Restitution
Victim Compensation
Victims of violent crimes may be eligible to receive compensation for their crime-related losses through the California Victim Compensation Board (CalVCB). The District Attorney’s Bureau of Victim Services is available to assist crime victims with the filing of CalVCB claims. For assistance with filing a CalVCB application contact (800) 380-3811. If the District Attorney’s Office assisted with applying for services from CalVCB, please call the Bureau of Victim Services’ Claims Verification Unit at (800) 492-5944 for more information on an application that was submitted or to follow up on an application.
Covered expenses include medical expenses; mental health counseling; relocation; funeral and burial costs; crime scene cleanup; loss of wages and support; job retraining; and home security installation. The expenses must be crime-related. Other sources of reimbursement, such as insurance, must be used first.
For more information on the California Victim Compensation Board (CalVCB), call toll-free (800) 777-9229, visit https://victims.ca.gov or write to CalVCB, P.O. Box 3036, Sacramento, CA 95812-3036.
Restitution
Restitution may be ordered by a judge when a person is sentenced for a crime. The order requires the convicted person to repay the crime victim for losses suffered as a result of the criminal conduct.
Restitution may include but is not limited to: the replacement or repair cost of stolen or damaged property; funeral expenses; ambulance or hospital bills, counseling and therapy expenses; relocation expenses; and lost wages for the time spent assisting the police or prosecution.
To obtain restitution, the victim must provide the necessary documentation to support the claim, such as copies of bills and receipts for crime-related expenses.
Filing a Lawsuit
Crime victims who have experienced a crime-related financial or property loss have the right to file a civil lawsuit to try to recover those losses, regardless of whether a criminal case was filed or whether anyone was convicted of the crime.
In a civil case, one person sues another and the state is not involved.
If you are considering filing a civil lawsuit, you should contact a civil attorney. Deputy district attorneys are prohibited by law from participating in or giving legal advice about a civil lawsuit.
