Random attacks by strangers are at the highest level in more than a decade according to recent press reports, which has linked the figures to Labour’s time in government and the introduction of the 24 hour drinking licenses.
The Daily Mirror reports that figures have indicated that a person is attacked by a random stranger every 30 seconds in Britain, and that there were 1,057,000 violent attacks by strangers last year; the equivalent to 2,895 every day or 120 per hour.
The report also indicates that only a third of violent crimes involved the victim not knowing the assailant when Labour came in to power which has jumped to half as random violence, fuelled by alcohol and round the clock drinking licenses, is on the rise.
The Telegraph has also similarly reported the story and the statistics, claiming that government ministers appear to be in a state of denial regarding the figures, which have largely emerged from the Tories.
I very recently authored an article about CICA claims following the story of the violent assault involving two football supporters at the Manchester United vs. Barcelona Champions League cup tie earlier in May this year.
If you have been injured as a result of a premeditated attack, you are entitled to claim for compensation – And it seems that these types of premeditated incidents are unfortunately on the rise; so with this in mind, here is some further advice about this type of claim:
- You are entitled to claim for compensation if you are injured as a result of a premeditated attack. The money you receive however comes from a body called the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority; or CICA. The claim is run through the CICA who will investigate the claim.
- The CICA usually will only take on a claim if the victim contacted the police and attended a hospital or their GP within 48 hours of the incident taking place. This is particularly important of the victim is not aware of the identity of the assailant.
- The “Limitation Date” for making a CICA claim is different to that of a normal claim. For most personal injury claims, the injured party has three years from the date of the accident to make a claim for compensation. For a CICA claim, the injured party has two years from the date of the incident; therefore it is important to make a claim as soon as possible.
- You can make a claim for compensation through the CICA without a solicitor; unfortunately, solicitors are not entitled to recover their fees from the CICA and most firms therefore regrettably have to charge the victim a small proportion of their damages to cover the fees (most law firms will not tell you this however, as they would rather you instruct them so they can take the percentage of your damages – so seek advice carefully!)
If you would like some further information or advice, please do not hesitate to give us – The Injury Lawyers – a call on 0800 634 7575 for some free, no obligation advice.
