will never bombard you with calls or pester you unnecessarily. We always aim to secure compensation in the most efficient manner, causing as little inconvenience as possible.
Call for free advice and to start a claim
You’ve nearly completed our guide to murder compensation claims.
If you want to make a claim, or you have any queries, you can reach our team on 0800 073 8804. You will speak to one of our friendly and experienced advisors who will advise you on seeking compensation for murdered relative. They will answer any questions you may have, be it about the criminal injuries compensation authority tariff or your eligibility for a claim.
All of our advisors have received extensive training, and they handle every call with the utmost confidentiality. If you are ready to proceed with making a claim, they will then put you in touch with the best in-house No Win No Fee solicitor from our team based on the ins and outs of your case. This will ensure you have the best chance of getting the maximum amount of compensation that is available, which is always our main aim. Call us today to get started.
Helpful links
In this final section of our guide to murder compensation claims, we’ve included some other guides you may find useful.
This link takes you to the UK Government website, where you will find information on what to do when someone has died. This includes details on registering the death, arranging a funeral, and dealing with benefits and taxes.
Government advice on criminal injury compensation
For information on how to make a claim for criminal injury compensation, check out the link above. You will need to fill in an online form in order to apply for compensation if someone has been hurt due to a violent crime in the past two years. We advise you to get in touch us first before you go ahead and fill in this form.
This link takes you to the UK Government website for the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority. You will find out more information on what the CICA does, as well as their most recent publications.
If you need help and support regarding coping with bereavement, this link will be of assistance. It takes you to the NHS website where you will find information on everything from losing a baby to coping with grief when someone you care for passes away.
Advice on fatal accident/wrongful death compensation
Take a look at our guide on compensation claims for fatal accidents. You will find information on circumstances that can cause a wrongful death, what you can claim for, expenses that are incurred due to a death, claiming for funeral expenses, and much more.
Thank you for reading our guide to murder compensation claims.
