Victims’ criminal injuries pay-outs to be cut

The Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke yesterday announced plans to overhaul the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) Scheme, which awards compensation to blameless victims of crimes of violence.

The CICA pays out compensation based on 25 tariff bands, ranging from band 1, which will attract a payout of £1,000.00, to the most serious injuries in band 25, which attract an award of £250,000.00. Under the new proposals, the 5 lowest bands would be scrapped and victims of minor injuries would no longer be entitled to any compensation from the CICA. This would include people who had suffered bruised ribs, sprained ankles or broken toes as a result of a crime of violence. Additionally, payouts for injuries falling within bands 6 – 12 under the CICA tariff scheme would see the awards of compensation reduced, e.g. a victim who suffers a broken jaw would see their compensation award reduced from £8,200.00 to £6,200.00 under the proposals.

Those victims whose injuries attract compensation awards in the higher bands, from bands 13 – 25 will see their awards of compensation remaining unchanged. This will include victims of serious violence and sexual crimes and families bereaved by homicide.

By protecting the awards for victims of more serious crimes, Mr Clarke aims to ensure that the CICA Scheme focuses on awarding compensation for victims of more serous crimes. The aim is to make savings on CICA payouts, ultimately paid by the tax payer. Additionally, more focus will be placed on increasing the fines levied at criminals and such fines would go in to the victims surcharge, which funds victims support schemes. The governments aim is to raise an additional £50 million pounds from increased fines levied at convicted criminals to go into the victims surcharge scheme.

At Linder Myers LLP, we have vast experience in representing many clients who have been blameless victims of crimes of violence. Our experience in dealing with CICA claims enables us to properly advise clients on the merits of the application and to ensure that all the necessary evidence is gathered to maximise the potential award.

If you have been the unfortunate and blameless victim of a crime of violence and you wish to bring an application to the CICA then please do not hesitate to contact Mr Richard Lawson from our Personal Injury Department on 0844 984 6168.