No win, no fee CICA reviews and appeals
You can be represented by a highly experienced criminal injuries lawyer at no upfront cost to you. Under our No Win No Fee agreement you only pay a pre-agreed percentage of the compensation awarded if your case is successful.
Appealing for higher CICA damages
Many victims of violent crime who submit their own claims for damages to the Government’s Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) are left disappointed by their claims being rejected, or by the amount of money they are offered.
However, there is an established process for criminal injuries compensation appeals, and at Hudgell Solicitors we have a track record of successfully representing clients in such circumstances.
Analysis by the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) showed that of 379 cases which reached appeal in 2022/23, offers increased from an average of £7,848 to an average of £47,339 – six times more per person.
If your application for CICA compensation has been rejected, or if you had been expecting to be offered more damages, it is worth speaking to our legal team today for advice as to whether it would be worth making an appeal.
Specialists in CICA damages appeals
At Hudgell Solicitors we have a dedicated team of criminal injury compensation lawyers who have years of experience in handling claims to the CICA, reviewing offers and appealing criminal injuries compensation decisions for higher damages.
Our team can take the hassle out of the appeals process, reviewing your initial submission and identifying areas where we feel additional evidence will help secure a better result.
We will ensure the CICA is fully informed not only about the impact the crime had on you physically and psychologically, but also the impact on your earnings, which all should be considered when calculating your case.
We are highly experienced in working with CICA to ensure you get the highest amount of compensation possible, so if you are unhappy with the offer made in your case, contact our team today.
90 days to make an appeal
If we feel you have grounds for an appeal, our team will make the strongest representation to the CICA – and ensure this is done within the 90-day deadline set by the Authority.
Details need to be provided as to why an appeal is being made. Given our extensive experience in issuing appeals, our team will be able to advise you on what details are required.
It is important to provide any documents which support your case, for example, medical records or evidence of loss of earnings
We may also be able to request an extension to the 90-day limit for appeals, particularly if we are in the process of seeking medical reports, or police reports, on your behalf to support your case.
Examples of appeals resulting in higher damages
Cases in which we have been successful for our clients include securing a client £138,000 CICA compensation after she’d been initially offered just £6,600 in relation to the sexual abuse she suffered as a child.
In another case, our CICA appeals team secured a damages settlement more than 10 times higher than the amount initially offered to a man who suffered years of abuse as a child in a London children’s home.
Our team was also able to persuade the CICA to reopen a case on medical grounds for a man who had been awarded just £1,250 after being stabbed outside his home, as psychological injuries related to the attack were still impacting significantly on his life a decade later. He was eventually awarded £246,000 compensation.
Government scheme awards £99,500 damages to man in relation to abuse at North Devon boarding school in 1980s
A man who alleged he was repeatedly sexually and physically assaulted as a child at a former North Devon boarding school four decades ago has been awarded almost £100,000 in damages by a Government scheme. The man, now 56, of Brighton, has been awarded the compensation settlement by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA), a […]
CICA compensation for childhood abuse increased to £22,000 after Hudgell Solicitors’ review
A woman who suffered childhood abuse says she wished she’d sought legal advice earlier after finally being awarded “meaningful” criminal injuries compensation. The woman was sexually abused by a “trusted” neighbour at the age of 10 and after reporting it to police later in life an investigation was launched. Despite a three-year inquiry, her abuser […]
Woman who was viciously beaten is awarded £48,000 damages – but only after lawyers appealed Government’s initial £1,800 offer
A woman who suffered extensive injuries after being viciously attacked has been awarded £48,000 damages by a Government scheme to compensate victims of violent crime – but only after lawyers stepped in to challenge an initial offer of just £1,800. The victim was left with a split palate and a fractured jaw and has suffered […]
Woman awarded £59,000 increase in damages from Government after case linked to sexual abuse suffered as a child reopened on medical grounds
A woman who was awarded £16,500 compensation as a child for being a victim of sexual abuse has now been awarded a further £59,000 by the Government after her case was reopened as an adult. Her case was reconsidered by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) after lawyers acting on her behalf appealed for a […]
Damages of £246,000 secured for man stabbed 12 years ago after ‘medical reopening’ of criminal injuries claim
A man who has struggled through the past 12 years of his life suffering from the psychological impact of being stabbed outside of his home has received £246,000 in damages after his criminal injuries case was reopened. The man, now 30, of Peckham, London, had been awarded just £1,250 in damages back in 2011 after […]
£129,600 damages secured for victim of brutal attack after initial £1,500 offer from Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority
A man has been awarded £129,600 in damages by a Government scheme which supports blameless victims of violent crime – finally compensating him for the physical and ongoing mental injuries suffered when attacked by three men in his own home eight years ago. The man, who was 22 at the time, was left with a […]
How to make CICA reviews & appeals
Make a review/appeal in six easy steps
Free Initial Advice
Request a review of your CICA submission. Where possible, we can take over conduct of your application if we believe it has a reasonable prospects.
Funding
We will help you to decide how best to fund your claim. Usually, we will be able to offer you a No-win, No-fee agreement.
Submit Representative Form to the CICA
We will gather details of your claim, notify the CICA that we have taken over conduct of the application, and establish the present position.
Obtain Medical Records & Medical Reports
Where necessary, we will request copies of updated medical records and gather evidence to support any loss of earnings claim.
Negotiate Settlement
The CICA will assess your review application. We will assess the CICA’s decision and either advise you to accept it, or provide advice as to the appeal process if we do not believe it is correct.
Appeal
We will lodge a Notice of Appeal on your behalf, make submissions on your behalf, gather any further evidence in support of the appeal and provide representation at the criminal injuries compensation appeals panel hearing.
Start your claim today
Feel free to give us a call or begin your claim online
Our client reviews
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FAQs
Is the CICA appeals process completely independent?
Yes, the tribunal service is not part of the CICA and is in fact an independent body which is responsible for ensuring that CICA decisions are fair, correct, and properly implemented the law.
What happens after I’ve appealed against the damages awarded to me by the CICA?
Once an appeal has been submitted the tribunal will send a copy of your appeal form to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA). CICA will usually respond to you and the tribunal within six weeks.
If the CICA disagrees with your appeal you will be given another month to submit further documentation and to respond to the points made by the CICA. You’ll then be given at least 14 days’ notice of any hearing.
How will the CICA appeal be considered and decided?
An appeal will either be decided by using the paperwork from the case, or by holding a hearing to hear evidence.
Should you be unhappy with a decision that the appeal will be considered on paperwork alone, a request can be made to the tribunal that the matter be considered at a physical hearing. The tribunal judge’s decision will be sent by post if your appeal is decided using paperwork.
Where will my CICA appeal hearing be held?
The hearings have traditionally been held in the area covered by the police force which investigated the crime, but the vast majority of appeal hearings are now held remotely, so it is most likely you’ll be able to attend from the comfort of your own home.
The hearing will be attended by two or three tribunal judges or members, a clerk, a representative from CICA, and any witnesses. A police officer who knows about your case may also attend if they can help the tribunal.
What evidence will I need to give at a CICA appeal hearing?
The appeal hearing will again consider the crime which was committed against you and the impact it has had upon you. Our legal team can advocate on your behalf at the appeal hearing, so you may just be required an answer a few questions from the panel about the crime and the injuries suffered.
Many of our clients ask our solicitors to advocate for them, especially in cases where they find it hard to discuss the offences committed against them, and how it has affected them.
Crucially, this is an opportunity for our experienced legal team to highlight why we feel the initial award was not significant enough, using supporting evidence, such as medical reports or details of subsequent loss of earnings, to establish our case. The panel will usually provide a decision on the day of the hearing.
Why choose Hudgell Solicitors to represent me with a CICA appeal?
Our team has a fantastic track record in appealing to the CICA in cases which have been both initially rejected, and in terms of securing higher damages offers.
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Information on how the CICA deals with historic abuse claims
We deal with a shocking and increasing amount of abuse cases at Hudgell Solicitors and yet I’m aware that many instances are not reported or disclosed until something comes to the surface that prompts a response such as the case with the recently reported historical football abuse claims. There are a number of differences between […]
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