Our guide explains how you could claim using sexual abuse solicitors for London and what eligibility criteria you must meet to claim through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA). We highlight the benefits of using a sexual abuse claims solicitor when making a claim.
Claiming With The Help Of Sexual Abuse Solicitors For London
Additionally, we outline the basis of No Win No Fee agreements and how they can financially benefit you when working with a lawyer. We also detail the compensation amounts offered by the CICA from the tariff of injuries.
We explore the time limit that applies to these claims and the evidence you will be required to provide when claiming this way. Furthermore, we will address special expenses and when you could be entitled to them.
If you would like to know more about claiming for sexual abuse, please continue reading. If you have any queries about finding sexual abuse solicitors for your claim, please contact our team of advisors in the following ways:
- Call us on the number listed at the top of the page
- Contact us by completing our online form
- Use our live chat
Choose A Section
- How Can You Use Sexual Abuse Solicitors For London? – A Guide
- Why Use Criminal Injury Solicitors To Make A Claim?
- The Benefits Of Using Our Panel Of Sexual Abuse Solicitors For London
- When Are You Eligible To Seek Compensation Through The CICA?
- What Do You Need To Seek Criminal Injuries Compensation?
- Compensation From The CICA – What Could You Receive?
- Learn More About Working With Sexual Abuse Solicitors For London
How Can You Use Sexual Abuse Solicitors For London? – A Guide
This guide details how you can use sexual abuse solicitors for London to help you with your claim. Many different sexual offences are defined under the Sexual Offences Act 2003. This includes child sexual abuse, rape, and sexual assault.
Sexual abuse can cause insomnia, panic attacks, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. You could be eligible to claim for these if you meet the criteria required, but this depends on how you choose to claim. Sexual abuse can be claimed directly against the perpetrator, against a vicariously liable third party, or through the CICA.
The CICA is an agency that receives funding from the government and can award compensation to those harmed by violent crime. Further in this guide, we’ll look at the eligibility criteria that apply to claims of this nature.
Hiring a solicitor is not necessary to claim compensation. However, you may find it beneficial to work with one, as claiming alone can be daunting to someone without legal experience.
Why Use Criminal Injury Solicitors To Make A Claim?
You may want to use the services of sexual abuse solicitors. Solicitors are able to:
- Provide you with updates on your claim
- Offer you a realistic timescale
- Help you gather evidence
- Give you an indication of what you may be entitled to receive
- Use their expertise to build and present your case
Do I Need To Use Sexual Abuse Solicitors In London?
When sourcing sexual abuse solicitors for London, it is important to keep in mind that hiring a solicitor who is suited to your claim will be more useful to you than one that is just geographically convenient. You don’t need to restrict yourself to lawyers in your local area, as you could be able to communicate with your legal representative from anywhere in the country.
The Benefits Of Using Our Panel Of Sexual Abuse Solicitors For London
When looking for sexual abuse solicitors for London, working with a solicitor on a No Win No Fee basis can be financially beneficial.
A popular type of this is a Conditional Fee Agreement. With this kind of agreement, you won’t be required to pay for your solicitor’s services if your claim is unsuccessful.
If your claim is successful, your solicitor will take a success fee. This is a deduction of the compensation you are awarded. The Conditional Fee Agreements Order 2013 legally caps the percentage solicitors can take.
To learn more about hiring sexual abuse solicitors on a No Win No Fee basis, please contact our team. We can provide free legal advice and answer any questions you may have.
When Are You Eligible To Seek Compensation Through The CICA?
The CICA is a government-sponsored organisation that administers a compensation scheme for victims of violent crime in England, Scotland or Wales. You must meet eligibility requirements to make a claim in this way.
The criteria are as follows:
- You reported the incident to the police.
- You adhered to the time limit.
- It happened in England, Scotland, Wales, or a relevant place, such as an aircraft or ship registered to one of the countries.
- You have been harmed in a crime of violence.
A crime of violence can be an attack, an act, or an omission that is of a violent nature and causes harm. Sexual assault is included in the CICA’s definition of a crime of violence.
In some cases, you could claim for harm caused by a violent crime in another way. For example, if you experienced sexual assault at work or sexual abuse in a school, and this was caused by negligence, you could claim against the vicariously liable party.
You could also claim against the perpetrator in some cases. For example, you could be abused by your husband; if he has the funds to pay you compensation, you could claim against him directly.
For more information about seeking compensation through the CICA, please contact us.
Is There A Claim Time Limit Through The CICA?
When claiming through the CICA, you generally have two years in which to start proceedings. This begins from the date you report the incident to the police. There are exceptions to this time limit.
For example, if a person was under eighteen at the time of the incident and it was reported, but no claim was started, they have two years from their eighteenth birthday to claim.
In the circumstance that it was not reported to the police, they will have two years from the date of reporting it to the police to claim; the reporting should be done as soon as possible.
You may be able to claim outside of this time limit; however, you should be able to show that exceptional circumstances prevented you from doing so.
What Do You Need To Seek Criminal Injuries Compensation?
When claiming through the CICA, you’ll be expected to provide the following:
- Your police reference number to show that you reported the incident to the police
- Proof that you meet the residency requirements
- Medical evidence
The CICA can liaise with the police if they require more information about your incident; for example, they can confirm whether you cooperated with the police in their investigations. If you are claiming in a different way, perhaps against a vicariously liable third party, the evidence you will need to provide will vary.
For more information about the evidence for a claim, please contact us. You could be connected with one of the sexual abuse solicitors for London from our panel.
Compensation From The CICA – What Could You Receive?
When claiming through the CICA, you may be interested in the payout you could receive. The Tariff of Injuries provided by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012 offers set amounts of compensation that correspond with different injuries, as shown in the table below.
The scheme allows for a maximum of three injuries to be compensated for from the main tariff. This tariff is an alternative to using a CICA claim calculator.
You can claim for multiple injuries, but these are subject to a formula. You will recieve:
- 100% of the compensation for your highest-valued injury.
- 30% for your second-highest valued injury or injury with an equal value.
- 15% for your third-highest valued injury or injury with an equal value.
| Injury | Notes | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Sexual Assault | Resulting in a severe permanently disabling mental illness confirmed by a psychiatric prognosis. | £27,000 |
| Resulting in a moderate permanently disabling mental illness confirmed by a psychiatric prognosis. | £22,000 | |
| Resulting in serious internal bodily injuries. | £22,000 | |
| Severe non-penile penetrative or oral-genital act. | £3,300 | |
| Serious non-penetrative sexual physical act under clothing. | £2,000 | |
| Minor non-penetrative sexual physical act over clothing. | £1,000 | |
| Non-consensual penile penetration of vagina and/or anus and/or mouth | By two or more attackers. | £13,500 |
| By one attacker. | £11,000 | |
| Infection | With HIV, Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C. Permanent disability. | £11,000 |
| With HIV, Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C. Substantial recovery. | £5,500 |
Additional payments can be made for pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections, and the loss of a foetus that occurred because of the violent crime. These come from an additional tariff and so won’t be subject to the formula above.
Special Expenses In A Criminal Injuries Compensation Claim
Special expenses can cover things such as:
- Any equipment that you relied on as a physical aid which was damaged in the incident.
- The costs of medical treatment from the NHS or another health service where the costs would have been the same had it been NHS treatment.
- Home adaptations and specially adapted equipment you now need due to your injuries.
Additionally, you may be able to claim for a loss of earnings in your claim. To find out more about claiming for special expenses, speak with a member of our team today.
Contact Us For Free To See If You Can Receive Compensation From The CICA
To find out more information about claiming with the help of sexual abuse solicitors for London, please don’t hesitate to contact us for further advice:
- Call us on the number listed at the top of the page
- Contact us through our online form
- Use our live chat feature to discuss your queries with an advisor
Learn More About Working With Sexual Abuse Solicitors For London
Thank you for reading our guide on claiming with the help of sexual abuse solicitors in London. If you found our guide useful, you can find more of our information below:
For more information, please visit the external sites linked:
- Help After Rape and Sexual Assault – NHS
- Rape Crisis – Charity Help and Information
- Depression, Anxiety, and Mental Health – National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children
If you have any more questions about using sexual abuse solicitors for London, speak with our team.
Writer Emily Marley
Publisher Fern Scrimshaw
