Simply put, we help crime victims and their families obtain a financial recovery from criminal defendants and other responsible parties. Although the criminal court system can be effective in punishing the wrongdoer, it can still leave the victim with a financial loss. That is where we step in.
The process is simple. When a person has been the victim of a crime, they need to call us. We will meet with them in order to learn about the case. We can arrange a conference call or an in-person meeting. Crime Victim Legal Services can serve clients throughout Missouri.
When we analyze a case, we are looking for a number of things. First of all, we examine who the responsible parties are. Although there might be a single criminal defendant, others parties might also be civilly responsible. For instance, if the crime occurred while the victim was a customer at a business, it might be possible to recover damages from that company.
Secondly, we will also want to determine whether there are any other potential sources of recovery. For example, are there any potential third party defendants that might also be financially responsible for the damages?
Another factor to analyze is the extent of the potential damages. If the damages are significant, a civil lawsuit might be necessary for the victim to get full compensation. If the damages are less, the client might be able to be fully restored directly from the Missouri Crime Victim Compensation Fund.
If we agree to take a case, our fee is typically contingent upon obtaining a recovery on the client’s behalf. There is not a fee to initially contact Crime Victim Legal Services about potential representation. We can examine a case regardless of whether actual criminal charges are filed, and even if a criminal case is still pending.
