CICA Assault at Work Claims

CICA Assault at Work Claims

If you are assaulted at work it can cause life-changing injuries – physical and psychological. The average person spends a significant part of their lives working. So an assault at work, either in the workplace or anywhere else you may be carrying out your role, can suddenly turn a previously routine aspect of life into one which is hateful and threatening.

If this has happened to you, you can take action. Truth Legal has helped many people to obtain the compensation they deserve after an assault at work.  We understand that it can feel like a big step, but claiming compensation can be a great help in taking back control of your life.

An assault at work generally allows for two different options when seeking compensation:

1. Claiming from your employer
2. Making a claim to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA)

Speak to one of our specialist personal injury solicitors if you would like to get started making a claim.

A note on your options

There is nothing to stop you from pursuing both a claim against your employer and a CICA assault at work claim if you wish. However, you will not be compensated twice for the same loss.

In other words, if you recover injury compensation from the CICA, and later receive compensation through a claim against your employer, you will have to repay the CICA the appropriate amount. Likewise, if these events happen in the opposite order, the CICA may withhold or reduce any compensation they award, depending on any payout you have already received from your personal injury claim.

Claiming from your employer

Employers are under a legal duty to keep their workers as safe as reasonably possible whilst working. If they have failed to do so, and you are injured as a result, you may be able to claim compensation from them.

Visit our page on Assault at Work Claims or more information about this option.

Making a CICA Assault at Work claim

It may be that your employer cannot be held responsible for your injuries, or you would prefer not to claim against them. Another option open to people who have been injured through an assault at work is to claim compensation from the CICA.

To make a claim to the CICA for an assault at work, you must have suffered a physical or psychological injury as a direct result of violent crime. This can also include some situations in which if you were injured whilst trying help the police or prevent a crime from happening.

For these purposes, ‘violent crime’ covers:

• Physical attacks
• Sexual assault
• Other violent behaviour which causes physical injury
• Threats which cause fear of immediate violence
• Arson

There are also some additional requirements to be able to claim. The main ones are:

• You must have reported the assault to the police as soon as you reasonably could.
• You must have co-operated with the police in bringing the attacker to justice, as far as reasonably possible.
• You must make your claim to the CICA within 2 years of the incident in which you suffered your injury.
• The incident took place in England, Scotland, or Wales.

However, the person committing the violent crime does not need to have been caught or prosecuted for you to be able to make a CICA claim.

For a more detailed look at the CICA claims procedure, read our blog: The CICA Claims Process – How Does It Work?

Claiming compensation for other losses

It is also possible to include other losses in your CICA claim. Your injuries are likely to be the main part of your claim, but the effect that those injuries (and the assault itself) have had on your life can lead to other expenses and financial harm.

A common example is if you have been unable to work for a time because of your injuries. In this situation, you may be able to claim compensation for the earnings you have lost (in addition to your injury compensation).

Other losses which you may be able to include in your CICA claim are:

• Future lost earnings (predicted to happen because of your assault or injuries).
• Some basic care fees.
• Physical aids damaged in the incident, such as glasses, walking sticks, and crutches.

If you are receiving any benefits, it is important you are aware that a compensation award may have implications for these benefits. Our blog, Will CICA Compensation Affect Your Benefits?, explains how this can happen and what you can do to avoid any problems.

No Win, No Fee CICA Assault at Work claims

If the thought of legal costs is holding you back, you don’t have to worry. Truth Legal can act for you under a No Win, No Fee Agreement, which normally means you will only pay our legal fees if we successfully recover compensation for you. This all but removes the risk of paying fees if your claim is unsuccessful. With a successful claim, some of your compensation will be used to pay our legal fees.

The full details of how No Win, No Fee Agreements work will always be made clear to you before you begin your claim, and we are happy to answer any questions about funding you may have.

Why Truth Legal?

At Truth Legal, we are specialists in personal injury claims, and our solicitors have extensive experience in conducting injury claims following an assault at work. We are committed to providing a high-quality legal service to all of our clients.

There is no requirement to instruct legal representatives when making a CICA claim. However, there are good reasons why you may want the assistance of our expert solicitors:

• Technical knowledge and skill – ensuring your claim is handled efficiently and correctly.
• Advice and representation – acting for you and protecting your legal rights throughout the claim.
• Support and compassion – handling the claim yourself could mean thinking of the assault more than you would wish. With Truth Legal acting for you instead, you gain some separation from the demands of the claim, whilst still claiming the compensation you deserve.

Contact Truth Legal today to start your claim or to find out where you stand.