There is often a time limit when making a CICA claim
The good news is you don’t have to make a CICA claim immediately after an assault; however The clock is ticking, there is a time limit for starting your claim.
Generally speaking, the limitation date for submitting an application to the CICA is two years from the date of the assault. In other types of personal injury claim, such as a road traffic accident or an accident at work, the time limit to bring a claim is 3 years, and therefore it is important to note that for a CICA claim, it is a year less.
Exceptions when making a claim for criminal injuries
There are situations where the two year time limit may be disregarded, but this will only be in “exceptional” circumstances. This could be:
- The circumstances of the injury meant that you could not reasonably have been expected to have made an application within two years of the incident, and
- It is still possible to investigate the claim.
The most usual circumstances where the time limit is not enforced are abuse claims. If you were abused as a child, the CICA appreciate that you may not have felt able to report the incident for some time after the abuse happened.
Whatever type of assault you’ve suffered, despite the above, and what might seem like a long time in which to make a CICA claim, it’s always advisable to start the process as soon as possible, if only so that the answers to any questions asked of you are still fresh in your mind.
Contact Victims of Violence Today
It is important to remember when making a claim that the clock is ticking. Take action today. Contact us today.