home » Victims   Spanish articles / Artículos en Español Victim Services & Information You could not have been prepared for the sudden death or injury of someone you care about in a drunk driving crash. MADD is here to support injured victims, help the bereaved, and assist with the judicial process. Finding Help MADD's web site can help you by providing information on how to handle the legal, medical, and financial issues you may face in the coming weeks and months. You can also enter our discussion forums and meet other people who have been similarly affected by drunk driving or underage drinking. Financial Issues Families are often financially devastated after a vehicular crash. This area of our site provides information to help victims with the financial aspects of an alcohol-related crash, including insurance, litigation, offender restitution, government programs, and obtaining financial assistance through benefits. The Legal Process You may think that coming to grips emotionally with the serious injury or killing of your loved one is your sole task. Unfortunately, it is not. This area of our site provides information on the legal process and what to know about the criminal justice system. Victim Rights Find out your rights as a Victim of Crime. Also, you can help support Victim Rights by contacting your members of congress. Honoring Victims MADD recognizes its fundamental responsibility to give a voice to victims who have been affected by the violent crime of drunk driving - both to acknowledge the reality of their losses and to bring that reality to a society numbed by statistics. Learn about people whose lives have been changed forever as a result of impaired driving, and how they have overcome their losses. Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) is committed to enhancing the Nation's capacity to assist crime victims and to providing leadership in changing attitudes, policies, and practices to promote justice and healing for all victims of crime. MADD offers a variety of brochures to assist victims with emotional, financial and legal difficulties. MADDvocate MADDvocate is a semi-annual publication, filled with useful resources for victims and their advocates. The MADD On-Line Victims Tribute has been created out of our profound commitment to and respect for those whose lives have been changed forever as a result of impaired driving.

Call us at (915) 779-1987 or toll fee at 1-888-779-2185.

Contact the investigating law enforcement agency which covered your crash (for example, the Department of Public Safety, local police department or sheriff's office) and request a copy of the crash report.

Find out if you are eligible to receive Crime Victims' Compensation, a fund which is administered by the Office of the Attorney General. You may either call us for an application or call the Office of the Attorney General at 1-800-983-9933. Examples of some of the costs which may be compensated are: medical, prescription and rehabilitation expenses; lost wages; mental health counseling for victims and family members; funeral expenses; and loss of earnings or support.

Know your rights as a victim. Scroll to the bottom of this page to read the Texas Crime Victims' Bill of Rights.

Check out these related websites for more information:
Office of the Texas Attorney General
Texas Department of Criminal Justice


TEXAS CRIME VICTIMS' RIGHTS
A victim of violent crime is (1) someone who is the victim of sexual assault, kidnapping, or aggravated robbery or who has suffered bodily injury or death because of the criminal conduct of another, (2) the close relative (spouse, parent, adult brother or sister, or child) of a deceased victim, or (3) the guardian of a victim. These rights also apply to victims of juvenile crime, including victims who suffer property loss. Victims of crime have the right to:

1.   Receive adequate protection from harm and threats of harm arising from cooperation with prosecution efforts.
2.   Have their safety considered by the magistrate when setting bail.
3.   Advance notification, on request, of relevant court proceedings including cancellations and rescheduling.
4.   Request information from a peace officer about the defendant's right to bail and criminal investigation procedures, and from the prosecutor's office about  general procedures in the criminal justice system, including plea agreements, restitution, appeals, and parole.
5.   Information about the Texas Crime Victims' Compensation Fund and, on request, referral to social service agencies that provide other types of assistance.
6.   Provide pertinent information concerning the impact of the crime to the probation department conducting the pre-sentencing investigation.
7.   Payment for medical examinations for victims of sexual assault by the law enforcement agency requesting the exam and, on request, the right to counseling regarding AIDS and HIV infection and testing for sexual assault victims.
8.   Information, on request, about parole procedures; notification of parole proceedings and of the inmate's release; and the right to participate in the parole process by submitting written information to the Board of Pardons and Paroles for inclusion in the defendant's file for consideration by the Board prior to parole.
9.   Be present at all public court proceedings, with the presiding judge's consent.
10. A safe waiting area at all public court proceedings.
11. Prompt return of any property that is no longer needed as evidence.
12. Have the prosecutor notify, upon request, an employer that the need for the victim's testimony may involve the victim's absence from work.
13. Complete a Victim Impact Statement, detailing the emotional, physical and financial impact of the crime on the victim and to have the statement considered by a judge at sentencing and by officials prior to the release of the offender(s).

A judge, attorney for the state, peace officer, or law enforcement agency is not liable for a failure or inability to provide a right enumerated herein.

Please call us or your crime victim rights contacts in law enforcement and the prosecutor's office for more information about victim rights in your community.