You may apply if you:
1. Believe you are a victim of a violent crime.
2. Are the victim's legal representative (his attorney or the person legally responsible for the expenses).
3. Are the victim's dependant.
4. A claim may be filed regardless of whether the offender is known, has been arrested, and/or has been found guilty.
The crime must:
1. Involve the use of force or threat of use of force AND
2. result in personal injury, death, or catastrophic property loss AND
3. result in expenses covered by the statute and not reimbursable by any other source.
Vehicular crimes (motor vehicle, boat or aircraft) are not included unless you are:
1. The victim of a DWI driver.
2. The victim of a hit and run driver.
3. The victim of a driver who is fleeing apprehension by law enforcement.
4. The victim whose injuries were intentionally inflicted with a vehicle.
Application Requirements:
1. The crime must have been committed in Louisiana after July 16, 1982, or happened to a Louisiana resident in a place with no compensation program.
2. You must have reported the crime to law enforcement officials within 72 hours unless there was a valid reason for a later reporting.
3. You must file the application within one year from the date of the crime.
4. You must provide the required information on the application.
5. Your losses must not be reimbursable from any other source such as insurance, sick or annual leave, social security, Medicare, Medicaid, civil suit, or restitution. If you have access to any of these of other resources, you must use those first.
6. You must cooperate with the reasonable requests of law enforcement officials.
You may not receive an award if:
1. You do not comply with the application requirements above.
2. You are the offender or an accessory, or an award could unjustly benefit either the offender or the accessory.
3. You are confined to any type of correctional facility.
Your award could be denied or reduced if:
1. The Board finds the implication of your behavior at the time of the crime or your past criminal activity caused or contributed to the incident.
2. You were operating a vehicle at the time of the crime without the required insurance.
3. You were not wearing a seatbelt as required by state law.
4. You were a willing passenger in a vehicle driven by an intoxicated driver.