Criminal injuries are caused when someone gets involved in a violent crime, and becomes a direct or an indirect victim.
Direct victims are those people towards whom the crime is primarily aimed at, while indirect victims are those who get affected by the crime in some way or the other - by either being physically or mentally injured.
Either ways, you suffer a lot.
The worst hit is the direct victim of the crime.
Not only do you get seriously injured, but you also undergo a deep emotional pain due to the humiliation pelted on you..
Thus, victims of crimes like robbery, home invasion, rapes and so on suffer for many months.
Other violent crimes, like terrorist attacks and so on tend to hurt several people at once, and cause severe destruction to both life and property.
Thus, not only do you get injured, but may even lose loved ones, and face a loss of valuable property.
Criminal Injury compensation While it is impossible to banish the pain of what you have gone through, you can receive some relief in the form of criminal injury compensation.
The CICA or the Criminal Injury Compensation Authority is a special board in the UK which ensures that victims of such violent crimes get some financial help so that they are at least able to take care of themselves financially.
If you get injured due to a violent crime anywhere in the UK, you can file criminal injury claims with them.
As long as your claims are justified, and you don't demand something ridiculous, you will definitely get the support and the help that you need.
Making criminal injury claims The CICA will assign an officer to investigate your case.
This officer will go over your case details, and then question various witnesses involved.
After studying every possible detail thoroughly, he or she will send his report and analysis to the head office.
They will view the report and then decide how much compensation you must receive.
You need not worry about these officers.
They are here to help you in case you have a genuine problem.
Tell them the plain facts as clearly as you remember them, and don't withhold any information, no matter what it is.
You must also use your own judgement, and then decide to file for claims.
With the help of criminal injury compensation claims, you can receive an amount that will help you take care of all the medical expenses you have had to bear.
You will also get compensated for any psychological treatment that you might have had to undergo, although this will be verified and cross checked with your doctor.
It will not be able to take away what happened, but at least you will not have to worry about the financial aspect.
You will be able to focus on moving on and starting a new life.