What Is The Maximum Award From The CICA?
By Stephen Hudson. Last Updated 8th November 2023. Were you injured as a blameless victim of violent crime? Did you know you could claim compensation from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) if you have suffered such injuries and that you could also claim compensation for associated expenses too? Here at Legal Expert, we can offer advice or even potentially provide a solicitor to get the maximum payout for criminal injuries compensation that you’re entitled to.
This CICA maximum damages guide offers insight into such claims, answering questions such as “How much do CICA pay out as a maximum?”, “What could reduce my compensation payout?” and “Could I claim on behalf of someone else?” We also offer some information about CICA criminal compensation payouts for specific injuries and when a CICA award may cover expenses.
If you would like to benefit from free advice on making a claim or would like some help with starting a claim, you can reach our expert advisors on 0800 073 8804.
Select A Section
- What Are The Maximum And Minimum Tariffs Under The CICA?
- Maximum Compensation For Bereavement Under The CICA
- Examples Of CICA Payouts
- Compensation For Special Expenses Awarded Under The CICA
- Criminal Injuries Compensation Claim – Loss Of Earnings
- CICA Claims – Eligibility For A Criminal Injuries Claim
- What Evidence Can Support CICA Claims?
- No Win No Fee Criminal Injuries Compensation
- Essential References
What Are The Maximum And Minimum Tariffs Under The CICA?
As well as looking at the maximum award that could be recovered from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority, you may wish to know that there is also a minimum amount that could be claimed.
The minimum CICA award is £1,000. For cases below this, the Hardship Fund may be accessed.
In terms of the maximum award, according to the CICA, this is said to be £250,000, based on the tariff of injuries, with an upper limit of £500,000.
Maximum Compensation For Bereavement Under The CICA
You could receive a payment for bereavement if you have lost a civil partner, spouse, or another qualifying relative.
The maximum CICA award for bereavement is £11,000. However, if a claims officer can be satisfied that there is more than one party eligible for such a payment, then the payout amount would be £5,500. In addition to this, a payment could be made to help with funeral expenses. This would, in most cases, be £2,500. However, a payment could be increased by up to another £2,500 should higher expenses be considered reasonable.
If you are a dependent of the deceased party, financially or physically, you may qualify for a dependency payment, which would be made in a lump sum payout at the rate of statutory sick pay, divided into equal portions for each qualifying party.
Examples Of CICA Payouts
When making a claim through the CICA, compensation could be awarded to you for the mental and physical injuries you suffered in the incident.
Below we have provided some examples of CICA payouts for various injuries following a successful claim. The compensation figures we have listed in the following table have been taken from the Tariff of Injuries that is set out in the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012.
| Injury | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Major Paralysis – Not due to brain damage | £250,000 | Quadraplegia that is substantially complete to both lower and upper limb levels |
| Major Paralysis – Not due to brain damage | £175,000 | Paraplegia that is substantially complete. |
| Major Paralysis – Not due to brain damage | £110,000 | Hemiplegia (Sensory or motor function impairment) that is severe |
| Very Serious Brain Injury | £175,000 | A significant effect of the senses with severe physical limitation. |
| Loss of Sight | £110,000 | A complete loss of sight in both eyes. |
| Arm | £110,000 | Loss of both arms. |
| Arm | £82,000 | Both arms are paralysed. |
| Leg | £110,000 | Loss of both legs. |
| Kidney | £55,000 | Loss of or serious permanent damage to both kidneys. |
| Tongue | £44,000 | Loss of tongue. |
It is important to note that you can make a claim for up to three injuries. If your claim is successful, you will receive 100% of the compensation for the highest-valued injury. You will then receive 30% for the second highest and 15% for the third. Additionally, as we have previously stated, you could make a claim for loss of earnings and special expenses.
Call one of our advisors today for more information about making a criminal injuries claim through the CICA.
Compensation For Special Expenses Awarded Under The CICA
If you are wondering what the maximum criminal injuries compensation that could be appropriate for your case would be, it could be important to consider what special expenses you could claim for. As well as claiming from the CICA for psychological injury and physical injury, you may also be able to claim for some financial expenses that you have incurred because of the criminal injuries you’ve suffered. These could include:
- Earning losses – If you have lost out on income because you haven’t been able to work due to your injuries, you may be able to claim compensation for this. We have provided more detail on the loss of earnings awards in a separate section of this guide.
- Physical aids – The maximum CICA award you receive could include compensation for a physical aid if your injuries meant you needed one. However, you would not be able to claim this if the NHS could provide it for free.
- Property damage – If any of your property was damaged during the criminal act that caused your injuries, the cost of replacing the property might also be compensated for.
- Adaptations to the home – If your injuries meant that you needed adaptations to continue living in your home after the injury, the costs for these adaptations could be compensated for within a CICA claim.
- Care costs – It may also be possible for you to claim care required to help with around the home, such as cooking and cleaning. You would only be able to include such costs within your claim if you could not get it free of charge from another source.
Other special expenses could include the costs for the appointment of someone to manage the affairs of someone who was mentally incapacitated or costs associated with setting up a trust.
It is vital to understand that any special expenses could only be claimed if they were proved to be reasonable, were incurred as a direct result of criminal injuries, and if you could not get these costs covered in any other way, such as through the local authority, NHS, or the benefits system.
Additionally, it’s imperative to keep proof of any costs or losses associated with your claim to claim the maximum CICA award for your claim. Receipts, payslips, bank statements and bills should be kept to one side so that they could be provided to your solicitor when required as part of your claim.
Criminal Injuries Compensation Claim – Loss Of Earnings
Your claim for compensation for a criminal injury can include a claim for a loss of earnings caused by your injury. There are stipulations though in that:
- You will only be able to claim if your injury had left you unable to work for more than 28 weeks. Compensation will only be paid from the 29th week
- You would have to provide proof of current employment, or proof that you were employed at the time of the incident. Otherwise, the CICA scheme will not consider future loss of earnings in the compensation they award
A solicitor could help you with a criminal injuries compensation claim. For other questions you may have regarding how to claim for criminal injuries compensation, please reach out to one of our advisers.
CICA Claims – Eligibility For A Criminal Injuries Claim
When making a criminal injuries claim through the CICA, compensation could be awarded to you for your physical and mental injuries. However, there are certain criteria that you must meet to be able to make a claim through the CICA. These are:
- You must make your claim within the relevant time limits. The time limit is generally two years and runs from when you reported the incident to the police. You are usually expected to do this as soon as possible after the incident. However, exceptions could be made if you can prove that extenuating circumstances stopped you from making a claim within this time.
- The incident must have occurred in England, Wales, Scotland, or other relevant place, such as a ship registered to one of these countries.
- Your injury must be a result of a crime of violence. The CICA defines a crime of violence as a threat of attack, arson, an act or omission of a violent nature, an attack, or sexual abuse/assault.
Contact one of our advisors today if you have any questions about CICA claims for criminal injuries.
What Evidence Can Support CICA Claims?
In order to claim CICA compensation for criminal injuries, you will need certain evidence to support your case. When making a claim, you may be asked to provide the following evidence:
- A crime reference number. This is a requirement for all CICA claims as it confirms that you have reported the crime that injured you to the police.
- Proof that you meet the residency requirements to claim for criminal injuries.
- The CICA may also request you provide medical evidence that confirms you’ve sustained the criminal injuries you’re claiming for.
If you contact our advisors about your potential claim, they may connect you with one of our solicitors who can assist with gathering the evidence you need. Contact our advisors online or on the phone today to learn more about gathering evidence for a CICA claim.
No Win No Fee Criminal Injuries Compensation
Are you seeking a CICA PTSD payout? Ahead of making a criminal injury claim, it’s worth considering the benefits of working with a No Win No Fee solicitor. They’ll offer the typical benefits of a solicitor, such as offering expert knowledge and helping you gather evidence.
Additionally, they could offer you a No Win No Fee arrangement known as a Conditional Fee Agreement, you usually won’t have to pay your solicitor a fee for their work upfront or whilst your claim is ongoing. Similarly, you won’t pay a fee for their work if your claim fails.
Instead, if your criminal injuries compensation claim does succeed, your solicitor takes a percentage from your settlement as their success fee. Under the Conditional Fee Agreements Order 2013, the amount they can take is limited by law.
If you would like to work with a criminal injury solicitor under a No Win No Fee agreement, contact our advisors. They can offer a free consultation, and if your claim is valid, may connect you with one of our solicitors.
To arrange your consultation, here’s how to get in touch:
- Call our free 24/7 support line on 0800 073 8804
- Use the live chat feature
- Request a free call back using our online claim form
Essential References
Government Guide To CICA – This is the government guide to claiming for criminal injuries.
CICA Tariff – You can read more about the compensation award achievable for certain injuries within this CICA tariff.
The CICA Annual Accounts – Here, you can see the accounts for the CICA for 2018/19
CICA Awards – Further Guidance – This guide goes into detail about making civil claims for criminal injuries compensation for the likes of a brain injury.
Sexual Abuse Claims – For advice on making claims for sexual assault and/or sexual abuse, why not look at our informative guide. This includes how the CICA operate with the police to help your situation.
How Much Compensation Can I Get For Assault? – This guide covers how much compensation could be achievable in an assault claim.
Further Helpful Guidance
- Criminal Injury Guide
- Calculate Your CICA Criminal Injury Award
- Criminal Injury Claims
- Can You Claim Criminal Injuries Compensation If You Have A Criminal Record?
- Compensation For Robbery Victims Claims
We hope you now have a better understanding on what it takes to claim the maximum criminal injuries compensation available. If you have any questions about claiming from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority, feel free to contact our advisors online or by phone.
