Generally, only you can sue the defendant for a crime. Sometimes, however, your family members can also bring a lawsuit. Family members most likely to prevail are spouses, registered domestic partners and children of the victim. To bring suit, the family members must have suffered harm such as: Negligent infliction of emotional distress, Loss of consortium (moral support, sex, companionship, etc.), Loss of financial support, Wrongful death, A survival action by the victim's estate. Families of violent crime survivors who need help with expenses may also be able to obtain them through the CalVCP program, even if they do not have a basis to sue.