Wis. Stat. § 949.08 — WI Code / Chapter 949 / Section 949.08
Limitations on awards.
Status: in_force

(1) No order for the payment of an award may be made unless the application was made within 1 year after the date of the personal injury or death, and the personal injury or death was the result of an incident or offense which had been reported to the police within 5 days of its occurrence or, if the incident or offense could not reasonably have been reported within such period, within 5 days of the time when a report could reasonably have been made. The department may waive the requirements under this subsection in the interest of justice.

(1m)

(a) Except as provided in par. (b) , the department may not make an award of more than $40,000 for any one injury or death and the department may not make any award for expenses incurred after 4 years from the date of the injury or death.

(b) If an applicant was a child at the time of the injury, the department may consider for payment eligible expenses that the applicant incurred not more than 1 year before he or she submitted an application for an award under this subchapter. The department may not make any award after 4 years have passed since the date the person made the application or after 4 years have passed since the date on which the person incurred the expense prior to submitting the application, whichever occurs first.

(2) No award may be ordered if the victim:

(a) Engaged in conduct which substantially contributed to the infliction of the victim’s injury or death or in which the victim could have reasonably foreseen could lead to the injury or death. This does not apply to awards to victims under s. 949.03 (1m) or (1s) .

(b) Committed a crime which caused or contributed to the victim’s injury or death.

(d) Has not cooperated with appropriate law enforcement agencies.

(e) Is an adult passenger in the offender’s vehicle, the crime involved is specified in s. 346.63 (2) or 940.25 , and the passenger knew the offender was under the influence of an intoxicant, a controlled substance, or another drug to a degree that renders him or her incapable of safely driving. This paragraph does not apply if the victim is also a victim of a crime specified in s. 940.30 , 940.305 , 940.31 or 948.30 .

(em) Is an adult passenger in the offender’s commercial motor vehicle, the crime involved is specified in s. 346.63 (6) or 940.25 , and the passenger knew the offender was under the influence of an intoxicant, a controlled substance, or another drug to a degree that renders him or her incapable of safely driving. This paragraph does not apply if the victim is also a victim of a crime specified in s. 940.30 , 940.305 , 940.31 , or 948.30 .

(f) Has not cooperated with the department in the administration of the program.

(g) Is included on the statewide support lien docket under s. 49.854 (2) (b) , unless the victim provides to the department a payment agreement that has been approved by the county child support agency under s. 59.53 (5) and that is consistent with rules promulgated under s. 49.858 (2) (a) .

(2m) If a claimant other than a victim has not cooperated with the department in the administration of the program, no award may be ordered for the claimant.

(3) No award may be made to any claimant if the award would unjustly benefit the offender or accomplice.

History: 1975 c. 344 , 421 ; 1979 c. 189 ; 1981 c. 20 ; 1983 a. 199 ; 1985 a. 242 , 337 ; 1987 a. 27 ; 1987 a. 332 s. 64 ; 1989 a. 105 , 140 ; 1991 a. 277 ; 1995 a. 404 , 448 ; 1999 a. 9 ; 2003 a. 30 , 97 , 326 ; 2015 a. 350 ss. 22 , 26 to 29 ; 2025 a. 48 , 130 .