What You Need to Know About Victim Compensation
- If you have been the victim of a crime you may qualify for benefits to help with financial hardships resulting from the crime.
- The crime must be reported within 72 hours.
- The deadline to file the application to qualify is 1 year from the date of the incident. (The application can be obtained from your local state attorney, victim advocate office, or by calling Victim Services Information
- We here at DeLoach, Hofstra & Cavonis, P.A. are here to help you, your family, and your friends. Contact Paul Cavonis at (727) 397-5571 for a free consultation.
The Full Story - Florida Crime Compensation Act
As the name implies, The Florida Crime Compensation Act is a legal program created to help victims of a crime who are experiencing financial hardship as a result of that crime. If you have been the victim of a crime, including but not limited to, an automobile accident involving a drunk driver, you may qualify for this program. The benefits of the Victim’s Compensation Fund are generally unclaimed unless they are pursued by the victim or the victim’s attorney. These benefits can help cover out-of-pocket expenses such as deductibles and co-pays for medical bills and property damage.
What are the Requirements to Qualify for the Victim’s Compensation Fund?
- The crime must be reported to law enforcement within 72 hours;
- The victim must have suffered personal injury or death;
- Funds are limited to purely psychological trauma.
- The application must be filed within 1 year after the date of the crime. (The application can be obtained from your local state attorney, victim advocate office, or by calling Victim Services Information)
- This can be extended to 2 years if there is good cause to do so.
- The victim must cooperate with law enforcement, the State Attorney’s office and/or the Attorney General’s Office;
- The Victim cannot have been engaged in any unlawful activity while the crime was being committed;
- The victim must not have contributed to the crime in any way; and
- The victim must not have a felony conviction on their record.
If the victim meets the above requirements they may be entitled to these benefits:
- Recovery of lost wages;
- Loss of support for the surviving spouse (if the victim is deceased as a result of the crime);
- Disability;
- Funeral and burial expenses;
- Medical treatment expenses;
- Mental health counseling;
- Reimbursement for property loss;
- Deductibles; and
- Co-pays.
If you’ve been hit by a drunk driver you do not have to go through the aftermath alone. We here at DeLoach, Hofstra & Cavonis, P.A. are here to help you, your family, and your friends.
I hope you find this article helpful. Thank you for visiting our website and please call me at (727) 397-5571.