Croftons Injury Claims

Compensation May Exist even if Insurance Cover does not

Any victim of the recent unrest who has suffered loss or damage but does not have insurance in place has the potential to claim compensation – if the government declares the public unrest a ‘riot’. An earlier blog by Croftons Solicitors defines a ‘riot’ in legal terms.

“Where insurance is not in place,” says Partner and Personal Injury Specialist Simon Leighton of Croftons Solicitors, “under The Riot (Damages) Act 1886, there is provision for local police to pay for damages out of their funds.”

Continuing: “If the government declares the recent unrest a ‘riot’, innocent victims without insurance can claim for loss or damage to shops, houses or other buildings (and their contents) – but not for any personal injury which is a separate process. The Act states that a claim must be made within 14 days of the unrest which caused the damage. However, this has been extended by the government to 42 days (see our recent Stop Press Blog)”

If injuries have been sustained, the potential for compensation exists through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA). CICA is a government organisation which can pay money (compensation) to people who have been physically or mentally injured because they were blameless victims of a violent crime.

“The process of making a Criminal Injury claim can be daunting,” says Simon. “Anyone who has suffered personal injury can make a claim themselves or consult a qualified solicitor. You can email our
injury claims team direct for further advice on this.

“The amount of compensation will obviously be determined by the nature of the injuries and the impact on a person’s physical and mental wellbeing, ability to work, and ability to undertake everyday tasks. There is a tariff system which shows how a claim can range from £1,000 up to £250,000. The incident and injury must have been reported to the police.”

“The starting point in all of this, though,” warns Simon, “is whether or not the government declares the public unrest a ‘riot’ or not. We at Croftons are monitoring the announcements carefully and will continue to post updates on our website.”

Simon Leighton, Managing Partner

Posted on 16.08.11

---

Leave a Reply

Name (required)

Mail (will not be published) (required)

Website