A criminal injury compensation claim allows someone who has suffered physical or psychological injury as a direct result of a violent crime to seek financial compensation through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) — a government body administering a statutory compensation scheme in England and Wales.

Unlike personal injury claims, these cases are not brought against the offender. Compensation is paid by the state. This means a claim may succeed even if the offender was never caught, was acquitted, or no prosecution took place — provided police accept that a crime of violence occurred.