Case Study - Life-Changing Outcome for a Survivor of Abuse

Following an initial offer of compensation, the client contacted Jordans Solicitors who made an application for review of the claim - securing a much higher award for the client...

A survivor of childhood sexual abuse has received a life-changing compensation award, thanks to the combined support of Safeline and Jordans Solicitors.

The client was sexually abused by her dance teacher over a five-year period, between the ages of 5 and 9. She did not report the assaults to the police until adulthood when she came across a newspaper article about the abuser’s previous offences and convictions. Her report to the police resulted in the abuser being convicted of an additional 25 offences and receiving a further 8-year  prison sentence in June 2020.

Safeline supported her throughout the criminal process and helped her to submit a claim to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority Scheme (CICA) in August 2020. However, 3 years after the claim had been submitted, CICA wrote to our client to request access to her counselling records.  At this stage, Safeline lodged a complaint due to the significant delays in the processing of  her application. This resulted in an award of just £3,300 being granted to our client in August 2024; 4 years after her application had been submitted.

Frustrated by the lack of communication, and the low level of the award she had received, she contacted Safeline, who referred her to Jordans Solicitors for legal advice.

At the time, the client stated: ‘The way this has been handled has caused repeated distress and trauma. There were constant delays, missed details, and intrusive requests, even though there was a conviction and prison sentence. What a massive faff for so little, and over so many years of sending stuff in.’

Application for Review

After reviewing the case, Jordans Solicitors discovered that although CICA had obtained some of her counselling and GP records, they were outdated and lacked a formal diagnosis.  Despite the client informing CICA that she was receiving treatment for Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, the CICA had not sought updated medical records.

Jordans made an application to the CICA to review the award and for additional time to obtain updated medical records.  They also arranged for her to be assessed by a Consultant Psychologist and began investigating her eligibility for a loss of earnings claim.

The Consultant Psychologist diagnosed the client with a severe mental injury and a recurrent depressive disorder that had ranged from mild to severe during her life and was currently moderate. EMDR therapy was recommended as part of her treatment.

In our client’s initial application, she had stated that she had not suffered any loss of earnings, however, during the review period she was sadly assessed as being unfit to work due to her medical health. A schedule of loss of earnings was prepared by Jordans Solicitors and submitted to the CICA, together with the medical evidence of the Consultant Psychologist.

Jordans Solicitors became involved in the claim in August 2024.  On 1st July 2025, less than a year later, the CICA made of revised offer of over £50,000. The Consultant Psychologist’s evidence and the loss of earnings claim were both accepted.  This was a significant increase from the original £3,300 award.

The client described the outcome as ‘life changing’ and said: 
‘Just wanted to say the biggest thank you for your help and advice when I spoke to you about my CICA situation. I’ve just had the appeal offer result through of 50k, up from 3.3k they offered me without the solicitors help. It’s a life changing amount of money I can use to improve my situation, and I will forever be grateful for your skill and patience with me, I definitely wouldn’t be in this situation without your intervention at that time. Wanted to let you know that what you do makes such a difference. Thank you so much for being so wonderful.’

This case highlights the critical importance of  legal representation with applications to the CICA. While the scheme was intended to be accessible to individuals without legal support, the reality is very different. The CICA’s protracted and slow communication, incomplete investigations and low awards can leave applicants feeling undercompensated and retraumatised.  Legal advice is often essential to ensure that a fair settlement is received.

Jordans Solicitors and Safeline

Jordans Solicitors and Safeline are proud to be working together and supporting survivors of abuse. Safeline’s partnership, with Jordans Solicitors provides a clear and consistent referral route for survivors supported by Safeline to access legal guidance.