Victims of Crime

If you are a victim of a crime you may be entitled to seek compensation from the offender. Criminal Compensation is an amount of money awarded to a person who has suffered personal injuries (including physical harm, emotional harm and pregnancy) as a result of a crime committed upon them. However, at the present time it is not available to a bystander who may witness the crime. Families of people who have also been unlawfully killed after 18 December 1995 may also apply to the Department of Justice & Attorney General for compensation for funeral expenses and they may also have a further claim if they were dependent upon the person killed.

Criminal injury compensation can either be paid by the offender or, in some circumstances when the offender cannot pay (if they were jailed as a result of their offence) by the Government. The Government will only pay however if there is no other way of claiming compensation. A person who wants the Government to pay by what is known as an ex gratia payment must show that they have first explored all the other options for payment by the offender.

A right to criminal compensation may exist even if the offender could not be located, or prosecuted, or is insane, or where a person may have been injured when assisting Police.

When considering making a claim for Criminal Injury Compensation it is always best to obtain legal advice as soon as possible.