How To Claim Compensation For Domestic Abuse

In this guide, we will explain when you could claim compensation for domestic abuse through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA). Furthermore, we will explain the specific criteria that must be met when making a claim through the CICA. We will also inform you of the evidence you will need for your claim.

Compensation for domestic abuse

A guide to claiming compensation for domestic abuse

Additionally, we will discuss the various benefits of making a claim with an experienced No Win No Fee solicitor from our panel and how their services could help you with claiming compensation.

If you would like to discuss your specific claim, you can contact one of our advisors. Our friendly team can offer you free legal advice and are available 24/7 to answer any questions you may have about criminal injury claims.

Contact an advisor today:

Select A Section

  1. How To Claim Compensation For Domestic Abuse
  2. How Is Domestic Abuse Defined In Law?
  3. What Evidence Is Needed To Prove A Domestic Abuse Compensation Claim?
  4. How Compensation For Domestic Abuse Is Calculated
  5. Claim Compensation For Domestic Abuse With Our Panel Of No Win No Fee Solicitors
  6. Find Out More About Criminal Injury Claims

How To Claim Compensation For Domestic Abuse

You could claim compensation for domestic abuse through the CICA, provided that certain criteria are met. The CICA handle claims being made for those injured in a crime of violence. This can involve claims being made for certain forms of domestic abuse.

However, to be able to make a claim through the CICA, you must meet specific criteria. These are:

  • You must have been injured in a crime of violence as defined by the CICA. Some examples of crimes of violence include sexual abuse, attacks or arson. 
  • The incident must have happened in England, Scotland, Wales, or another relevant place. The definition of “relevant place” could include places such as a ship registered to one of these countries.
  • You must have reported the incident to the police.
  • You must make your claim within the relevant time limit. In the section below, we will discuss what this time limit is.

Criminal Injury Claim Time Limits

When making a claim through the CICA for domestic abuse, you need to ensure that your claim is made within the relevant time limit. You will have 2 years to start your claim from the date you reported the incident to the police. You are expected to do this as soon as possible after the incident unless you can prove that you were unable to due to exceptional circumstances.

Exceptions can also be made to this time window. However, you will again need to prove that you were unable to start your claim within this time period due to exceptional circumstances.

Contact our advisors today to see whether you have enough time to claim compensation for domestic abuse. They could also inform you of the time limits for child claims and answer questions such as ‘how long will my criminal injury claim take?’

How Is Domestic Abuse Defined In Law?

Domestic abuse is a pattern of incidents where someone is controlling, threatening, coercing or degrading another person that they’re personally connected with, such as a family member or a partner. It also includes someone using physical or sexual violence against another person.

Some examples of situations that could be considered as domestic abuse include:

  • Physical or sexual abuse by an ex-partner.
  • A family member using threats, intimidation and emotional abuse against you.
  • A partner intentionally isolates you from your loved ones.

The CICA only compensate for crimes of violence. Certain forms of domestic abuse, such as coercion and financial abuse, are not considered crimes of violence and so the CICA would not be able to compensate for these.

Following domestic abuse, you could suffer from physical injuries and psychological effects, such as depression or post-traumatic stress disorder. Both of these kinds of injuries could be considered in a compensation award. 

Contact our advisors today to see whether you could claim compensation for domestic abuse. 

What Evidence Is Needed To Prove A Domestic Abuse Compensation Claim?

No matter what type of criminal injury claim you make through the CICA, you must provide the following evidence.

  1. A police reference number to demonstrate that you made a report of the incident. 
  2. Proof that you meet the residency requirements.
  3. Medical evidence about your injury.

It is important to note that when you are making a claim through the CICA, they will liaise with the police for information. For example, they could confirm if you have a criminal record that might affect your award, or see it being withheld entirely. 

Contact our advisors if you have any additional questions about the evidence you will need to be able to claim compensation through the CICA. 

How Compensation For Domestic Abuse Is Calculated

Following a successful claim made through the CICA, you should receive compensation for the injuries you suffered in the crime of violence. This includes both mental and physical injuries.

There’s no need to use a criminal injuries compensation calculator to help you gain a clear idea of how much you could potentially receive in compensation for domestic abuse. You could refer to the table we have created below. The amounts listed have been taken from the tariff of injuries that are set out in the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012. However, it might be beneficial to speak with an advisor directly, as they can give you a claim valuation that is based on your own circumstances.

Edit
Injury Notes Compensation
Foot The tarsal bone in both feet has been fractured, resulting in a significant disability. £13,500
Radius (forearm bone) The radius in both arms has been fractured and results in a continuing significant disability. £11,000
Domestic/Physical Abuse of an adult – Severe Over the course of 3+ years, there has been a persistent pattern of severe abuse. £8,200
Domestic/Physical Abuse of an adult – Severe The person suffers with a minor disfigurement due to a repetitive pattern of violence. £5,500
Domestic/Physical Abuse of an adult – Serious The person suffers with an accumulation of healed wounds, scalds and burns due to infrequent physical assaults. However, there is no appreciable disfigurement. £2,000
Skull A depressed skull fracture that requires an operation. £4,600
Shoulder One dislocated shoulder that results in a continuing significant disability. £3,500
Ankle One fractured or dislocated ankle that makes a substantial recovery. £2,400
Face A fractured jaw bone that requires an operation but makes a substantial recovery. £1,800
Knee One knee has been fractured but makes a substantial recovery. £1,000

Special Expenses

Additionally, you could receive compensation for special expenses as part of your claim. However, these expenses must have been necessary and directly caused by your injuries. They also cannot be available for free elsewhere.

Some examples of costs you could be compensated for under special expenses include:

  • Any equipment you relied on as a physical aid that was damaged in the incident, such as your hearing aids or glasses.
  • Adaptations to your home to cope with your injuries, such as a ramp or stairlift.
  • Equipment needed to cope with your injuries, such as a specially adapted car.
  • The cost of care related to your bodily functions or preparing food.
  • A loss of earnings.

Contact our advisors today if you have any further questions about claiming compensation for a criminal injury through the CICA. They could also inform you of the criteria you must meet to make a claim for a loss of earnings under special expenses.

Claim Compensation For Domestic Abuse With Our Panel Of No Win No Fee Solicitors

A solicitor from our panel could help you claim compensation for domestic abuse. They have experience dealing with various criminal injury claims; this includes claims for sexual abuse by a family member as well as other kinds of abuse.

If a solicitor from our panel agrees to take on your claim, they could offer to represent you with a type of No Win No Fee agreement known as a Conditional Fee Agreement. 

If you decide to make a claim with a solicitor under a No Win No Fee agreement, you are usually not expected to pay them anything for their services upfront or during the process of your claim. Additionally, if the claim is unsuccessful, you will not have to pay for their services.

Alternatively, if the claim is successful, you will pay them a success fee. This success fee will be taken from your compensation by your solicitor. The amount they can take is capped by law.

Contact one of our advisors today to discuss your claim. They could also connect you with one of the solicitors from our panel.

Contact Us

You can contact one of our friendly advisors if you still have any additional questions about claiming compensation for domestic abuse. Our team is here to help 24/7 and could answer your questions about criminal injury claims. They might be able to provide you with free legal advice about claiming and connect you with one of the solicitors from our panel.

Contact an advisor today:

Find Out More About Criminal Injury Claims

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Contact one of our advisors today if you have any questions about claiming compensation for domestic abuse.

Written by Robinson

Edited by Stocks