Source: http://www.legis.state.wv.us/WVCODE/code.cfm?chap=14&art=2A&section=17
Timestamp: 2013-12-10 00:33:00
Document Index: 480034417

Matched Legal Cases: ['§14', '§14', '§14', '§14', '§14', '§14', '§14', '§14', '§14', '§14', '§14', '§14', '§14', '§14', '§423', '§14', '§14', '§14', '§14', '§14', '§14', '§14', '§14', '§14', '§14', '§14', '§14', '§14', '§14', '§14', '§14']

Chapter 14 Entire Code ‹ Chapter 13A
| Chapter 15 › Printer Friendly Versions
Chapter 14 | Article 14 - 2A
| Section 17
1 - CLAIMS DUE THE STATE
2 - CLAIMS AGAINST THE STATE
2A - COMPENSATION AWARDS TO VICTIMS
14 - 2 A- 1 14 - 2 A- 2 14 - 2 A- 3 14 - 2 A- 4 14 - 2 A- 5 14 - 2 A- 6 14 - 2 A- 7 14 - 2 A- 8 14 - 2 A- 9 14 - 2 A- 10 14 - 2 A- 11 14 - 2 A- 12 14 - 2 A- 13 14 - 2 A- 14 14 - 2 A- 15 14 - 2 A- 16 14 - 2 A- 17 14 - 2 A- 18 14 - 2 A- 19 14 - 2 A- 19 A 14 - 2 A- 20 14 - 2 A- 21 14 - 2 A- 22 14 - 2 A- 23 14 - 2 A- 24 14 - 2 A- 25 14 - 2 A- 26 14 - 2 A- 27 14 - 2 A- 28 14 - 2 A- 29 2B - DISTRIBUTION OF CRIME PROFITS
3 - INTEREST ON PUBLIC CONTRACTS
WVC 14 - CHAPTER 14. CLAIMS DUE AND AGAINST THE STATE.
WVC 14 - 2 A- ARTICLE 2A. COMPENSATION AWARDS TO VICTIMS OF CRIMES.
WVC 14 - 2 A- 1 §14-2A-1. Short title. The act heretofore created by this article and known and
cited as the "West Virginia Crime Reparation Act of 1981" shall
henceforth be known and cited as the "West Virginia Crime Victims
Compensation Act." Any and all funds existing under the West
Virginia crime reparation act of 1981 shall continue for the
purposes set forth in this article, notwithstanding the
amendments to the name of the act or a redesignation of the
special revenue fund in the state treasury as herein provided.
WVC 14 - 2 A- 2 §14-2A-2. Legislative findings; purpose and intent. The Legislature finds and declares that a primary purpose of
government is to provide for the safety of citizens and the
inviolability of their property. To the extent that innocent
citizens are victims of crime, particularly violent crime, and
are without adequate redress for injury to their person or
property, this primary purpose of government is defeated. The
people of West Virginia are demonstrably peaceful, and, in
comparison to the citizens of other states, suffer a lower crime
rate. In establishing the West Virginia crime reparation act of
1981, the Legislature stated its findings that the provision of
governmental services to prevent crime is not wholly effective
and expressed its intent to establish a system of compensation
for the victims of crime which would provide a partial remedy for
the failure of the state to fully achieve this primary purpose of
The Legislature now finds that the system of compensation
established by the act as an experimental effort by the
Legislature of this state on behalf of its people, after having
been reviewed and perfected in its initial stages, should be
continued and retained in the legislative branch of government as
an expression of a moral obligation of the state to provide
partial compensation to the innocent victims of crime for injury
suffered to their person or property.
WVC 14 - 2 A- 3 §14-2A-3. Definitions.
(a) "Claimant" means any of the following persons, whether
residents or nonresidents of this state, who claim an award of
compensation under this article:
(1) A victim, except the term "victim" does not include a
nonresident of this state where the criminally injurious act did
not occur in this state;
(2) A dependent, spouse or minor child of a deceased victim
or, if the deceased victim is a minor, the parents, legal guardians
and siblings of the victim;
(3) A third person, other than a collateral source, who
legally assumes or voluntarily pays the obligations of a victim or
a victim's dependent when the obligations are incurred as a result
of the criminally injurious conduct that is the subject of the
(4) A person who is authorized to act on behalf of a victim,
dependent or a third person who is not a collateral source
including, but not limited to, assignees, persons holding power of
attorney or others who hold authority to make or submit claims in
place of or on behalf of a victim, a dependent or third person who
is not a collateral source and if the victim, dependent or third
person who is not a collateral source is a minor or other legally
incompetent person, their duly qualified fiduciary;
(5) A person who is a secondary victim in need of mental health counseling due to the person's exposure to the crime
committed whose award may not exceed $1,000; and
(6) A person who owns real property damaged by the operation
of a methamphetamine laboratory without the knowledge or consent of
the owner of the real property.
(b) "Collateral source" means a source of benefits or
advantages for economic loss otherwise compensable that the victim
or claimant has received or that is readily available to him or her
from any of the following sources:
(1) The offender, including restitution received from the
offender pursuant to an order by a court sentencing the offender or
placing him or her on probation following a conviction in a
criminal case arising from the criminally injurious act for which
a claim for compensation is made;
(2) The government of the United States or its agencies, a
state or its political subdivisions or an instrumentality of two or
more states;
(4) State-required, temporary, nonoccupational disability
insurance or other disability insurance;
(7) Proceeds of a contract of insurance payable to the victim
or claimant for loss that was sustained because of the criminally
injurious conduct;
(8) A contract providing prepaid hospital and other health
care services or benefits for disability; and
(9) That portion of the proceeds of all contracts of insurance
payable to the claimant on account of the death of the victim which
exceeds $25,000.
(c) "Criminally injurious conduct" means conduct that occurs
or is attempted in this state, or in any state not having a victim
compensation program, which poses a substantial threat of personal
injury or death and is punishable by fine, imprisonment or death or
would be so punishable but for a finding by a court of competent
jurisdiction that the person committing the crime lacked capacity. Criminally injurious conduct also includes criminally injurious
conduct committed outside of the United States against a resident
of this state. Criminally injurious conduct does not include
conduct arising out of the ownership, maintenance or use of a motor
vehicle unless the person engaging in the conduct intended to cause
personal injury or death or committed negligent homicide, driving
under the influence of alcohol, controlled substances or drugs,
leaving the scene of the accident or reckless driving.
(d) "Dependent" means an individual who received over half of
his or her support from the victim. For the purpose of making this
determination there shall be taken into account the amount of
support received from the victim as compared to the entire amount
of support the individual received from all sources including self-support. The term "support" includes, but is not limited to, food, shelter, clothing, medical and dental care and education. The term "dependent" includes a child of the victim born after his
or her death.
(e) "Economic loss" means economic detriment consisting only
of allowable expense, work loss and replacement services loss. If
criminally injurious conduct causes death, economic loss includes
a dependent's economic loss and a dependent's replacement services
loss. Noneconomic detriment is not economic loss, however, economic
loss may be caused by pain and suffering or physical impairment. For purposes of this article, the term "economic loss" includes a
lost scholarship as defined in this section.
(1) Reasonable charges incurred or to be incurred for
reasonably needed products, services and accommodations including
those for medical care, mental health counseling, prosthetic
devices, eye glasses, dentures, rehabilitation and other remedial
treatment and care but does not include that portion of a charge
for a room in a hospital, clinic, convalescent home, nursing home
or other institution engaged in providing nursing care and related
services which is in excess of a reasonable and customary charge
for semiprivate accommodations unless accommodations other than
semiprivate accommodations are medically required;
(2) A total charge not in excess of $10,000 for expenses in
any way related to funerals, cremations and burials; (3) A charge, not to exceed $10,000, for cleanup of real property damaged by a methamphetamine laboratory or a charge not to
exceed $1,000 for any other crime scene cleanup;
(5) Reasonable travel expenses not to exceed $1,000 for a
claimant to attend court proceedings conducted for the prosecution
of the offender;
(6) Reasonable travel expenses for a claimant to return a
person who is a minor or incapacitated adult who has been
unlawfully removed from this state to another state or country if
the removal constitutes a crime under the laws of this state which may not exceed $2,000 for expenses to another state or $3,000
to another country; and
(7) Reasonable travel expenses for the transportation of a
victim to and from a medical facility.
(g) "Work loss" means loss of income from work that the
injured person would have performed if he or she had not been
injured and expenses reasonably incurred or to be incurred by him
or her to obtain services in lieu of those he or she would have
performed for income. "Work loss" is reduced by income from
substitute work actually performed or to be performed by him or her
or by income he or she would have earned in available appropriate
substitute work that he or she was capable of performing but
unreasonably failed to undertake. "Work loss" also includes loss
of income from work by the parent or legal guardian of a minor
victim who must miss work to take care of the minor victim.
(h) "Replacement services loss" means expenses reasonably
incurred or to be incurred in obtaining ordinary and necessary
services in lieu of those the injured person would have performed
for the benefit of himself or herself or his or her family if he or
she had not been injured. "Replacement services loss" does not
include services an injured person would have performed to generate
income. (i) "Dependent's economic loss" means loss after a victim's
death of contributions or things of economic value to his or her
dependents but does not include services they would have received
from the victim if he or she had not suffered the fatal injury. This amount is reduced by expenses avoided by the dependent due to
the victim's death.
(j) "Dependent's replacement service loss" means loss
reasonably incurred or to be incurred by dependents after a
victim's death in obtaining ordinary and necessary services in lieu
of those the victim would have performed for their benefit if he or
she had not suffered the fatal injury. This amount is reduced by
expenses avoided due to the victim's death but which are not
already subtracted in calculating a dependent's economic loss.
(1) A person who suffers personal injury or death as a result
of any one of the following:
(A) Criminally injurious conduct; (B) The good faith effort of the person to prevent criminally injurious conduct; or
(C) The good faith effort of the person to apprehend a person
that the injured person has observed engaging in criminally
injurious conduct or who the injured person has reasonable cause to
believe has engaged in criminally injurious conduct immediately
prior to the attempted apprehension. (2) The owner of real property damaged by the operation of a
methamphetamine laboratory which operation was without his or her
(l) "Contributory misconduct" means any conduct of the
claimant or of the victim through whom the claimant claims an award
that is unlawful or intentionally tortious and that, without regard
to the conduct's proximity in time or space to the criminally
injurious conduct, has a causal relationship to the criminally
injurious conduct that is the basis of the claim and includes the
voluntary intoxication of the claimant, either by the consumption
of alcohol or the use of any controlled substance, when the
intoxication has a causal connection or relationship to the injury
(m) "Lost scholarship" means a scholarship, academic award,
stipend or other monetary scholastic assistance which had been
awarded or conferred upon a victim in conjunction with a post-
secondary school educational program and which the victim is unable
to receive or use, in whole or in part, due to injuries received
from criminally injurious conduct.
WVC 14-2A-4
§14-2A-4. Creation of crime victims compensation fund.
(a) Every person within the state who is convicted of or
pleads guilty to a misdemeanor offense, other than a traffic
offense that is not a moving violation, in any magistrate court or
circuit court, shall pay the sum of ten dollars as costs in the
case, in addition to any other court costs that the court is
required by law to impose upon the convicted person. Every person
within the state who is convicted of or pleads guilty to a
misdemeanor offense, other than a traffic offense that is not a
moving violation, in any municipal court, shall pay the sum of
eight dollars as costs in the case, in addition to any other court
costs that the court is required by law to impose upon the
convicted person. In addition to any other costs previously
specified, every person within the state who is convicted of or
pleads guilty to a violation of section two, article five, chapter
seventeen-c of this code, shall pay a fee in the amount of twenty
percent of any fine imposed under that section. This is in
addition to any other court costs required by this section or which
(b) The clerk of the circuit court, magistrate court or
municipal court where the additional costs are imposed under the
provisions of subsection (a) of this section shall, on or before
the last day of each month, transmit all costs received under this article to the state treasurer for deposit in the state treasury to
the credit of a special revenue fund to be known as the "Crime
Victims Compensation Fund". All moneys collected and received
under this article and paid into the state treasury and credited to
the crime victims compensation fund in the manner prescribed in
section two, article two, chapter twelve of this code, shall be
kept and maintained for the specific purposes of this article, and
may not be treated by the auditor and treasurer as part of the
general revenue of the state.
(c) Expenditure of moneys in the crime victims compensation
fund is authorized from collections.
(d) Moneys in the crime victims compensation fund may be
expended for:
(1) The payment of the costs of administration of this
(2) The payment of economic loss awards approved by the court;
(3) The payment of attorney and witness fees, allowed pursuant
to section nineteen of this article.
(e) The services of the office of the attorney general, as may
be required or authorized by any of the provisions of this article,
shall be rendered without charge to the fund.
(f) Any moneys in the crime victims compensation fund may be invested as provided in article six, chapter twelve of this code,
with the interest income credited to the crime victims compensation
(g) All funds in the special economic loss claim payment fund
created under the provisions of section twenty of this article
prior to the amendments made in that section enacted in the year
one thousand nine hundred ninety-nine shall be transferred to the
crime victims compensation fund within a reasonable time from the
effective date of the amendments.
(h) All gifts that are received to be used for the purposes of
this article shall be deposited into the crime victims compensation
WVC 14 - 2 A- 5 §14-2A-5. Jurisdiction. Any judge of the court of claims individually, or the court
of claims en banc, or any court of claims commissioner appointed
pursuant to section six of this article, shall have jurisdiction
to approve awards of compensation arising from criminally
injurious conduct, in accordance with the provisions of this
article, if satisfied by a preponderance of the evidence that the
requirements for an award of compensation have been met.
WVC 14 - 2 A- 6 §14-2A-6. Appointment and compensation of commissioners and judges serving under this article. (a) The court of claims, with the approval of the president
of the Senate and the speaker of the House of Delegates, may
appoint court of claims commissioners to hear claims for awards
of compensation and to approve awards of compensation pursuant to
the provisions of this article. Each commissioner shall serve at
the pleasure of the court of claims and under the supervision of
the judges of the court of claims.
(b) The court of claims shall fix the compensation of the
court of claims commissioners in an amount not exceeding the
compensation for judges of the court of claims. Compensation of
judges and commissioners for services performed under this
article, and actual expenses incurred in the performance of
duties as judges and commissioners under this article shall be
paid out of the crime victims compensation fund.
(c) The limitation period of one hundred days in section
eight, article two of this chapter pertaining to time served by
the judges of the court of claims shall not apply to the
WVC 14 - 2 A- 7 §14-2A-7. Qualifications of commissioners. Each commissioner appointed by the court of claims shall be
an attorney-at-law, licensed to practice in this state, and shall
have been so licensed to practice law for a period of not less
than three years prior to his appointment as commissioner. A
commissioner shall not be an officer or an employee of any branch
of state government, except in his capacity as commissioner of
the court. A commissioner shall not hear or participate in the
consideration of any claim in which he is interested personally,
either directly or indirectly. When practicable, the
commissioners should be selected from different congressional
districts and be geographically located, with reference to their
counties of residence, to facilitate the appearance of claimants
and witnesses at hearings held pursuant to this article.
WVC 14 - 2 A- 8 §14-2A-8. Commissioners' oath of office. Each commissioner shall, before entering upon the duties of
his office, take and subscribe to the oath prescribed by section
five, article four of the constitution of the state. The oath
shall be filed with the clerk.
WVC 14 - 2 A- 9 §14-2A-9. Claim investigators; compensation and expenses;
paralegals and support staff.
The court of claims is hereby authorized to hire not more than
two claim investigators to be employed within the office of the
clerk of the court of claims, who shall carry out the functions and
duties set forth in section twelve of this article. Claim
investigators shall serve at the pleasure of the court of claims
and under the administrative supervision of the clerk of the court
of claims. The compensation of claim investigators shall be fixed
by the court, and such compensation, together with travel, clerical
and other expenses of the clerk of the court of claims relating to
a claim investigator carrying out his duties under this article,
including the cost of obtaining reports required by the
investigator in investigating a claim, shall be payable from the
crime victims compensation fund as appropriated for such purpose by
The court of claims is hereby authorized to hire as support
staff such paralegal or paralegals and secretary or secretaries to
be employed within the office of the clerk of the court of claims,
necessary to carry out the functions and duties of this article. Such support staff shall serve at the will and pleasure of the
court of claims and under the administrative supervision of the
clerk of the court of claims.
WVC 14 - 2 A- 10 §14-2A-10. Filing of application for compensation award; contents. (a) A claim for an award of compensation shall be commenced by
filing an application for an award of compensation with the clerk
of the court of claims. The application shall be in a form
prescribed by the clerk of the court of claims and shall contain
the information specified in subdivisions (1) through (6) of this
subsection and, to the extent possible, the information in
subdivisions (7) through (10) of this subsection:
(1) The name and address of the victim of the criminally
injurious conduct, the name and address of the claimant and the
relationship of the claimant to the victim;
(2) The nature of the criminally injurious conduct that is the
basis for the claim and the date on which the conduct occurred;
(3) The law-enforcement agency or officer to whom the
criminally injurious conduct was reported and the date on which it
was reported;
(4) Whether the claimant is the spouse, parent, child, brother
or sister of the offender, or is similarly related to an accomplice
of the offender who committed the criminally injurious conduct;
(5) A release authorizing the court of claims, the court of
claims commissioners and the claim investigator to obtain any
report, document or information that relates to the determination
of the claim for an award of compensation;
(6) If the victim is deceased, the name and address of each
dependent of the victim and the extent to which each is dependent
upon the victim for care and support;
(7) The nature and extent of the injuries that the victim
sustained from the criminally injurious conduct for which
compensation is sought, the name and address of any person who gave
medical treatment to the victim for the injuries, the name and
address of any hospital or similar institution where the victim
received medical treatment for the injuries, and whether the victim
died as a result of the injuries;
(8) The total amount of the economic loss that the victim, a
dependent or the claimant sustained or will sustain as a result of
the criminally injurious conduct, without regard to the financial
limitation set forth in subsection (g), section fourteen of this
(9) The amount of benefits or advantages that the victim, a
dependent or other claimant has received or is entitled to receive
from any collateral source for economic loss that resulted from the
criminally injurious conduct, and the name of each collateral
(10) Any additional relevant information that the court of
claims may require. The court of claims may require the claimant
to submit, with the application, materials to substantiate the
facts that are stated in the application.
(b) All applications for an award of compensation shall be
filed within two years after the occurrence of the criminally
injurious conduct that is the basis of the application. Any
application so filed which contains the information specified in
subdivisions (1) through (6), subsection (a) of this section may
not be excluded from consideration on the basis of incomplete information specified in subdivisions (7) through (10) of said
subsection if such information is completed after reasonable
assistance in the completion thereof is provided under procedures
established by the court of claims.
(c) A person who knowingly and willfully presents or attempts
to present a false or fraudulent application, or who knowingly and
willfully participates, or assists in the preparation or
presentation of a false or fraudulent application, shall be guilty
of a misdemeanor. A person convicted, in a court of competent
jurisdiction, of a violation of this section shall be fined not
more than one thousand dollars or imprisoned for not more than one
year, or both, in the discretion of such court. If the convicted
person is a state officer or employee, he shall, in addition,
forfeit his office or position of employment, as the case may be.
WVC 14 - 2 A- 11 §14-2A-11. Procedure for filing of application. The clerk of the court of claims shall establish a procedure
for the filing, recording and processing of applications for an
award of compensation.
WVC 14 - 2 A- 12 §14-2A-12. Investigation and recommendations by claim investigator. (a) The clerk of the court of claims shall transmit a copy of
the application to the claim investigator within seven days after
the filing of the application.
(b) The claim investigator, upon receipt of an application for
an award of compensation from the clerk of the court of claims,
shall investigate the claim. After completing the investigation,
the claim investigator shall make a written finding of fact and
recommendation concerning an award of compensation. He shall file
with the clerk the finding of fact and recommendation and all
information or documents that he used in his investigation: Provided, That the claim investigator shall not file information or
documents which have been the subject of a protective order entered
under the provisions of subsection (c) of this section.
(c) The claim investigator, while investigating the claim, may
require the claimant to supplement the application for an award of
compensation with any further information or documentary materials,
including any medical report readily available, which may lead to
any relevant facts aiding in the determination of whether, and the
extent to which, a claimant qualifies for an award of compensation.
The claim investigator, while investigating the claim, may
also require law-enforcement officers and prosecuting attorneys
employed by the state or any political subdivision thereof, to
provide him with reports, information, witness statements or other
data gathered in the investigation of the criminally injurious
conduct that is the basis of any claim to enable him to determine whether, and the extent to which, a claimant qualifies for an award
of compensation. The prosecuting attorney and any officer or
employee of the prosecuting attorney or of the law-enforcement
agency shall be immune from any civil liability that might
otherwise be incurred as the result of providing such reports,
information, witness statements or other data relating to the
criminally injurious conduct to the claim investigator.
Upon motion of any party, court or agency from whom such
reports, information, witness statements or other data is sought,
and for good cause shown, the court may make any order which
justice requires to protect a witness or other person, including,
but not limited to, the following: (1) That the reports,
information, witness statements or other data not be made
available; (2) that the reports, information, witness statements or
other data may be made available only on specified terms and
conditions, including a designation of time and place; (3) that the
reports, information, witness statements or other data be made
available only by a different method than that selected by the
claim investigator; (4) that certain matters not be inquired into,
or that the scope of the claim investigator's request be limited to
certain matters; (5) that the reports, information, witness
statements or other data be examined only by certain persons
designated by the court; (6) that the reports, information, witness
statements or other data, after being sealed, be opened only by
order of the court; (7) that confidential information or the
identity of confidential witnesses or informers not be disclosed,
or disclosed only in a designated manner.
However, in any case wherein the claim investigator has reason
to believe that his investigation may interfere with or jeopardize
the investigation of a crime by law-enforcement officers, or the
prosecution of a case by prosecuting attorneys, he shall apply to
the court of claims, or a judge thereof, for an order granting
leave to discontinue his investigation for a reasonable time in
order to avoid such interference or jeopardization. When it
appears to the satisfaction of the court, or judge, upon
application by the claim investigator or in its own discretion,
that the investigation of a case by the claim investigator will
interfere with or jeopardize the investigation or prosecution of a
crime, the court, or judge, shall issue an order granting the claim
investigator leave to discontinue his investigation for such time
as the court, or judge, deems reasonable to avoid such interferenceor jeopardization.
(d) The finding of fact that is issued by the claim
investigator pursuant to subsection (b) of this section shall
(1) Whether the criminally injurious conduct that is the basis
for the application did occur, the date on which the conduct
occurred and the exact nature of the conduct;
(2) If the criminally injurious conduct was reported to a law-enforcement officer or agency, the date on which the conduct was
reported and the name of the person who reported the conduct; or,
the reasons why the conduct was not reported to a law-enforcement
officer or agency; or, the reasons why the conduct was not reported
to a law-enforcement officer or agency within seventy-two hours after the conduct occurred;
(3) The exact nature of the injuries that the victim sustained
as a result of the criminally injurious conduct;
(4) If the claim investigator is recommending that an award be
made, a specific itemization of the economic loss that was
sustained by the victim, the claimant or a dependent as a result of
the criminally injurious conduct;
(5) If the claim investigator is recommending that an award be
made, a specific itemization of any benefits or advantages that the
victim, the claimant or a dependent has received or is entitled to
receive from any collateral source for economic loss that resulted
from the conduct;
(6) Whether the claimant is the spouse, parent, child, brother
(7) Any information which might be a basis for a reasonable
reduction or denial of a claim because of contributory misconduct
of the claimant or of a victim through whom he or she claims;
(8) Any additional information that the claim investigator
deems to be relevant to the evaluation of the claim.
(e) The recommendation that is issued by the claim
(1) Whether an award of compensation should be made to the
claimant and the amount of the award;
(2) If the claim investigator recommends that an award not be
made to the claimant, the reason for his decision.
(f) The claim investigator shall file his finding of fact and
recommendation with the clerk within six months after the filing of
the application: Provided, That where there is active criminal
investigation or prosecution of the person or persons alleged to
have committed the criminally injurious conduct which is the basis
for the claimant's claim, the claim investigator shall file his
finding of fact and recommendation within six months after the
first of any final convictions or other final determinations as to
innocence or guilt, or any other final disposition of criminal
proceedings. In any case, an additional time period may be
provided by order of any court of claims judge or commissioner upon
WVC 14 - 2 A- 13 §14-2A-13. Notice to claimant of claim investigator's recommendation; evaluation of claim by judge or commissioner. (a) The clerk of the court of claims, upon receipt of the
claim investigator's finding of fact and recommendation, shall
forward a copy of the finding of fact and recommendation to the
claimant with a notice informing the claimant that any response,
in the form of objections or comments directed to the finding of
fact and recommendation, must be filed with the clerk within
thirty days of the date of the notice. After the expiration of
such thirty-day period, the clerk shall assign the claim to a
judge or commissioner of the court.
(b) The judge or commissioner to whom the claim is assigned
shall review the finding of fact and recommendation and any
response submitted by the claimant and, if deemed appropriate,
may request the claim investigator to comment in writing on the
claimant's response. The judge or commissioner shall, within
forty-five days after assignment by the clerk, evaluate the claim
without a hearing and either deny the claim or approve an award
of compensation to the claimant.
WVC 14 - 2 A- 14 §14-2A-14. Grounds for denial of claim or reduction of awards;
maximum awards.
(a) Except as provided in subsection (b), section ten of this
article, the judge or commissioner may not approve an award of
compensation to a claimant who did not file his or her application
for an award of compensation within two years after the date of the
occurrence of the criminally injurious conduct that caused the
injury or death for which he or she is seeking an award of
(b) The judge or commissioner may not approve an award of
compensation if the criminally injurious conduct upon which the
claim is based was not reported to a law-enforcement officer or
agency within seventy-two hours after the occurrence of the
conduct, unless it is determined that good cause existed for the
failure to report the conduct within the 72-hour period.
(c) The judge or commissioner may not approve an award of
compensation to a claimant who is the offender or an accomplice of
the offender who committed the criminally injurious conduct, nor to
any claimant if the award would unjustly benefit the offender or
his or her accomplice.
(d) A judge or commissioner, upon a finding that the claimant
or victim has not fully cooperated with appropriate law-enforcement
agencies or the claim investigator, may deny a claim, reduce an
award of compensation or reconsider a claim already approved.
(e) A judge or commissioner may not approve an award of compensation if the injury occurred while the victim was confined
in any state, county or regional jail, prison, private prison or
(f) After reaching a decision to approve an award of
compensation, but prior to announcing the approval, the judge or
commissioner shall require the claimant to submit current
information as to collateral sources on forms prescribed by the
Clerk of the Court of Claims. The judge or commissioner shall
reduce an award of compensation or deny a claim for an award of
compensation that is otherwise payable to a claimant to the extent
that the economic loss upon which the claim is based is or will be
recouped from other persons, including collateral sources, or if
the reduction or denial is determined to be reasonable because of
the contributory misconduct of the claimant or of a victim through
whom he or she claims. If an award is reduced or a claim is denied
because of the expected recoupment of all or part of the economic
loss of the claimant from a collateral source, the amount of the
award or the denial of the claim shall be conditioned upon the
claimant's economic loss being recouped by the collateral source:
Provided, That if it is thereafter determined that the claimant
will not receive all or part of the expected recoupment, the claim
shall be reopened and an award shall be approved in an amount equal
to the amount of expected recoupment that it is determined the
claimant will not receive from the collateral source, subject to
the limitation set forth in subsection (g) of this section.
(g) (1) Except in the case of death, or as provided in
subdivision (2) of this subsection, compensation payable to a
victim and to all other claimants sustaining economic loss because
of injury to that victim may not exceed $35,000 in the aggregate. Compensation payable to all claimants because of the death of the
victim may not exceed $50,000 in the aggregate.
(2) In the event the victim's personal injuries are so severe
as to leave the victim with a disability, as defined in Section 223
of the Social Security Act, as amended, as codified in 42 U.S.C.
§423, the court may award an additional amount, not to exceed
$100,000, for special needs attributable to the injury.
(h) If an award of compensation of $5,000 or more is made to
a minor, a guardian shall be appointed pursuant to the provisions
of article ten, chapter forty-four of this code to manage the
minor's estate.
WVC 14 - 2 A- 15 §14-2A-15. Hearings. (a) If either the claim investigator or the claimant disagrees
with the approval of an award or the denial of a claim in the
summary manner set forth in the preceding sections of this article,
the claim investigator or the claimant, or both, shall file with
the clerk a request for hearing. Such request shall be filed
within twenty-one days after notification by the judge or
commissioner of his decision.
(b) Upon receipt of a request for hearing, the clerk shall
place the claim upon the regular docket of the court for hearing,
shall advise the attorney general and the claimant of the receipt
of the request and docketing of the claim, and shall request the
attorney general to commence negotiations with the claimant.
(c) During the period of negotiations and pending hearing, the
attorney general, shall, if possible, reach an agreement with the
claimant regarding the facts upon which the claim is based so as to
avoid the necessity for the introduction of evidence at the
hearing. If the parties are unable to agree upon the facts, an
attempt shall be made to stipulate the questions of fact in issue.
(d) The hearing held in accordance with this section shall be
before a single judge or commissioner to whom the claim has not
been previously assigned. Hearings before a judge or commissioner
may, in the discretion of such hearing officer, be held at such
locations throughout the state as will facilitate the appearance of
the claimant and witnesses.
(e) The hearing shall be conducted so as to disclose all
material facts and issues. The judge or commissioner may examine or cross-examine witnesses. The judge and commissioner may call
witnesses or require evidence not produced by the parties; may
stipulate the questions to be argued by the parties; and may
continue the hearing until some subsequent time to permit a more
complete presentation of the claim.
(f) After the close of the hearing the judge or commissioner
shall consider the claim and shall conclude his determination, if
possible, within thirty days.
(g) The court shall adopt and may from time to time amend
rules of procedure to govern proceedings before the court in
accordance with the provisions of this article. The rules shall be
designed to assure a simple, expeditious and inexpensive
consideration of claims. The rules shall permit a claimant to
appear in his own behalf or be represented by counsel and provide
for interests of the state to be represented by the attorney
general in any hearing under this section at no additional cost to
the fund or the state.
Under its rules, the court shall not be bound by the usual
common law or statutory rules of evidence. The court may accept
and weigh, in accordance with its evidential value, any information
that will assist the court in determining the factual basis of a
WVC 14 - 2 A- 16 §14-2A-16. Evidence. (a) There is no privilege, except the privilege arising from
the attorney-client relationship, as to communications or records
that are relevant to the physical, mental or emotional condition of
the claimant or victim in a proceeding under this article in which
that condition is an element.
(b) If the mental, physical or emotional condition of a victim
or claimant is material to a claim for an award of compensation,
the court, judge or commissioner may order the victim or claimant
to submit to a mental or physical examination by a physician or
psychologist, and may order an autopsy of a deceased victim. The
order may be made for good cause shown and upon notice to the
person to be examined and to the claimant and the claim
investigator. The order shall specify the time, place, manner,
conditions and scope of the examination or autopsy and the person
by whom it is to be made, and shall require the person who performs
the examination or autopsy to file with the clerk of the court of
claims a detailed written report of the examination or autopsy. The report shall set out the findings, including the results of all
tests made, diagnosis, prognosis and other conclusions and reports
of earlier examinations of the same conditions. On request of the
person examined, the clerk of the court of claims shall furnish him
a copy of the report. If the victim is deceased, the clerk of the
court of claims, on request, shall furnish the claimant a copy of
(c) The court, or a judge or commissioner thereof, may order
law-enforcement officers employed by the state or any political subdivision thereof to provide it or the claim investigator with
copies of any information or data gathered in the investigation of
the criminally injurious conduct that is the basis of any claim to
enable it to determine whether, and the extent to which, a claimant
qualifies for an award of compensation.
(d) The court, or a judge or commissioner thereof, may require
the claimant to supplement the application for an award of
compensation with any reasonably available medical or psychological
reports relating to the injury for which the award of compensation
is claimed.
(e) The court, a judge or commissioner thereof, or the claim
investigator, in a claim arising out of a violation of article
eight-b, chapter sixty-one of this code, shall not request the
victim or the claimant to supply any evidence of specific instances
of the victim's activity, or reputation evidence of the victim's
sexual activity, unless it involves evidence of the victim's past
sexual activity with the offender, and then only to the extent that
the court, the judge, the commissioner or the claim investigator
finds that the evidence is relevant to a fact at issue in the
(f) Notwithstanding any provision of this code to the contrary
relating to the confidentiality of juvenile records, the court of
claims, a judge or commissioner thereof, or the claim investigator
shall have access to the records of juvenile proceedings which bear
upon an application for compensation under this article. The court
of claims, a judge or commissioner thereof, and the claim
investigator, shall, to the extent possible, maintain the confidentiality of juvenile records.
WVC 14 - 2 A- 17 §14-2A-17. Contempt sanction not available. If a person refuses to comply with an order under this
article, or asserts a privilege, except privileges arising from
the attorney-client relationship, so as to withhold or suppress
evidence relevant to a claim for an award of compensation, the
court, judge or commissioner may make any just order, including
denial of the claim, but shall not find the person in contempt. If necessary to carry out any of his powers and duties, the claim
investigator may petition the court of claims for an appropriate
order, including an order authorizing the investigator to take
the depositions of witnesses by oral examination or written
interrogatory, but the court of claims shall not find a person in
contempt for refusal to submit to a mental or physical
WVC 14 - 2 A- 18 §14-2A-18. Effect of prosecution or conviction of offender. The court, or a judge or commissioner thereof, may approve
an award of compensation whether or not any person is prosecuted
or convicted for committing the conduct that is the basis of the
award. Proof of conviction of a person whose conduct gave rise
to a claim is conclusive evidence that the crime was committed,
unless an application for rehearing, an appeal of the conviction
or certiorari is pending, or a rehearing or new trial has been
The court, or a judge or commissioner thereof, shall
suspend, upon a request of the claim investigator, the
proceedings in any claim for an award of compensation pending
disposition of a criminal prosecution that has been commenced or
WVC 14 - 2 A- 19 §14-2A-19. Attorney and witness fees.
(a) By separate order, the court, or a judge or commissioner
thereof, shall determine and award reasonable attorney's fees,
commensurate with services rendered and reimbursement for
reasonable and necessary expenses actually incurred shall be paid
from the crime victims compensation fund to the attorney
representing a claimant in a proceeding under this article at the
same rates as set forth in section thirteen-a, article twenty-one,
chapter twenty-nine of this code. Attorney's fees and
reimbursement may be denied upon a finding that the claim or appeal
is frivolous. Awards of attorney's fees and reimbursement shall be
in addition to awards of compensation, and attorney's fees and
reimbursement may be awarded whether or not an award of
compensation is approved. An attorney shall not contract for or
receive any larger sum than the amount allowed under this section. In no event may a prosecuting attorney or assistant prosecuting
attorney represent any victim seeking compensation under this
(b) Each witness called by the court to appear in a hearing on
a claim for an award of compensation shall receive compensation and
expenses in an amount equal to that received by witnesses in civil
cases as provided in section sixteen, article one, chapter
fifty-nine of this code to be paid from the crime victims
compensation fund.
WVC 14 - 2 A- 19 A
§14-2A-19a. Effect on physician, hospital and healthcare
providers filing an assignment of benefits;
tolling of the statute of limitations.
(a) As part of the order, the court, or a judge or
commissioner thereof, shall determine whether fees are due and
owing for health care services rendered by a physician, hospital or
other health care provider stemming from an injury received as
defined under this article, and further, whether or not the
physician, hospital or other health care provider has been
presented an assignment of benefits, signed by the crime victim,
authorizing direct payments of benefits to the health care
provider. If such fees are due and owing and the health care
provider has presented a valid assignment of benefits, the court,
or a judge or commissioner thereof, shall determine the amount or
amounts and shall cause such reasonable fees to be paid out of the
amount awarded the crime victim under this article directly to the
physician, hospital or other health care provider. The
requirements of this section shall be applicable to, and any such
unpaid fees shall be determined and payable from, the awards made
by the Legislature at regular session, one thousand nine hundred
eighty-seven, and subsequently: Provided, That when a claim is
filed under this section, the court shall determine the total
damages due the crime victim, and where the total damages exceed
the maximum amount which may be awarded under this article, the
amount paid the health care provider shall be paid in the same proportion to which the actual award bears to the total damages
determined by the court. In any case wherein an award is made
which includes an amount for funeral, cremation or burial expenses,
or a combination thereof, the court shall provide for the payment
directly to the provider or providers of such services, in an
amount deemed proper by the court, where such expenses are unpaid
at the time of the award.
(b) If the health care provider has filed an assignment of
benefits, the provider shall aid the crime victim in the
development of his or her claim by providing the court with the
amount of such fees as well as the amount of any portion of the
fees paid the provider by the crime victim directly or paid the
provider for the crime victim by a collateral source.
(c) Whether or not a health care provider has filed an
assignment of benefits, the court shall disclose no information
regarding the status of the claim to the provider: Provided, That
the court shall promptly notify the provider of the final
disposition of the claim, if the provider is known to the court.
(d) Whenever a person files a claim under this article, the
statute of limitations for the collection of unpaid fees paid for
such health care services shall be tolled during the pendency of
the claim before the court.
WVC 14-2A-20
§14-2A-20. Budget preparation; procedure for payment of claims.
(a) The legislative auditor shall submit to the department of
administration, on or before the twentieth day of November of each
year, an anticipated budget for the crime victims compensation
program provided in this article for the next fiscal year, which
(1) An estimate of the balance and receipts anticipated in the
crime victims compensation fund;
(2) Amounts anticipated to be sufficient for the payment of
all administrative expenses necessary for the administration of
(3) Amounts anticipated to be sufficient for the payment of
awards, attorney fees, witness fees and other authorized fees,
costs or expenses that may arise under this article during the next
(b) The governor shall include in his or her proposed budget
bill and revenue estimates the amounts submitted by the legislative
auditor under subsection (a) of this section.
(c) The clerk shall certify each authorized award and the
amount of the award and make requisition upon the crime victims
compensation fund to the auditor. Notwithstanding any provision of
chapter twelve of this code to the contrary, the auditor shall
issue a warrant to the treasurer without further examination or review of the claim if there is a sufficient unexpended balance in
the crime victims compensation fund.
(d) The court may provide that payment be made to a claimant
or to a third party for economic losses of the claimant and the
order may provide an award for the payment for actual economic
losses which are prospective as well as those which have already
WVC 14 - 2 A- 21 §14-2A-21. Annual report of court of claims. The court of claims shall prepare and transmit annually to
the governor and the Legislature a report of the activities of
the court of claims under this article. The report shall
include the number of claims filed, the number of awards made and
the amount of each award, and a statistical summary of claims and
awards made and denied; the balance in the crime victims
compensation fund with a listing by source and amount of the
moneys that have been deposited in the fund; the amount that has
been withdrawn from the fund, including separate listings of the
administrative costs incurred by the court of claims,
compensation of judges, commissioners and court personnel, the
amount awarded as attorneys' fees.
WVC 14 - 2 A- 22 §14-2A-22. State's subrogation to claimant's rights. If an award of compensation is made under the provisions of
this article and is not reduced on account of the availability of
payment by a collateral source, the state, upon the payment of
the award or a part of the award, shall be subrogated to all of
the claimant's rights to receive or recover benefits or
advantages for economic loss for which an award of compensation
was made from such source if it were a collateral source or would
be a collateral source if it were readily available to the victim
or claimant. The claimant may sue the offender for any damages
or injuries caused by the offender's criminally injurious conduct
and not compensated for by an award of compensation. The
claimant may join with the attorney general as co-plaintiff in
any action against the offender. All moneys that are collected
by the state pursuant to its rights of subrogation as provided in
this section shall be deposited in the crime victims compensation
WVC 14 - 2 A- 23 §14-2A-23. Subrogation rights of collateral source. Subrogation rights which a collateral source may have shall
not extend to a recovery from a claimant of all or any part of an
award made under this article. A collateral source may not
apply, in the name of a claimant or otherwise, for an award of
compensation based upon injury to a claimant to whose rights the
collateral source may be subrogated.
WVC 14 - 2 A- 24 §14-2A-24. Award not subject to execution or attachment; exceptions. An award is not subject to execution, attachment, garnishment
or other process, except that, upon receipt of an award by a
claimant, the part of the award that is for allowable expense is
not exempt from such action by a creditor to the extent that he
provides products, services or accommodations the costs of which
are included in the award and the part of the award that is for
work loss shall not be exempt from such action to secure payment of
alimony, maintenance or child support.
WVC 14 - 2 A- 25 §14-2A-25. Publicity. (a) The clerk of the court of claims shall prepare an
information brochure for the benefit of the general public,
outlining the rights of claimants and procedures to be followed
under this article. Copies of such brochure shall be distributed
to law-enforcement agencies in the state, and be made available
to other interested persons.
(b) Any law-enforcement agency that investigates an offense
committed in this state involving personal injury shall make
reasonable efforts to provide information to the victim of the
offense and his dependents concerning the availability of an
award of compensation and advise such persons that an application
for an award of compensation may be obtained from the clerk of
the court of claims.
WVC 14 - 2 A- 26 §14-2A-26. Rules and regulations.
(a) The court of claims may promulgate rules and regulations
to implement the provisions of this article.
(b) The court of claims shall promulgate rules and regulations
to govern the award of compensation to the spouse of, person living
in the same household with, parent, child, brother or sister of the
offender or his accomplice in order to avoid an unjust benefit to
or the unjust enrichment of the offender or his accomplice.
WVC 14 - 2 A- 27 §14-2A-27. Application of article. The provisions of this article shall not apply to any injury
or death resulting from criminally injurious conduct which
occurred on or before the thirty-first day of December, one
thousand nine hundred eighty-one.
WVC 14 - 2 A- 28 §14-2A-28. Retroactive effect of amendments. Amendments made to the provisions of this article during the
regular session of the Legislature in the year one thousand nine
hundred eighty-four, shall be of retroactive effect to the extent
that such amended provisions shall apply to all cases pending
before the court of claims on the effective date of the act of
the Legislature which effects such amendment.
WVC 14 - 2 A- 29 §14-2A-29. Retroactive effect of amendments.
Amendments made to the provisions of this article during the
hundred ninety-two are retroactive in effect to the extent that the
amended provisions apply to all cases wherein the criminally
injurious conduct occurred after the thirty-first day of December,
one thousand nine hundred ninety-one.