Initial Award

Client J first visited Farleys in August 2023 as she has previously brought a CICA claim as child and had been awarded a sum of £16,500. Client J had suffered serious abuse during her childhood. Client J understandably wished to re-open the case on the basis that award did not take into account a full picture of the effects the abuse eventually had on her.

Farleys were advised that Client J was still a teenager at the time of the original application which had been brought by someone else on her behalf, and it was evident that there was no way she could have been aware of the psychiatric impact the abuse would have on her future mental health and her ability to work. The claim had been brought under a previous CICA scheme which is now over twenty years old. The old Scheme features strict barriers to the re-opening of claims.

Client J

Client J had sadly been subjected to a 2-year period of sexual abuse by her uncle as a young child. The abuse had caused considerable psychiatric damage. Client J suffered with Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Emotionally Unstable Personality disorder, which affected every aspect of her life.

Client J had lost out on the opportunity to work as a result of her mental health conditions and simply too unwell to be able to sustain any form of long-term employment, and her relationships had been significantly affected.

Farleys requested a copy of the original application and drafted a statement with Client J to support the re-opening of her original application for the reasons provided. It was clear that Client J had suffered greatly as a result of the abuse and that this suffering had not been accounted for in the original award. The case was immediately allocated to Senior Case Worker due to the complexities involved.

The Scheme

Under the relevant scheme, the CICA would only re-open a case where three strict requirements were met.

Reopening a CICA (Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority) claim under the outdated scheme can be incredibly complex. Whilst it is possible to reopen a claim based on a deterioration of medical condition, it requires demonstrating that the deterioration is directly linked to the original injury and that the initial decision would be unjust if left unchanged. Extensive evidence is crucial to support the application.

The CICA subsequently requested this evidence from Farleys to support Client J’s case.

Farleys provided relevant evidence and instructed a medical expert to prepare a medical report on Client J. The report confirmed that Client J’s mental health conditions and the worsening of such conditions was clearly attributable to the abuse she suffered during childhood. The report confirmed that Client J’s injuries were permanent and that it was unlikely she would ever be able to sustain work in a full-time job role.

Client J subsequently made the decision to leave her job, on the basis that she required extensive treatment and psychological therapy.

Farleys detailed the extent of Client J’s past and future losses which arose as a result of the abuse, taking into account the intricacies of the relevant Scheme at the time of Client J’s original application and how this would affect any revised award granted by the CICA. Farleys provided this information to the CICA on 6 March 2025.

Final Award

The CICA considered the revised evidence for Client J’s case and offered a final award to Client J of £367,644 on 8 April 2025.

Client J:

Without Farleys I wouldn’t even know where to start, they did all the hard work for me, they were quick with responses and if I didn’t understand any of legal jargon they explained everything in simple terms.

The money I received has helped me rebuild my life. I can’t thank them enough.

To speak to an expert in CICA abuse claims in confidence, you can call our dedicated abuse line on 0330 134 6430, or you can contact us by email or through the online chat below if you prefer. We know it can be difficult to speak about your experiences but whenever you feel ready, our specialists are available to discuss your claim with the care and sensitivity you deserve.