Manhattan, New York based Crime Victim Compensation recently shared their expertise on the importance of the new NYS Office of Victim Services legal updates that were announced earlier this year to protect victims of different crimes. Those interested in finding out more on the topic are encouraged to contact the firm.
The company explained that these new laws, that are already being applied, are designed to protect victims. As New York State Governor Andrew M. Cuomo said, "New York is proud to be one of the first states to provide compensation to crime victims, and the expansion of this law reaffirms the State's commitment to helping these individuals and their family members whose top priority should be healing, not navigating the financial burden of an act of crime against them."
The expansion to the legislation means that victims who were not physically injured during a given crime will now be fully eligible for benefits as victims of crime from the Office of Victim Services (OVS). In the past, this would only be the case for victims whose charges included criminal obstruction of breathing or blood circulation; certain menacing, harassment, aggravated harassment, criminal contempt and stalking offenses; and hate crimes.
Only individuals who suffered crimes falling under those categories would receive adequate compensation for their crime-related expenses, such as bills related to counseling and moving expenses, but crime scene cleanup and shelter costs were not included. Now, the legislation has been expanded to cover all of these expenses for crime victims regardless of whether physical injuries were sustained during the criminal mischief or not.
Those seeking crime victim compensation assistance with the Office of Victim Services will now receive much-needed relief from the stress of this difficult process, regardless of the circumstances of the crime they were victims of. This is yet another great step in the right direction to improve the lives of local communities. A representative of the organization stated, "This will have a meaningful impact in the lives of many who are unfortunately involved in a crime every day in New York. Being a victim of violence or abuse places a tremendous amount of stress on the victims and their families. They should not have to be concerned with worrying about paying the bills associated with their medical services, counseling services, lost income, or funeral and burial expenses where a loved one has died as a result of being a victim."
The organization further added that, while these laws are made to protect the victim, they will still need assistance making their way through the related legal processes in most cases. The representative stated, "The victim of crime compensation programs for all states are different and are administered under each state's own laws. Unfortunately, this makes it so that the application process can sometimes be lengthy, and require an extensive follow up by the claimant before they can see any of the OVS benefits. This is why it is so important to get counseling from an expert in these matters, as the right guidance is invaluable in these cases. At Crime Victim Compensation - Manhattan office, we do everything within our power to connect victims with attorneys who specialize in criminal injury compensation, and can advise them on their rights and the best course of action to take according to the situation at hand."
Crime Victim Compensation has put their legal expertise and experience at the service of the New York community for a number of years. They have supported countless victims who sought their assistance to help them get through difficult times, relying on the firm’s extensive knowledge in the field as well as their unyielding commitment towards helping the community. The organization also serves New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Texas, similarly helping residents from these areas get in touch with local attorneys.
Those seeking such services may apply for the organization's assistance through their website, where further contact information can be found, or click the following link: Office of Victim Services Assistance.
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For more information about Crime Victim Compensation - Manhattan, contact the company here:
Crime Victim Compensation - Manhattan
646-854-5110
950 3rd Avenue, 11th Floor New York, NY 10022
