Financial Help for Crime Victims
New Hampshire Victims’ Compensation Program
Are you a victim of a violent crime looking for financial help?
What is the Victims’ Compensation Program?
This program helps victims of certain crimes with costs directly connected to the crime. Family members and/or legal guardians of crime victims are also eligible. Crime related costs are covered on approved claims if these costs are not covered by another financial resource.
What costs are covered?
Costs directly caused by the crime may be covered. Medical insurance or other available financial sources must be used first. The covered costs may include:
Medical:
Hospital,
Vision,
Hearing,
Doctor,
Dental,
Medication,
Loss of income,
Loss of financial support for dependents of homicide victims,
Reasonable relocation costs,
Funeral and burial - up to $5,000 and up to $500 for grave marker,
Counseling - up to $3,000 or 40 visits, whichever comes first,
Crime scene clean up - homicides only,
Security systems and up to one year of monitoring,
Reimbursement for clothing or bedding held as evidence by police -sexual assault,
Up to 10 days of emergency funds available through a local crisis center for domestic and sexual violence victims,
Removal of identifying tattoos or markings of human trafficking.
What costs are not covered?
Costs not directly connected to the crime,
Property that was damaged or stolen,
Pain and suffering,
Household living expenses,
Costs already paid by another financial resource like insurance, donations, court restitution, charitable or free medical care.
Who is eligible?
The offender does not have to be convicted of a crime for the victim to be eligible for compensation.
A victim who suffered physical and/or emotional injury in New Hampshire. If the crime happened outside of New Hampshire, see the National Association of Crime Victim Compensation Boards for the compensation program of the state where the crime happened,
A victim of a driver who was drunk, under the influence or who used a vehicle to hurt a victim on purpose,
A dependent or legal representative of a deceased victim (homicide),
A parent or legal guardian who is responsible for the medical expenses of a child victim.
Who is not eligible?
A person whose own actions contributed to the crime,
A person who was injured or killed while committing a crime,
A person involved in a non-crime-related accident (like someone injured when another driver hits their car, or someone who slips and falls on another person’s property).
What crimes are eligible?
Assault, including domestic violence,
Child and adult sexual assault,
Human trafficking,
Child and elder abuse,
Injury or death caused by someone driving under the influence (DUI) or driving while intoxicated (DWI),
Murder or manslaughter,
Robbery with physical injury.
What must I do to be eligible?
You must:
report the crime to police.
However,
sexual assault victims who report to a local hospital within 5 days of the crime and cooperate with the examination and evidence collection are eligible even if they decide not to report to the police,
file the application within 2 years from the date of the crime. This time frame may be waived in rare cases,
cooperate with police and the court during the investigation and prosecution of the crime.
How do I apply?
Apply online (LINK NOT WORKING: http://www.ccvcnh.org/)
Fill out the paper application and send it by email, regular mail, or fax:
Email: victimcomp@doj.nh.gov
Regular mail:
NH Victims’ Compensation Program: Attorney General’s Office - 33 Capitol Street, Concord NH 03301
Fax: 603-271-1255
Your application will be reviewed. More information or documents may be needed. Please reply to all requests as soon as possible.
For more information call:
603-271-1284
1-800-300-4500 (in NH only)
TDD Access: Relay NH 1-800-735-2964
Date: adapted by Legal Advice & Referral Center, June 2018Author: State of New Hampshire Victims’ Compensation Program