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No one wants to be the victim of a knife crime. To be fair, no one wants to be the victim of any sort of crime. But when the worst comes to the worst, we need to be prepared and ready to act. Now, if you live in London, you may be feeling a little scared about the UK’s current situation. Not only do you have to deal with being in the heart of the spread of Covid-19, but with the recent London protests and counter-protests, it can feel like wherever you go, you simply cannot avoid violence and destructive behavior.

It is important that in this hard times you try to keep yourself and your family safe. If you are worried about the spread of Covid-19, make sure to try and stay home as much as possible. However, if you are the victim of criminal activity, you can claim compensation to help you recovery from your injuries. That way if you do suffer from any losses, whether they are financial, emotional or physical, you can take steps to regain control over your life.

So, what is criminal injuries compensation and how do you claim for it? Read on to find out!

Knife Crime & Your Rights

If an unprovoked knife attack has taken place, and you are the victim of this assault, the first thing that you need to do is seek medical assistance. Seek assistance regardless of the apparent severity of your wounds, especially if your stab wound is classified as a penetrating trauma. Most of all it is important that you get out of the altercation as quickly as possible.

A knife crime can also include:

  • Carrying a knife that has been banned
  • Threatening a person with a knife
  • Trying to buy or carry a knife if you are under 18 years old
  • Robbing a house/public building with a knife as a weapon
  • Murdering another person with a knife (i.e. stabbing them)

If you are carrying a knife then you can get in serious trouble with the police, especially if you get into an altercation. Some people carry knives or some form of a weapon in order to feel safe when they are moving around their city. However, if you are caught with them after an incident has happened, this could make you liable for the incident in the first place. After all, you knew the implications of bringing weapons out in public and what may happen if you got into an altercation. This could mean that you may have to pay criminal fines as well as compensation for the victim’s injuries.

Knife Crime & Demographics

When we think about criminal activities, we normally end up thinking about the worst. This includes the impact on our family and friends, the financial impact if your injuries put you in the hospital and many other morbid thoughts, including whether or not you should make a will.

If we are looking at the demographics of knife crime around the UK, in 2019 there were estimated to be around 47,000 offences that either involved a sharp object or a knife. According to statistics, London has the highest rate of offences, leveling at around 169 per 100,000 population. This is most likely because London has a large population and expensive living standards. That means that there is a higher chance that you could be involved in an accident.

Take a look at the following case study below from North London to see what could of criminal injuries could warrant compensation.

Case study:

Case study about stabbing in North London

As you can see from this case study, this man truly was a victim of an attack that was due to no fault of his own. In fact, it simply seemed that he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. The two criminals admitted to ”not knowing him”, meaning that the liability of the attack fell on them. This admission of guilt meant that they now owed their victim a duty of care to ensure that they recovered from their wounds. This would be in the form of insurance payments and fines.

You may have been through a similar scenario where you were hurt due to no fault of your own. If you can prove that the criminal act was entirely unprovoked and you did nothing to start it, there is a chance you could claim a high amount of compensation. Keep this in mind when you are speaking to your solicitor about your case.

The aftermath and emotional support

Knife crime is a serious issue in the UK. It can leave you feeling like your life has been flipped upside. Not only can you experience physical harm from the assault, but you also may be left with emotional and psychological trauma that can impede your daily activities. This could include going to work or paying for bills.

This is why the UK government has created a compensation scheme for people who have been effected by criminal injuries. The criminal injuries compensation scheme. The scheme calculates your injuries and damages and awards you compensation. That way you will always be in a secure position to recover, even if you need to take time away from work. Visit the UK government website to learn more about this scheme.

Avoiding knife crime in your city

When it comes to avoiding crime, it’s a case of something that is easier said than done. Sometimes you can simply be in the wrong place at the wrong time. For instance, you could be walking down a quiet street to your car or you may be at home when a burglar is trying to break in to your property. However, there are a few things you can do to make it more unlikely that you will end up as a victim of a stabbing or assault.

Protection against knife crime infographic

Some attackers may be more talkative than others before you have to try and defend yourself. Avoid giving strangers any personal details or information about where you live. Instead, try and walk alternative routes or keep them away from your home. You may want to go into a shop or a restaurant in order to inform them that you are being followed. For more information and tips on how to protect yourself against a knife attack, make sure to look at knifecrimes.org. They have a lot of points that can keep your safe when you need to go out.

How much compensation could I receive from a criminal activity claim?

scars and compensation tips

Now, this depends largely on the amount of injuries you have suffered from your attack. Every criminal injury compensation case is different. In some cases, the victim may have tried to fight back to protect vulnerable people or themselves, meaning that their wounds were made worse. In every case, the amount of risk is looked at carefully and actions are judged on whether they were justified.

The payment you receive will also depend on whether or not your crime was witnessed. Having evidence can show how you tried to de-escalate the situation, but were not successful due to the aggressor can be proof that you were not liable for your injuries. Evidence may include:

  • Photographs
  • Photographs of injuries or the scene of the crime
  • Videos
  • Witness Statements
  • Diary Entries
  • Medical Treatment
  • Police reports

If there were any witnesses to the crime, there is a chance that they could also receive compensation for mental disturbance, especially if they were involved in the aftermath of the knife attack. However, this will only be awarded in special circumstances.

What can I be compensated for?

gif of injury claims

As you can see, there are a number of different ways that you can claim compensation. Again, it depends on the severity of your injuries, but in this case it is important to consider physical and mental compensation claims. You can claim for more than just one state of damage. After all, you may have only suffered a minor stab wound, but are now suffer psychological trauma that prevents you from going outside without feeling frightened. You could claim more compensation if you can prove how the experience has negatively impacted your life. Make sure to keep evidence available, including videos, witness statements and diary entries. That way you can show instead of telling your story when you are in court.

Do not worry if you cannot go to court, your solicitor can represent you in the case. You may not be able to go due to the extent of your injuries. That’s why it is so important to have legal help when you start to file a compensation claim. If you cannot make the court date, then they can go in your place.

How long do you have to make a compensation claim?

Criminal injury cases must be brought to court at least 2 years after the incident date. It is recommended that you try to claim compensation as quickly as possible with the help of a trained lawyer. Think about it this way, you are still recovering from your wounds. You can therefore still be suffering serious financial losses due to being injured, for instance if you have not been able to go to work because you have been in hospital, and therefore lost out on some of your wages. Claiming compensation for the attack could mean that you can recover without having to worry about your bills. That peace of mind can really help you on the road to settling any trauma you may have endured.

Gowing Law’s Trained Solicitors can help you with your case!

criminal injury compensation button

Here at Gowing Law, we are proud that we can help people who have suffered from knife attacks. No one deserves to live in fear because of a criminal act. That’s why Gowing Law is here to support you. We can make sure that you get the compensation you deserve to recuperate at your own pace. Our specialist criminal injury lawyers can help you organize your information and represent you in court if you are still in the hospital due to your injuries.

All of our solicitors can offer free advice and consultations to discuss your case. If you choose to work with us, then we can offer you service on a “no win-no fee basis”. That means even if you do not get the outcome you want, you will still come out on top. You will not need to pay any additional fees.

If you are interested in working with us on your criminal injury case, please get in contact as soon as possible. You can call 0800 041 8350 or email info@gowinglaw.co.uk. If you want to directly contact us, please use our direct messaging services located on our contact page.

Gowing Law also has a weekly newsletter that we can sign you up for if you want more information on our different offered services. Let us know if you would like us to sign you up!

Want to read more about criminal Injury cases?

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If you have enjoyed reading this blog, you are in luck! We have a number of detailed articles about UK law and current legal issues. For instance, if you are worried about Covid-19, please take a look at our safety at work and safety in retail pages. All of our blogs contain a lot of information that could be relevant to your case. If you have any questions about them then please feel free to let us know. We would also be happy to write about your own blog suggestions. Simply message info@gowinglaw.co.uk and we can get started.

We wish you the best of luck with your compensation case and look forward to hearing from you soon!

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Gowing Law are a professional law firm that specialises in the personal injury sector of the industry. Gowing Law are Authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).

Gowing Law are trusted by the people who they have helped in sucuring the compensation they deserve, with fantastic reviews across all review sites including Trustpilot & Google Reviews.

Gowing Law is law firm based in Manchester but offer their legal services nationwide. We specialise in the personal injury claims and our team of solicitors have the experience and expertise needed to handle your case and help you through the claims process.

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