If you’ve been injured as the result of a criminal act perpetrated by someone else then you may be in a position to make a claim for compensation. Unlike with other personal injury claims, the compensation isn’t claimed from the other party themselves but is paid out by a body called the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA). This is a government funded body which was set up in order to ensure that anyone who has suffered in this manner is in a position to seek a fair amount of compensation. The presence of CICA removes the need for the other party to be able to fund compensation, or even for the party in question to actually have been arrested or charged.
When it comes to calculating the amount of compensation you’re likely to receive, there are several different factors to be borne in mind. The first of these is the nature of the injury itself. If it’s a physical injury then the amount will be decided using a formula which combines the area of the body affected with the severity of the injury sustained. In the case of a mental or psychological injury this severity will be determined by medical evidence detailing the on-going adverse effect on your ability to live your day to day life to the full.
Once the type and nature of your injuries has been decided, any other compensation will be based upon the financial effects of the injury. What this means in practice is that you will be reimbursed for any immediate out of pocket expenses such as travel costs or medical bills, whilst you’ll also be given an amount which takes any lost earnings into account, both now and, extrapolating, in the future. Getting this calculation just right, and thus ensuring that you get all of the compensation you deserve, will be simpler if you keep all receipts from any monies spent and give them to the personal injury lawyer building your case.
