Survey highlights the need for more help with CICA claims.
We offer help with CICA claims and are usually able to work on a No Win – No Fee basis. Contact our free CICA helpline on 0333 888 0446 or send us an email.
The government’s Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) scheme has been in the news recently with survivors of the Manchester Arena Terror Attack and the Fishmongers Hall Stabbings condemning the scheme and highlighting the need for more help with CICA claims.
Support network Survivors Against Terror conducted a survey which revealed that more than two thirds of terror attack survivors felt that the scheme was unfair and unreasonable, with over half saying they felt unable to speak to someone from the CICA for help and 60% saying it was not easy to submit the application and that information provided by the CICA was either unclear or difficult to understand. Of particular concern was that only 17% of survivors said that they felt treated with respect and empathy by the CICA.
Partner Elizabeth Duncan who deals with many CICA applications says she fully understands why survivors feel this way:
“The CICA is a difficult organisation to deal with. The application process is cumbersome, the scheme is complicated and tricky to navigate, it is difficult to get through to speak to someone and when you do they are often incredibly unhelpful. In addition there are no prescribed timescales for the CICA to do anything. This means that victims of crime can be left dangling for months or even years.”
Elizabeth provides help with CICA claims nationwide and has a particular experience assisting survivors of crime who have submitted their own application for compensation and received an unsatisfactory offer. Earlier this year she helped a client obtain an increase in their compensation from £22,000 to over £240,000.
She says, “As well as the cumbersome and slow nature of the scheme it often appears that the CICA fail to treat un-represented applicants fairly. A government scheme should be better than this.”
If you are struggling with your application and are looking for solicitors who offer help with CICA claims on a No Win, No Fee basis then contact our free CICA helpline on 0333 888 0446 or send us an email.