The State of North Carolina has a program to reimburse citizens who suffer medical expenses and lost wages as a result of being an innocent victim of a crime committed in North Carolina. The Crime Victims Compensation Commission is the governing body with the authority to award or deny reimbursement claims. The Division of Victim and Justice Services administers the program.

A victim is a person who suffers injury or death proximately caused by criminally injurious conduct occurring on or after August 13, 1987, that:

• by its nature, poses a serious threat of personal injury or death, and
• is punishable by a fine or imprisonment or death, and
• does not result from a violation of the motor vehicle laws, except in conduct related to Driving While Impaired, and effective April 1, 1997, Hit and Run.

Except as excluded by law, a claim may be payable to:

• the innocent victim;
• a dependent of a deceased innocent victim; or
• a legal representative of a innocent victim

A maximum of $20,000 may be paid for any award, except when the victim dies as a result of the crime -- in that case, an additional $3,500 may be paid to the survivors for funeral expenses.

WHO IS NOT ELIGIBLE?

A claimant

• who has insurance that pays the maximum amount authorized by Victims Compensation
• who suffers economic loss of less than $100.00
• who does not incur economic loss within one year, except victims under the age of 10 at the time of injury, who may be compensated for economic loss incurred up to two years after the crime
• who fails to file within one year from the date of the incident
• who does not report the crime to a law enforcement agency within 72 hours
• who contributes to the criminal conduct
• who is the offender or an accomplice
• who does not cooperate with the Crime Victims Compensation Commission and Staff
• whose award would benefit the offender or their accomplice (except when interests of justice require)
• who was confined in a correctional facility when the crime occurred
• who was in the commission of a crime at the time of the incident.

INVESTIGATION OF A CLAIM - Every claim filed with the Commission will be investigated to determine that:

• a crime was committed that resulted in physical injury or death;
• the victim did not contribute to their injuries or sustain the injuries while engaged in an illegal activity;
• the crime was reported to law enforcement within 72 hours unless good cause is shown; and
• the victim (or the victim's legal representative) cooperated with all law enforcement agencies and the Victims Compensation Staff; and
• the victim was not committing any crime at the time of the incident.

• Your local law enforcement agency should have necessary forms and information for application, or
• Your victim witness coordinator in your local District Attorney's Office should have necessary forms and information for application, or
• You can call the Victims Compensation Office in Raleigh (see below) to obtain applications.