2012 Missouri Revised Statutes
TITLE XXXVIII CRIMES AND PUNISHMENT; PEACE OFFICERS AND PUBLIC DEFENDERS
Chapter 595 Victims of Crimes, Compensation and Services
Section 595.035 Award standards to be established--amount of award, factors to be considered--purpose of fund, reduction for other compensation received by victim, exceptions--time limitation.

595.035. 1. For the purpose of determining the amount of compensation payable pursuant to sections 595.010 to 595.075, the department of public safety shall, insofar as practicable, formulate standards for the uniform application of sections 595.010 to 595.075, taking into consideration the provisions of sections 595.010 to 595.075, the rates and amounts of compensation payable for injuries and death pursuant to other laws of this state and of the United States, excluding pain and suffering, and the availability of funds appropriated for the purpose of sections 595.010 to 595.075. All decisions of the department of public safety on claims pursuant to sections 595.010 to 595.075 shall be in writing, setting forth the name of the claimant, the amount of compensation and the reasons for the decision. The department of public safety shall immediately notify the claimant in writing of the decision and shall forward to the state treasurer a certified copy of the decision and a warrant for the amount of the claim. The state treasurer, upon certification by the commissioner of administration, shall, if there are sufficient funds in the crime victims' compensation fund, pay to or on behalf of the claimant the amount determined by the department.

2. The crime victims' compensation fund is not a state health program and is not intended to be used as a primary payor to other health care assistance programs, but is a public, quasi-charitable fund whose fundamental purpose is to assist victims of violent crimes through a period of financial hardship, as a payor of last resort. Accordingly, any compensation paid pursuant to sections 595.010 to 595.075 shall be reduced by the amount of any payments, benefits or awards received or to be received as a result of the injury or death:

(1) From or on behalf of the offender;

(2) Under private or public insurance programs, including champus, Medicare, Medicaid and other state or federal programs, but not including any life insurance proceeds; or

(3) From any other public or private funds, including an award payable pursuant to the workers' compensation laws of this state.

3. In determining the amount of compensation payable, the department of public safety shall determine whether, because of the victim's consent, provocation, incitement or negligence, the victim contributed to the infliction of the victim's injury or death, and shall reduce the amount of the compensation or deny the claim altogether, in accordance with such determination; provided, however, that the department of public safety may disregard the responsibility of the victim for his or her own injury where such responsibility was attributable to efforts by the victim to aid a victim, or to prevent a crime or an attempted crime from occurring in his or her presence, or to apprehend a person who had committed a crime in his or her presence or had in fact committed a felony.

4. In determining the amount of compensation payable pursuant to sections 595.010 to 595.075, monthly Social Security disability or retirement benefits received by the victim shall not be considered by the department as a factor for reduction of benefits.

5. The department shall not be liable for payment of compensation for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred more than three years following the date of the occurrence of the crime upon which the claim is based.

(L. 1981 H.B. 41, et al. 6, A.L. 1982 S.B. 497, A.L. 1983 H.B. 713 Revision, A.L. 1985 H.B. 715, A.L. 1988 H.B. 1195, A.L. 1993 S.B. 19, A.L. 1994 S.B. 554, A.L. 2001 S.B. 267, A.L. 2009 S.B. 338)

The headnotes, footnotes, annotations and index of the Missouri Revised Statutes, are used by permission of the Joint Committee on Legislative Research, the copyright holder.