Sexual aSSault LEGAL ADVOCACY MANUAL - Texas Association ...

CVC is available to any victim of a crime or attempted crime that causes or threatens to cause physical
and/or emotional injury or death, up to a total of $50,000 (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. § 56.32). The victim
can be a Texas resident or a resident of another state or country who is victimized in Texas. Alternatively,
if a Texas resident is victimized in another state or country that does not provide for compensation
to crime victims, that resident can also apply for Texas CVC. All victims must satisfy a few eligibility
requirements. The victim must:
1. Report the crime in a “reasonable time”
2. Cooperate with the investigation and prosecution
3. Apply within 3 years after the date of the crime (child victims have until their 21st birthdays
to make claims)
4. Not have willingly participated in the commission of the crime
CVC can be used to cover a variety of expenses, called “pecuniary losses.” Article 56.32(a)(9), Code of
Criminal Procedure, provides a list of categories that CVC can cover:
1. Medical care
2. Psychiatric care or counseling
3. Physical therapy
4. Actual loss of past earnings, anticipated loss of future earnings, and travel expenses due to:
• A disability resulting from the personal injury
• Medical services related to such a disability
• Participating in or attendance at investigative, prosecutorial, or judicial processes related to
the crime, including post-conviction and post-adjudication proceedings
5. For a victim of sexual assault or family violence assaulted at home, up to $2,000 for relocation
expenses, including a rental deposit, utility connections, moving belongings, motor vehicle
mileage expenses, and for out-of-state moves, transportation, lodging, and meals
6. For a victim of sexual assault or family violence assaulted at home, up to $1,800 for rent
7. Care of a child or dependent
8. Funeral and burial expenses, including travel expenses to the funeral for an immediate family member
9. Loss of support to a dependent (but not if such a payment would benefit the offender or an accomplice)
10. Reasonable costs of cleaning the crime scene
11. Reasonable replacement costs for clothing, bedding, or property of the victim seized as evidence
or made unusable during the investigation
12. For an immediate family member of a deceased victim, bereavement leave up to 10 days
13. Reasonable costs of traveling to and from the place of the offender’s execution for the purpose of
witnessing the execution, including one night’s stay near the place of execution
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