General FAQ

• Where are your offices?
• I don’t live near any of your offices, how can I be in contact with your office without incurring a high phone bill or travel expenses?
• How do I get to your nearest office?
• What services does OVS provide victims?
• Does OVS provide any direct services to victims?

Compensation

• What kinds of expenses may I get compensated for?
• Who may be eligible for compensation from the Office of Victim Services?
• What if my property was lost, damaged or destroyed because of the crime?
• What are the steps to receive Office of Victim Services (OVS) compensation?
• How do I apply for compensation?
• What if I need compensation right away?
• What if I don’t have some of the papers OVS needs?
• My experience as a crime victim is very personal and the information requested on the claim application is also very personal. Will this information be kept confidential?
• The application is long. Do you need all this information to review my claim?
• Do I need to meet with or be in phone contact with the person reviewing my application?
• What else should I do to receive OVS benefits?
• What is the HIPAA authorization form?
• Who can sign the application?
• What does “OVS is the payer of last resort” mean?
• When does a victim have to establish financial difficulty?
• Do I need a lawyer to file a claim with OVS?
• What if I move?
• How will I be notified about the OVS decision on my claim application?
• What do I do if I am unhappy with the OVS decision on my claim application?
• Are there other ways I can be compensated for my losses related to the crime?

Additional Medical Payments

• I have had a claim with OVS for years. I have always just submitted my bills, explanation of benefits and the like as I received them. No mail was ever returned to me. Why am I now getting the materials I've submitted back?
• I used to submit my materials to OVS and then OVS worked with my medical provider to solve any problems. Is OVS no longer working with medical providers?
• Will OVS keep copies of the information returned to claimants?
• Who should claimants contact to obtain the documentation required for reimbursement?
• What if a hospital charges the claimant for medical records?

Victim Assistance Programs

• What is a Victim Assistance Program?
• What is the direct reimbursement Forensic Rape Exam (FRE) Program?

Crime Victims Rights

• Do I have any legal rights as a crime victim? Do different victims have different rights?
• Do I have the right to know what is happening to the person accused of committing the crime against me?
• I wish the person who committed this crime could understand what it has done to my life and the lives of my loved ones. How can I explain this to him/her?
• I am afraid of the person who committed the crime against me. How can I be protected?
• I may be asked to be a witness at the trial of the person accused of the crime against me, but I am afraid of seeing the defendant and others involved with the crime. How can I go to the trial but remain safe?
• The police and DA have my property. They say they need it as evidence. When can I get my things back?

Restitution

• What is restitution?
• Who is entitled to restitution?
• How do I ask for restitution?
• How is restitution ordered?
• How is restitution determined?
• Are minors ordered to pay restitution?
• When can I expect to receive my restitution money?