2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FIVE - Internal Security (§§ 1 — 3356) › Subtitle 1 - Generally (§§ 1 — 1973) › PART VII - Prevention and Control of Crime (§§ 901-912 — 983f) › Chapter 94D - Crime Victims Compensation Office (§§ 981 — 981n) › § 981h - Victim compensation benefits

The benefits granted by this chapter shall compensate the claimant for the following reasons up to the limits provided hereinbelow:
(a) Reasonable expenses incurred for medical treatment, including chiropractic or rehabilitation, hospitalization services and medical care, and others such as ambulance service, medications, medical equipment, prosthetics, eyeglasses, dental devices, assistive technology equipment, and expenses related to transportation for medical appointments and treatments. Provided, That in case of permanent physical injuries of a catastrophic nature, the Director of the Office may grant compensation which exceeds the allowed limit, up to a maximum of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000), which shall include the victim’s temporary relocation expenses. The Office shall pay for the medical forensic examination directly to the hospital up to a maximum of $700 per patient. In cases of sexual assault, the hospital shall not require the victim to pay any amount whatsoever for the medical forensic examination. The Office shall establish through regulation the billing procedure to be followed in these cases. Any person who furnishes false information regarding the cost of the medical forensic examination or the identity of the victim who under went such exam shall be subject to the penalty established in § 981m of this title.
(b) Reasonable expenses incurred for psychological or psychiatric treatment, including medication and transportation expenses.
(c) Income that the victim would have earned if he/she or his/her family had not suffered the injury.
(d) Relocation expenses of up to three thousand, five hundred dollars ($3,500) for the victim and any dependents living with the victim at the time of the crime. In the case of a victim of domestic violence, reasonable expenses on account of security deposits for housing, water, and electricity, and other items for the acquisition of clothing and any other essential items up to a maximum of two thousand dollars ($2,000) may also be compensated.
(e) Transportation expenses to relatives who cared for the victim, of up to a maximum of one thousand dollars ($1,000).
(f) Legal expenses, whether attorney fees or costs, which the victim or the claimant had to incur due to the criminal conduct for legal proceedings, whether these occurred before, during or after the criminal prosecution of the aggressor, of up to a maximum of one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500).
Mental anguish and suffering shall not be entitled to compensation under the benefits of this chapter.
The benefits to be granted under the provisions of this chapter shall not exceed a maximum of six thousand dollars ($6,000) per person, or up to a maximum of fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) per family.
History —July 29, 1998, No. 183, § 11; Aug. 25, 2000, No. 195, § 6; Aug. 21, 2003, No. 196, § 2; Jan. 5, 2006, No. 3, § 7; June 8, 2010, No. 58, § 4; Sept. 15, 2012, No. 249, § 2.