What is a CICA claim? For anyone looking to claim compensation as a victim of crime, it’s likely that they’ve heard the term ‘CICA’ being mentioned. But what exactly does it mean and could it help with receiving a settlement for a criminal injury? In an effort to help those who’ve been affected by criminal injuries, we explain what CICA means, how you can claim compensation through CICA and the potential settlement you may receive. What is CICA? CICA is an abbreviation of Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority. It is a taxpayer funded organisation controlled and operated by the UK government and sponsored by the Ministry of Justice. What does the CICA do? Originally set up in 1964 as the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board, it developed into CICA in 1996 and currently operates within the legislation of The Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012. The purpose of the CICA is to deal with compensation claims and pay settlements to victims of crimes that occured in … [Read more...]

How to claim criminal injuries compensation If you’re a victim of crime, the upset of the incident itself can be something that stays with you well into the future. But when you’ve been left physically, mentally or emotionally scarred by the crimes of others, it may also lead you to want to make a claim as a way of receiving compensation from the person at fault. If you’ve been a victim of crime and think you may be entitled to criminal injuries compensation, it can be difficult to know exactly where to start. In this blog, we explain how criminal injury compensation works before giving you all you need to know about making a claim. How does criminal injury compensation work? You may be wondering exactly what counts as a ‘criminal injury’ and how the process of claiming compensation works. When a crime occurs that results in an injury, an individual qualifies to make criminal injuries compensation if they themselves are injured, related to someone who died, saw the crime happen, … [Read more...]

How to claim compensation for medical negligence If you’ve experienced poor treatment, taken unsuitable professional medical advice or have undergone a surgical procedure that has led to pain, life limiting problems or further complications, you may be a victim of medical negligence. Although often rare, medical negligence is caused by incorrect decisions or a lack of care being provided by a healthcare professional, and in some cases, it could lead to major issues that could completely alter the lives of those affected. However, while more severe cases of medical negligence could cause irreversible pain and suffering, as well as potentially life-long injuries, you could consider making a claim against the people responsible as compensation. In this guide, we explain how you can claim for medical negligence, how much compensation you may be entitled to and how long the process could take. How to claim for medical negligence Before you claim for medical negligence, it’s important … [Read more...]

What happens to uninsured drivers in an accident? With around one million drivers operating a vehicle without a licence, an estimated four per cent of UK road users are uninsured. And despite 226,803 drivers in the UK carrying points on their licence for driving without insurance and uninsured drivers costing insurance companies an estimated £500 million per year, many people still choose to drive without insurance. While driving without insurance can sometimes go under the radar, when a road traffic accident occurs involving an uninsured driver, it can cause serious problems to all involved. In this blog, we look at the topic of uninsured drivers and how it can affect both the driver without insurance and the other driver. What happens to uninsured drivers involved in accidents? When a road traffic accident involving an uninsured driver occurs, the outcome will vary due to the uninsured driver not being suitably covered. As with any compensation claim, an important factor would … [Read more...]

How to claim for whiplash A common injury for many UK road users, whiplash accounts for an estimated 300,000 injuries per year, costing the economy around £3 billion. According to the Association of British Insurers (ABI), eight out of 10 personal injury claims from road traffic accidents are for whiplash. With so many victims of road traffic accidents and similar incidents experiencing symptoms of whiplash, it’s a condition that has become commonplace on UK roads and to professional injury lawyers. In this blog, we explain exactly what whiplash is before answering some key questions around it and offering advice on how to make a claim for whiplash compensation. What is a whiplash injury? Caused by a sudden, powerful movement of the head, whiplash is an injury where rapid motion leaves muscles in the neck strained and the ligaments and tendons stretched out or even torn. Although a common injury in road traffic accidents, incidents on other methods of transportation, slips, … [Read more...]

How much compensation can I get for a motorbike accident? Victims of road traffic accidents can be left physically, mentally and emotionally scarred, and the effect can impact their friends and family members as well as their ability to work, find future employment and live a normal life. The injuries sustained in any form of road traffic accident could be long-lasting or even permanent, but when it comes to motorbike accidents, increased vulnerability and lack of protection on UK roads can mean a heightened chance of danger and a more extreme level of damage to both the motorbike and the rider. If you’ve been involved in a motorcycle accident and believe you could be owed compensation, you will be interested to learn how much money you could be entitled to. In this blog, we explain how a motorcycle accident compensation settlement is calculated and look at some of the more common injuries for this type of incident. How much is my motorcycle accident worth? As with any … [Read more...]

What is the main cause of motorcycle accidents? Alongside pedestrians and cyclists, motorcycle riders are among the most vulnerable users of UK roads. Unfortunately, while motorcyclists only take up 1 per cent of the total amount of traffic on our roads, 18 per cent of deaths are attributed to this method of transportation. Every type of vehicle user risks the chance of being involved in a road traffic accident and, depending on the circumstances, the outcome can be severe to anyone involved. However, as motorcycles are smaller, less balanced on two wheels and lacking in the protective shell that cars, vans and other road vehicles have, the same level of damage caused to a motorcycle rider is likely to be far more devastating than the damage a car user could sustain. With a view to informing anyone involved in this type of incident, this blog explains the main causes behind motorcycle accidents and statistics around how frequently they happen in the UK. How likely is it to get … [Read more...]

How to claim after a bus accident Whether you use a bus service as part of your commute to work, ride into your local town at the weekend or even take regular coach tours or holidays each year, the least you expect is a safe and secure journey. However, as with other forms of mass and public transport, the risk of injury while riding a bus or coach can be high in the unfortunate event of a road traffic collision, sudden emergency stop or other accident. This is because these substantial vehicles carry a large number of typically unrestrained passengers - both seated and standing - and injuries can easily occur when these passengers are thrown around the bus or fall during a journey. More often than not, an injury to a passenger is caused by them not being properly restrained, leading to injuries as minor as cuts and bruises or as severe as bone fractures, whiplash and damage to the head, neck and spine. In this blog, we focus on public transport accidents, how bus passengers can … [Read more...]

When can you claim train compensation? With thousands of people travelling on busses, trains and taxis every day, public transport accidents are a common occurrence that affects passengers in high numbers. Trains and train stations are extremely busy places, and with masses of people moving around in close proximity, it’s no real surprise that accidents happen. If you’ve been the victim of a train accident and believe that it wasn’t your fault, you may be entitled to compensation. However, before making a claim, it’s important that you’re aware of what type of injuries qualify. In this blog, we look at train accidents, how they happen, when you’re entitled to claim and how you can go about making a claim. How do train accidents occur? Accidents on trains can be caused by a variety of different factors, with categories including derailments and collision with other trains, vehicles and pedestrians. In the case of derailments alone, the cause can be down to track failure, train … [Read more...]