Victims Of Crime Lawyers Adelaide

You must be the victim of certain “violent” offences (for example an assault, robbery, home invasion or road rage) or a victim of a sexual offence, and you have must have suffered physical and/or psychological injury from that offence. If you have been attacked by a dog and the owner has been charged with an offence, you may be able to claim compensation.

In the case of a homicide, immediate family members of the person who died may be entitled to compensation. In addition, some family members may have a grief claim and dependents of the deceased may have a dependency claim. The cost of the funeral may be claimed under the Victims of Crime Fund.

In the case of violent or sexual offences against a child under 18 years old, a parent or guardian of the child may be eligible for compensation.

Persons who suffer a psychological injury from being directly involved in the circumstances of the offence or involved in the immediate aftermath of the offence to deal with its consequences may have a claim.

If the South Australian government (through the Crown Solicitor’s Office) accepts your claim, the Victims of Crime Fund can pay for compensation including:

• Physical and psychological injuries;
• Past and future lost wages;
• Past and future medical expenses, for example medication, treatment and surgery costs.

It will not cost you anything to make an application to the government for compensation. If your claim is accepted, there is no cost to you in continuing the process for compensation under the Victims of Crime Fund.

The government will pay for your legal costs and any medical reports you require to support your claim.

You should ideally make a claim within 3 years of the offender being convicted of the offence, or 3 years from the date that the crime happened if the offender is unknown. In homicide cases, family members should ideally make a claim within 12 months from the date of death.

However, if you are beyond these time frames, you should still contact us because our expertise may help you to have your claim accepted.

If the offence occurred when you were working or as a result of a motor vehicle collision, we can advise you how workers compensation laws, compulsory third party insurance and victim of crime laws operate together. In addition to victims of crime claims, there may also be a common law claim against an offender. We can guide you through what process will achieve the best result for you in the quickest way.

After you become eligible to make a claim for Victims of Crime compensation, there is a process that needs to be followed and each step can take time. If the Crown accepts your claim, it can then take many months to have your compensation paid. It is difficult to put a timeframe because it depends on the complexity of the case, what evidence is required to support your claim, how long it takes to obtain that evidence, and how long the South Australian Government requires to process and assess your claim.. Legal representation can help by ensuring all necessary documentation is submitted correctly.

The Victims of Crime Fund provides compensation to victims of assaults, robberies, home invasions, sexual assaults, road rage and dog/cat attacks. It is important to note that the Fund does not cover offences of theft, property damage or fraud/deception.

The Fund can cover pain and suffering, past and future medical expenses, and past and future lost wages. Administered by the South Australian Government, the Fund provides financial assistance to help victims recover from the impact of the crime.

If the South Australian Government accepts your claim, you may be eligible to claim past and future medical expenses, and past and future lost wages. Legal advice can assist in ensuring all relevant losses are included in the claim.

Victims cannot personally initiate criminal proceedings against an offender. Criminal charges are brought by the police and prosecuted by the State of South Australia. However, an immediate victim is, more often than not, required to assist police with the prosecution of their case against the offender.