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Under French law, compensation is available to all victims of crime committed on French soil. In order to be eligible for victims’ rights and benefits, one must be in legal status in France, whether as a tourist or a resident.
Appointed commissions (Commissions d’indemnisation des victimes d’infractions, or CIVI), available at every Tribunal de Grande Instance, determine the material and nonmaterial damages (psychological, emotional, loss of potential income, etc.) to be compensated. This financial award may include legal costs as well, including expenses associated with travel to and from France during the legal process.
While organizations for victims’ assistance can help you to prepare an initial claim to file, hiring a lawyer can minimize bureaucracy and prevent procedural mistakes. The U.S. Embassy maintains a list of English-speaking lawyers.
To recover damages, French law usually addresses the perpetrator of the crime, if identified, and the victim’s insurance, but recognizes that these sources may not always guarantee compensation. A state fund (Fonds de Garantie) provides compensation for both serious and minor crimes, but in practice offers very little remuneration in cases other than those involving wrongful death, serious personal injury (causing loss of at least one month of activity or continuous after-effects), or sexual violence.
Contact Information and Victims’ Resources
Please call: 01.43.12.22.22
Outside of Office Hours, contact: 01.43.12.22.22
Outside of France: 011.33.1.43.12.22.22
Emergency Contact – All Locations Arrest of a U.S. Citizen Death of a U.S. Citizen Emergency Financial Assistance Serious Illness or Injury International Parental Child Abduction Victims of Crime Get Travel Alertsveuillez appeler le: 01.43.12.22.22
Outside of Office Hours, contact: 01.43.12.22.22
En dehors de la France, veuillez appeler: 011.33.1.43.12.22.22
Coordonnées en cas d’urgence pour les citoyens américains Arrestation d’un citoyen américain Décès d’un citoyen américain Assistance Financière D’urgence Serious Illness or Injury Enlèvement parental international d’un enfant Victimes d’actes criminels Get Travel Alerts