How Long Does A CICA Claim Take?

If you were the victim of an assault or a violent crime and you experienced injuries as a result, you could seek compensation through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA). However, you may wonder, “If I’m claiming through CICA, how long does it take to settle?”. We aim to answer this, among other questions, about claiming through the CICA and how long the process takes.

Key Takeaways

• The CICA will aim to assess your claim within 12 months of submission
• Complex cases typically cause a CICA claim to be delayed due to the unavailability of evidence or ongoing medical treatment
• After accepting an offer from CICA, it may take up to 4 weeks to receive your compensation payment
• You can check the progress of your CICA claim yourself by calling their helpline
• One of the No Win No Fee solicitors on our panel could help gather evidence on your behalf and deal with CICA, ensuring that deadlines are met and legal documents are signed

At UK Law, our friendly team of advisors are here to help you achieve a sense of justice after a distressing experience. As part of the free services we offer, you could receive a case check that looks at the merits of your claim. If your case is strong, you could be connected with one of the expert No Win No Fee solicitors from our panel to start your criminal injury claim. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch:

• Call us on 020 3870 4868
• Contact us by filling out our online form
• Use our free live chat feature

Frequently Asked Questions

1. I Claimed Through The CICA, How Long Does It Take To Settle A Claim?
2. What Could Cause A CICA Claim To Be Delayed?
3. Am I Able To Check The Status Of My CICA Claim Progress?
4. How Long After Accepting A CICA Offer Will I Be Paid?
5. Will Working With A Solicitor Help The Efficiency Of My Claim?
6. Why Choose UK Law To Help With A CICA Claim?
7. Learn More

I Claimed Through The CICA, How Long Does It Take To Settle A Claim?

Whilst there is no set timescale for how long a CICA claim takes to settle, the following factors may influence the time it takes for compensation to be awarded:

• The severity of your injuries
• The extent of any medical treatment that you require, and whether you are still undergoing any treatments
• The time length of a police investigation
• How long it takes the CICA to sort through the submitted evidence and any correspondence they need to make with the police

However, the CICA aims to assess most applications within 12 months, with more complex cases potentially taking longer.

To learn more about the complex cases that can delay a claim, please keep reading our useful guide. To ask any questions about how to claim through CICA, please contact one of our advisors today.

What Could Cause A CICA Claim To Be Delayed?

There are many circumstances that could cause a CICA claim to be delayed; complex cases typically take longer than average due to the following:

• It may take longer to finalise that a payment can be made to reflect the severity of your injury
• If your medical treatment is ongoing
• The level of your recovery is unknown
• The unavailability of evidence

Furthermore, the CICA will need to gather any information they require about the incident from the police. This is why you need to report the incident to the police and provide the CICA with a crime reference number.

Other evidence you will need to present to the CICA to help with the progression of your claim includes:

• Proof that you meet the residency requirements
• Medical evidence that shows you suffered an injury that can be compensated for
• Evidence to support any special expenses or claim for loss of earnings

You may also need to confirm the following before your CICA claim commences:

• Confirmation from the police that your conduct did not contribute to the incident you experienced
• Confirmation that you cooperated with the police
• Any awareness of a criminal record to see any unspent criminal convictions you may hold

if you are still wondering, ‘I made a claim through the CICA, how long does it take to settle?’, you can contact our advisors.

Am I Able To Check The Status Of My CICA Claim Progress?

Yes, you can check the status of your CICA claim by using their contact page; the CICA can be reached using their helpline or via email. Whilst they will not acknowledge any correspondence received routinely, and will only contact you to obtain further evidence, you can call CICA directly for a case update.

Despite this, a solicitor from our panel can remove this hassle from your claim by managing its progression on your behalf. Namely, a solicitor can keep track of your CICA claim, ensuring that evidence deadlines are met and that the claim is progressing in a timely manner.

Please keep reading our useful guide to learn about the multiple benefits of making a CICA claim with a solicitor from our panel. For any further questions, please contact one of our friendly advisors today.

How Long After Accepting A CICA Offer Will I Be Paid?

You may be asking questions such as “If I make a claim with CICA, how long does it take to receive payment?” Following a formal acceptance of a CICA offer, you should typically receive the payment within 20 working days.

The payment will usually be made in a lump sum to yourself or your solicitor and will be made directly to yourself or your solicitor’s bank.

However, if a payment is being made for a minor who suffered criminal injuries (such as cases of child sexual abuse, for example),  the payment will remain in a deposit account that gains interest until their 18th birthday.

To learn more about how long it will take to receive a payment from the CICA and what could delay these payments, you can contact our advisors.

Will Working With A Solicitor Help The Efficiency Of My Claim?

Whilst you can make a CICA claim independently, we highly encourage that you instruct a solicitor to help the efficiency and ease of your claim. The specialist No Win No Fee solicitors from our panel have decades of experience in prioritising the health and well-being of clients who’ve suffered from criminal incidents, such as domestic abuse or an assault, for example.

Moreover, a solicitor can help the efficiency of your claim by:

• Using their legal knowledge to navigate the claiming process
• Accurately value your injuries and estimated compensation payout
• Contacting CICA on your behalf to check on your claim’s process
• Gathering the necessary evidence you need to provide to the CICA

If you have any questions, such as “If I make a claim through CICA, how long does it take for a solicitor to settle my claim?” Please contact one of our friendly advisors today.

Why Choose UK Law To Help With A CICA Claim?

At UK Law, our helpful group of advisors work around the clock to answer any questions you may have about making CICA claims. For instance, our advisors can help answer questions such as “How do I make a CICA claim?” and “If I make a claim with CICA, how long does it take?” After a free eligibility assessment, you could be connected with one of the experienced No Win No Fee solicitors from our panel to help you make your CICA claim. By operating under a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA), you could enjoy the following:

• No solicitor service fees at the start of your claim or as it progresses
• No solicitor fees to pay in the event that your claim is unsuccessful
• If your claim is successful, you’ll only be required to pay a small success fee for the work your solicitor has done. The success fee percentage is controlled by law and will be subtracted from your compensation. This means you’ll always receive the majority of your settlement.

At UK Law, you could also experience the following advantages with one of the No Win No Fee solicitors from our panel:

• Regular claim updates so you always know where it stands
• Arrangements of any physiotherapy to aid any ongoing injuries
• Arrangements of counselling sessions to address any ongoing psychological injuries
• Assistance with signing key legal documents
• Help with explaining any legal terminologies

To learn more about how CFAs could benefit your claim, please contact our advisory team today.

Get In Touch With Our Team Of Advisors

To start your criminal injury claim or to ask any questions about time limits, please get in touch with our friendly team today:

• Call us on 020 3870 4868
• Contact us by filling out our online form
• Use our free live chat feature

Learn More

To learn more about the otehr types of claims we could help with, please see our other guides:

• Get help with questions such as can I claim for historical abuse?
• Advice on claiming for accidents in the streets.
• See if you could claim as a cyclist hit by a car.

Additional external resources:

• Learn about the help and support offered by Victim Support
• See the following advice on claiming loss of earnings payments
• Get help for domestic violence from the NHS

We hope our guide has answered “If I make a claim through CICA, how long does it take to settle?”. Please contact us with any additional questions you may have.