The Crime victim’s compensation program is administered by the office of Attorney General and is dedicated to ensuring that crime victims receive every possible form of assistance provided by law.

The Crime Victims’ Compensation Program is available after primary sources of payment-such as health insurance, Medicaid, Medicare, auto insurance or Texas Workers’ Compensation-have been exhausted.

If the court orders the offender to pay restitution to the victim for an expense that Crime Victims’ Compensation has already paid, the victim may be required to reimburse the Fund. If the victim or claimant recovers money through the settlement of a civil suit against the offender or a third party, he or she may also have to reimburse the Fund.

TO BE ELIGIBLE, A PERSON MUST:

• Be a resident of Texas or another state with the crime occurring in Texas, or a Texas resident who becomes a victim in another state or in a country without a compensation program.
• Report the crime to a law enforcement agency within a reasonable period of time, but not so late as to interfere with or hamper the investigation and prosecution of the crime.
• File the application within three years of the date of the crime.

 WHO MAY QUALIFY?

• An innocent victim of crime who suffers substantial threat of physical and/or emotional harm or death
• A dependent of a victim
• An authorized individual acting on behalf of a victim
• An intervenor who goes to the aid of a victim or peace officer
• A person who legally assumes the obligations or voluntarily pays certain expenses related to the crime on behalf of the victim
• Immediate family or household members related by blood or marriage who require counseling as a result of the crime
• A peace officer, firefighter or individual who has a duty to protect the public and who is injured in a crime

WHO IS NOT ELIGIBLE?

Benefits may be reduced or denied if the victim:

• Participated in the crime
• Engaged in illegal activity
• Contributed to the crime
• Was an inmate at the time of the crime
• Knowingly or intentionally submitted false or forged information to the Crime Victims’ Compensation Program
• Did not cooperate with the appropriate law enforcement agencies

WHAT CRIMES ARE COVERED?

• Crimes covered by Crime Victims’ Compensation are those in which the victim suffers substantial threat of physical or emotional harm or death. These may include sexual assault, kidnapping, robbery, assault, homicide, and other violent crimes.
• Vehicular crimes that are covered include failure to stop and render aid, DWI, manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, aggravated assault, intoxication manslaughter and intoxication assault.

WHAT TYPE OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IS AVAILABLE?

Claims may be approved for benefits up to a total of $50,000. In the case of extraordinary pecuniary losses resulting in a total and permanent disability, victims may be eligible for an additional $75,000 in benefits.

Upon approval, benefits may be awarded for the following:

• Medical, hospital, physical therapy, or nursing care
• Psychiatric care or counseling
• One-time relocation assistance for victims who are assaulted in the victim’s place of residence, including victims of family violence, sexual assault, stalking or human trafficking
• Loss of earnings or support
• Loss of wages and travel reimbursement due to participation in or attendance at the investigation, prosecutorial and judicial processes
• Care of a child or dependent
• Funeral and burial expenses crime scene clean-up
• Replacement costs for clothing, bedding or other property seized as evidence or rendered unusable as the result of the investigation
• Reasonable attorney fees for assistance in filing the Crime Victims’ Compensation application and in obtaining benefits if the claim is approved
• Loss of wages and travel to seek medical treatment or counseling

Additional benefits for victims who have suffered an extraordinary pecuniary loss include:

• making a home or car accessible
• Job training and vocational rehabilitation
• Training in the use of special appliances
• Home health care
• Reimbursement of lost wages
• Rehabilitation technology, long term medical expenses and durable medical equipment

Reimbursement for property damage or theft is not an eligible expense. Please not that financial assistance may be limited or unavailable depending on laws in effect when the crime occurred.

An application can be submitted online or downloaded for mailing submission. The link below will take you to the application download or online submission. For assistance with the application process you can contact GPD -Victim Services (512) -933-3521 or The Texas Attorney Generals Office (800) 983-9933.  https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/crime-victims/crime-victims-compensation-program