Frequently Asked Questions

  1. What if I live in Virginia, but am a victim of a crime in another state or country?
  2. What if I didn't know about the Fund until a year after the date of the crime?
  3. Does anyone else get to see the information in my file?
  4. I was the victim of a crime while on the job. Should I file with VWC or CICF?
  5. I have received additional bills that were not considered in my initial award. Can I still submit them?
  6. I can’t get my doctors to send the information that CICF needs. What can I do?
  7. Can CICF pay medical providers directly?
  8. Can I still file a claim if the suspect has not been arrested or if he was acquitted at the trial?
  9. My claim has been awarded. Can I still file a civil suit against the offender. If I win a civil suit, do I have to repay CICF?
  10. Do mental health providers have to be licensed?
  11. Can CICF reimburse me for my mileage and lost wages for going to court?
  12. CICF has denied my claim. What can I do now?

1. What if I live in Virginia, but am a victim of a crime in another state or country?

You should file in the state or country in which you were victimized. If that state or country does not have a crime victims' compensation program, you may then file in Virginia.

2. What if I didn't know about the Fund until a year after the date of the crime?

Send in your application with a brief written statement explaining why you did not file within the time limit. CICF may accept your claim if good cause is showen for the delay. The Director will determine good cause on a case-by-case basis.


3. Does anyone else get to see the information in my file?

The Fund does not share your information with any other entity, unless you sign a release of information allowing CICF to do so. If your file is subpoenaed the Fund makes every attempt to limit what information is available and encourages the parties involved to obtain items from other sources (hospitals, police, etc.). The Fund is prohibited by law from releasing reports from law enforcement.

4. I was the victim of a crime while on the job. Should I file with Workers’ Compensation or CICF?

You should file with both. Workers’ Compensation is a collateral resource that CICF must take into account before an award can be entered. If you do not file with Workers’ Compensation, your claim with CICF may be denied. Therefore, it is wise to file with both in order to cover all bases.

5. I have received additional bills that were not considered in my initial award. Can I still submit them?

Yes.

6. I can’t get my doctors to send the information that CICF needs. What can I do?

The Crime Victims’ Ombudsman is available to assist you with gathering the necessary documents. The Ombudsman can be reached via E-mail.

7. Can CICF pay medical providers directly?

Yes, If there is an outstanding balance, CICF will award payment directly to medical providers. If the balances have been paid, CICF will issue the award to the claimant.

8. Can I still file a claim if the suspect has not been arrested or if he was acquitted at trial?

Yes. An arrest and/or conviction is not necessary for an award to be issued. However, CICF must receive verification that the victim is fully cooperating with all law-enforcement agencies during the investigation and prosecution of the criminal case.

9. My claim has been awarded. Can I still file a civil suit against the offender. If I win a civil suit, do I have to repay CICF?

Yes. Virginia law requires victims to repay CICF, should they make any recovery as a result of the crime. This is one way that CICF can continue to serve victims of crime in the Commonwealth.

10. Do mental health providers have to be licensed?

Yes. Counseling must be provided by a medical doctor, clinical psychologist, clinical social worker, or licensed
professional counselor

11. Can CICF reimburse me for my mileage and lost wages for going to court?

No. Not unless you are the parent/legal guardian of a minor child victim.

12. CICF has denied my claim. What can I do now?

You have the right to appeal CICF’s decision. The Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission is the agency that administers CICF and hears its appeals. You have 45 days from the date CICF denies your claim to request an appeal. Once your appeal is filed, either an evidentiary hearing or an on-the-record review will take place. If your appeal is placed on the hearing docket, you will be required to appear at the hearing. You will receive plenty of notice as far as the time and location of the hearing.

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