Are you a crime victim? Did the crime involve violence or sexual assault or were you injured as a result of the crime? If your answer is “Yes” to any of these questions, you may be wondering if you can file a claim for compensation through the civil court system. The answer is, “It’s a possibility.”
Crime victims are accustomed to the criminal court system. They know that when someone commits a crime, such as drunk driving, assault, or rape, the police can go after the perpetrator, arrest the offender, and slap them with criminal charges. But what many crime victims fail to realize is that separate and apart from the criminal case, they may be able to file a personal injury claim, even if the perpetrator is never caught.
When the Offender Has No Assets
You may be thinking to yourself, “How do I sue the offender if he or she is poor or doesn’t have any assets for me to go after?” This is a question that comes up a lot. After all, many crimes are committed by people who are trying to get money to fund a substance abuse problem, so they don’t always have the financial means to pay their crime victims directly.
It is very common for criminals to be virtually “judgment proof” because they have zero assets. If you were victimized by someone who is on the run or if the offender has been charged but they don’t have any assets to tap into, we can thoroughly explore other avenues for compensation.
Often, such sources of compensation are an insurance company, a municipality, a property owner, or even a bar that served an intoxicated patron who then drove while drunk, causing a drunk driving accident.
Next: Who Do I Sue if I’m a Crime Victim?
If you are a crime victim, we encourage you to contact our firm to explore your legal options for compensation. Even if the offender is at large or if they have a criminal case pending, those factors do NOT necessarily stop you from filing a personal injury claim.