Expert tips on how to make a criminal injuries claim

The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) is a government body that compensates victims of violent crime.

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The definition of what constitutes a violent crime is very wide and includes things such as physical or mental injuries and witnessing a crime happen to a loved one.

A CICA claim should be made within two years of the date the crime occurred. The CICA has a discretion to allow claims after this date however strong justification for the delay would be required. If a person was a child at the time the crime occurred and the incident was only reported to the police when they were an adult, the claim must be made within two years of the first report to the police.