Can You Make A CICA Claim For Loss Of Vision And How Much Compensation Could You Receive?

If you have been the victim of a violent crime that caused you to lose your ability to see, you might be wondering if you are eligible to make a criminal injury compensation claim. You may also be suffering psychologically as you adjust to the drastic impact losing your vision can have on your life. Everyday tasks, your ability to drive or work and your hobbies will all have been changed forever. This guide will answer the question, ‘Can you make a CICA claim for loss of vision?’

We will cover all the aspects of making a criminal injury claim, including the eligibility requirements that need to be met, how long you have to do so and how your compensation will be valued.

Our panel of No Win No Fee solicitors have years of dedicated criminal injury experience and if your claim is eligible, one of our advisors can connect you immediately. We will discuss how they could help you with your case and the benefits of claiming with them under a type of No Win arrangement.

To discuss your case, you can contact our advisors:

A woman who has lost the vision in her right eye due to a physical attack.

Browse Our Guide

  1. What Is A CICA Claim? 
  2. Can You Make A CICA Claim For Loss Of Vision? 
  3. Is There A Time Limit When Making A Loss Of Vision Claim Through The CICA?
  4. How Much Compensation For Loss Of Sight?
  5. Can You Make A CICA Claim For Loss Of Vision Using A No Win No Fee Solicitor?
  6. More Resources About How To Make A CICA Claim

What Is A CICA Claim? 

A CICA claim is a claim you can make for compensation if you have been the victim of a violent crime. It is made under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012 (The Scheme). The Scheme was set up by the Government and is administered by an organisation called the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA).

The main reason for the CICA and the implementation of the Scheme was to allow those who have suffered a criminal injury to receive compensation.

There are other ways to try and bring loss of sight compensation claims, such as bringing a claim against your attacker directly, but there are potential issues, such as you may not know who they are, or they may not have the means to pay you compensation. This is when you could make a claim through the CICA.

Continue reading this guide to learn the answer to ‘Can you make a CICA claim for loss of vision?’. You can also contact our advisors to discuss your case.

Can You Make A CICA Claim For Loss Of Vision? 

So, can you make a CICA claim for loss of vision? Yes, so long as you meet the CICA’s criteria to make a claim.

Firstly, you must have been injured in a violent crime, and this is defined in theCICA Scheme. For example, you could have been assaulted at work, been the victim of an acid attack or attempted murder. So long as a violent crime causes your loss of vision, the first criterion is met.

You will also have to meet other eligibility criteria, including:

  • The incident must have taken place in Great Britain or another relvant place, such as ship registered to Great Britain.
  • You reported the matter to the Police and have a crime reference number.
  • Proof that you meet the CICA’s residency requirements.
  • You must have medical evidence regarding the injury you are claiming for.

If you are unsure about if you qualify to bring forward a claim, you can contact us to find out more and we can offer you a free assessment of your circumstances.

 

A blind person uses a cane to cross the street.

Is There A Time Limit When Making A Loss Of Vision Claim Through The CICA? 

To bring a loss of sight compensation claim via the CICA, you must do so within the correct time limit. This time limit is generally 2 years, and this generally runs from the date that the incident took place. There are potential exceptions to this time limit, but these are made on a case-by-case basis and are fully at the discretion of the CICA.

A notable exception to the two-year time limit that is worth mentioning is if the incident involves a minor (i.e. someone under the age of 18). If the incident was reported to the police, then the time limit starts from their 18th birthday and runs until their 20th birthday. However, if the matter was not reported to the police, the two-year time limit will run from the date the matter was reported. If there has been a delay in reporting to the police, you may have to argue that there were exceptional circumstances for the delay, as the CICA expect reporting to be done as soon as possible.

To see whether you still have enough time to begin your claim, please reach out to a friendly member of our team. 

How Much Compensation For Loss Of Sight?

Now that we have answered, ‘Can you make a CICA claim for loss of vision?’, another question you may have is ‘How much compensation could I receive?’.

A loss of sight compensation claim made through the CICA will be subject to the fixed tariff system in the Scheme. This tariff applies to the injuries suffered.

It is important to note that you can claim for multiple injuries when making a CICA claim. For example, in addition to losing your vision, you could have been left with facial scarring or with a psychological injury such as post-traumatic stress disorder. Under the Scheme, you will receive 100% of the tariff value for your most serious injury (i.e. the one with the highest compensation value). Then you receive 30% of the second most serious and 15% of the third most serious. Unfortunately, it is not possible to claim for more than 3 injuries through the CICA.

Below, we have created a table using some of the figures listed within the tariff, aside from the first entry.

InjuryTariff of CompensationNotes
Multiple severe injuries and significant financial lossesUp to £500,000Mutiple severe and serious injuries with significant loss of earnings and financial loss.
Loss of sight £110,000The loss of sight in both eyes.
£82,000Loss of sight in one eye. The uninjured eye was already totally blind.
£33,000Loss of sight in one eye. The uninjured eye cannot be improved past 6/36 vision.
£22,000The sight is lost in one eye.
Substantial loss of vision£55,000Substantial loss of vision in both eyes, and is 6/36 or worse in each eye.
Mental Injury£27,000A seriously disabling and permanent mental injury.
Eyes£13,500Permanent blurred or double vision.
Facial Scarring£11,000Serious disfigurement.

Financial Losses In A CICA Eye Injury Compensation Claim

CICA claims can also compensate claimants for financial losses caused by criminal injuries. These are called special expenses. To claim these items, they must be necessary, reasonable costs that were directly incurred as a result of the crime. They also cannot be available elsewhere for free.

Here are examples of items that could be claimed:

  • Necessary equipment, e.g. walking aids.
  • Home adaptations that are necessary to assist with your loss of vision.
  • Property that you relied upon which was damaged during the crime, e.g. broken glasses.
  • Care services that are necessary to assist you with food preparation or bodily functions.

Claiming loss of earnings is also possible, but certain specific criteria must be met. Please contact us to discuss this further. We are available 24 hours a day.

A blind man in a park with a cane.

Can You Make A CICA Claim For Loss Of Vision Using A No Win No Fee Solicitor?

You can make a CICA claim for loss of vision using a No Win No Fee solicitor. Using such a solicitor to help you with your loss of sight compensation claim has several advantages. Firstly, you do not need to worry about paying solicitor’s fees as the experienced criminal injury solicitors on our panel can offer you a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA) if your case is eligible.

A CFA is a No Win No Agreement, and under it, you do not need to pay any solicitor service fees before your claim starts. Also, you do not have to pay your ongoing solicitor’s service costs as the claim progresses. At the conclusion of your case, and only if it is a successful claim, a success fee is deducted from your compensation. This is on a percentage basis, and the percentage has a legally imposed maximum. If your case does not win, there are no solicitor’s service fees to pay.

Secondly, there are a range of activities that a solicitor can do on your behalf, including:

  • Filling in your CICA application form
  • Collecting evidence for you
  • Processing your claim in a timely manner
  • Advising you about the level of compensation you could expect to receive
  • Arranging for an independent medical examiner to examine you and produce a report about your injuries

If you would like to work with one of the solicitors on our panel to help you claim criminal injuries compensation, contact us at your convenience.

A criminal injury solicitor answering the question 'Can you make a CICA claim for loss of vision?'

More Resources About How To Make A CICA Claim

We hope our guide about making a loss of sight compensation claim through the CICA has been useful. Below, we have included some further resources about CICA claims from our site:

And here are some external resources that you might find helpful:

Thank you for reading our guide, ‘Can you make a CICA claim for loss of vision?’. Contact us today to discuss your case.