Victim's Compensation                                                                       

•    Crisis Line & Safe House will assist clients in filling out the applications necessary to receive Crime Victim's Compensation. If you need additional information or assistance, please contact a  Legal Advocate.  

•    Crime Victim's Compensation is a government program designed to reimburse victims of violent crime for their out-of-pocket expenses relating to the crime. Some affected family members may also be eligible for limited compensation. 

 •     Victims must apply for compensation in the state where the crime occurred. Most compensation programs are open to direct victims of violent crime or their surviving family members. A few allow victims of serious crime to receive compensation for counseling expenses. 

Types of crime eligible for compensation in Georgia include: 

•      Assault (non-familial)            Murder    

•      Domestic Violence  DU1  

•      Sexual Assault (Adult)           Hit and Run  

•      Sexual Assault (Child)            Vehicular Homicide   

•      Child Physical Abuse              **Serious Injury by Vehicle  

Types of benefits offered through the Victims Compensation program include: 

•      Medical   

•      Funeral   

•      Counseling   

•      Economic Support  

•      Crime Scene Clean-Up  

Georgia Crime Victims Compensation Program Compensation Eligibility Requirements: 

1.  Victim must be an innocent party of a violent crime (must have physical injury). In child molestation cases, the mere touch of a child may constitute physical injury.  
2. Georgia Crime Victims Compensation Program cannot pay for property loss or property crime. 
3. The crime must be reported to the proper governmental authorities (i.e. law enforcement, DFCS, the courts, etc) within 72 hours of occurrence. The 72 hours may be waived for good cause shown. 
4. A Criminal History will be provided and analyzed on victims 18 years of age or older 
5. A parent of a child victim may be eligible for lost wages, to compensate for medical time spent off work with the child
6.  Victims of Domestic Violence may be eligible for loss of support  
7. Unless good cause is shown, applications must be submitted within 1 year of the incident. The Board may consider claims filed within 2 years of the crime (all claims received after 1 year must be appealed within 30 days for the Board to consider). Applications received 2 years after the crime cannot be considered for compensation. 
8. The Board may consider claims filed within 3 years for crimes that occurred on or after July 1, 2005 (all claims received after 1 year must be appealed within 30 days for the Board to consider). Applications received 3 years after the crime cannot be considered for compensation. 
9. The victim must not have contributed to the offense. 
10. Victims of crime occurring on or after July 1, 2002, may be eligible for up to 525,000. Claims received regarding crimes occurring prior to July 1, 2002, are not eligible for more than  $10,000 in compensation benefits. 

"Serious Injury by Vehicle may be considered when "Whoever, without malice, shall cause bodily harm to another by depriving him of a member of his body, by rendering a member of his body useless, by seriously disfiguring his body or a member thereof of by causing organic brain damage which renders the body or any member thereof useless through the violation of Code Section 40-6-390 or 40-6-391 shall be guilty of the crime of serious injury by vehicle. 

Information Adapted from the Georgia Crime Victims Condensation Program Application