Criminal Injury

GLP Solicitors provides experienced, compassionate legal support for victims of violent crime. With over 50 years of experience, we understand that making a claim can be daunting. We strip away the stress by handling the entire process on a strict No Win, No Fee basis. Our dedicated specialists guide you through the complex rules of the government scheme, ensure your medical evidence is ironclad, and fight to secure the maximum compensation tariff you deserve.

A criminal injury claim allows innocent victims of violent crime to seek state-funded compensation for the physical and psychological harm caused to them. Because the perpetrator may not have the money to pay damages personally, these claims are processed through a dedicated government department rather than a traditional civil court lawsuit against the individual.

The CICA is the executive government body responsible for administering the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme across England, Scotland, and Wales. It acts as the decision-maker and paymaster for claims, assessing every application against a strict, statutory tariff system to determine eligibility and award values.

Yes. During a free, confidential initial assessment, we will review your circumstances against the CICA’s complex statutory rules. We will evaluate key criteria, such as the nature of the incident, when it was reported to the police, your medical history, and any potential past convictions, to give you a transparent, honest appraisal of your claim’s chances of success.

Yes. You can successfully claim compensation even if the police were unable to identify, arrest, or charge the attacker. Your eligibility is based entirely on whether you were the innocent victim of a violent crime, not whether the police successfully apprehended the culprit.

Yes. A criminal conviction is not a requirement for a successful CICA award. While a criminal court must prove guilt “beyond a reasonable doubt,” the CICA evaluates cases on the civil standard of proof: the balance of probabilities (whether the incident more likely than not occurred as described). We routinely secure awards for clients where criminal prosecutions dropped or failed.

Yes. Your personal relationship with the perpetrator does not prevent you from seeking justice. You are legally entitled to claim regardless of whether the offender was a partner, ex-partner, family member, friend, neighbour, or total stranger.

Yes. The CICA scheme explicitly covers victims of domestic abuse. If you have suffered physical injuries, sustained psychological trauma, or experienced a repeated pattern of coercive and violent behaviour from a partner or family member, we can assist you in building a confidential, fully supported claim.

Yes. Compensation is available for survivors of sexual assault and sexual abuse. These claims can cover physical harm, deep-seated psychological trauma, or both. At GLP Solicitors, we understand the profound sensitivity surrounding these matters; your case will always be handled with the absolute highest level of discretion, care, and human compassion.

Yes. It is entirely possible to secure compensation for abuse that occurred many years, or even decades, ago. While the CICA enforces a strict 2-year deadline for typical applications, clear legal exemptions apply to historic childhood abuse or cases where severe trauma blocked you from reporting the events sooner.

The CICA tariff covers a broad spectrum of injuries resulting from crimes of violence. This includes physical injuries (such as broken bones, facial fractures, deep lacerations, and permanent scarring) as well as profound psychological harm. We will thoroughly review your medical files to ensure every single qualifying injury is listed on your application.

Yes. The CICA scheme recognises severe mental health conditions caused by violent crimes, including Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), clinical anxiety, and major depression. To qualify for a psychological award, the condition must be formally diagnosed by a qualified psychiatrist or clinical psychologist, a process our team will coordinate on your behalf.

The CICA operates a strict, non-negotiable statutory tariff system where specific injuries carry fixed compensation amounts starting from £1,000 up to a maximum cap of £500,000. If you sustained multiple injuries, a formula is applied (100% of the highest-valued injury, 30% of the second, and 15% of the third). We will evaluate your precise medical evidence to estimate where your claim sits on the tariff scale.

As a general rule, an application must be formally lodged with the CICA within two years of the date of the incident. However, this clock is paused for individuals who were under 18 at the time of the abuse, or where exceptional circumstances delayed the application. Because missing this window is fatal to a claim, we strongly recommend seeking our advice immediately.

Not necessarily. If your 2-year window has closed, the CICA retains the legal discretion to grant an extension if you can demonstrate:
-Exceptional circumstances prevented you from applying on time.
-The claim can be readily evaluated without extensive, delayed tracking (e.g., police and medical records are easily obtainable). We can help present a compelling argument to the CICA to request a time-limit waiver.

You are legally permitted to submit an application directly to the CICA yourself. However, the process is highly bureaucratic, and the CICA will not help you build your case. Having an expert GLP solicitor ensures your application forms are completed flawlessly, the correct medical and police evidence is aggressively pursued, and any unfair low offers or rejections are robustly challenged.

To clear the CICA’s strict assessment hurdles, you must provide:
-A valid 6-digit Police Crime Reference Number.
-Proof that you fully co-operated with the police investigation.
-Comprehensive medical records demonstrating that your injuries required clinical treatment or assessment.

Yes. Once you formally instruct us, our team handles the heavy lifting. We will actively coordinate with the relevant police forces, request and review your NHS GP or hospital records, and, where necessary, instruct independent medical experts to provide the definitive diagnostic reports required by the CICA.

No. The vast majority of CICA claims are managed and decided entirely on paper and digital evidence. There is no civil court trial, and you will not have to step into a courtroom to secure your settlement. The only time a hearing occurs is if we must formally appeal an unfair CICA decision before an independent tribunal.

Absolutely not. The CICA is an independent government fund; the offender is completely isolated from the compensation process. They are not notified of your financial claim, they do not pay the compensation, and you will never be required to meet, speak to, or face them at any stage.

The timeline depends heavily on the complexity of your injuries and how fast external authorities respond. On average, straightforward physical injury claims take between 6 to 12 months to resolve. Cases involving historic abuse, complex psychological diagnostics, or those requiring formal appeals can take 12 to 24 months (or longer), as a final decision cannot be made until your medical recovery path is completely clear.

When you first get in touch, a member of our specialist intake team will conduct a confidential, sensitive initial consultation to understand what happened. If we establish that your case meets the basic eligibility criteria, we will walk you through our No Win, No Fee agreement. Once signed, your case file is immediately transferred to a dedicated handler within our specialist criminal injury team to begin work.

To open your file and launch our investigation, we will initially need:
-Your full contact details and date of birth.
-The exact date and location of the incident.
-The Crime Reference Number and the name of the police station handling the report.
-The names of any hospitals or GPs where you received medical treatment.

Yes. Your claim will be assigned to a named specialist within our criminal injuries team. You will have a single, direct point of contact throughout your legal journey, meaning you will never have to explain your sensitive story twice to an anonymous call centre handler.

We adapt our communication to whatever suits you best. Whether you prefer regular updates via email, direct phone calls, or traditional letters, your dedicated handler will keep you informed at every major milestone, such as when police evidence is received, when medical reports are finalised, and when an official offer lands from the CICA.

Absolutely. You will be given your handler’s direct email address and direct telephone extension right at the start of your case. If you have a question about your medical appointments, need to update us on your treatment, or simply want a progress check, you can reach out to them directly.

It is completely standard for the CICA to request supplementary data during their review. If they request additional medical history, employment loss data, or police clarifications, the request comes directly to us. We will handle the gathering of that data and submit it to the CICA within their strict response windows so your case stays firmly on track.

If the CICA rejects your application, whether due to an alleged delay in reporting, a technical eligibility issue, or an unspent conviction, do not panic. A rejection is not necessarily the end of the road. We will carefully review the CICA’s written reasons, cross-reference them against the statutory scheme, and advise you honestly on whether we have strong grounds to challenge their decision.

Yes, we are specialists in CICA Appeals and Reviews. If the CICA issues an unfair rejection or offers an award that is far too low for your actual injuries, we can launch a formal “Review” application within their strict 56-day deadline. If that review is still unsatisfactory, we can escalate your case to an independent First-tier Tribunal, preparing the full legal bundle and representing you at the hearing to overturn the decision.

Getting started is simple, safe, and entirely confidential. You can speak to the GLP Solicitors team today by calling our freephone number on 0800 111 6370/01617641818/08001386061, emailing us at enquiries@glplaw.com, or filling out the quick enquiry form directly on our website. We will take it from there.