Financial Abuse

If you are not married to the abuser, you may be able to sue the abuser in small claims court if you can prove a direct link between the expenses and the abuser’s actions.

If you have been the victim of a crime, including domestic violence, it may be possible to seek reimbursement from the Crime Victim Compensation Board in your state, which may help pay for certain expenses of crime victims. Each state has different rules for who is eligible to receive this money and how much money one can receive. Go the National Association of Crime Victim Compensation Boards for more information and to read about the program in your state or you can go to the WomensLaw.org Crimes page for your state.

If you are getting a protection order based on the violent incident that caused you these expenses, you might be able to ask the judge to order that the abuser reimburse you for your medical bills, property damage, and/or attorney’s fees as part of a civil order. Go to the Restraining Orders page in your state to see if this is an option.

Lastly, if the abuser was arrested and is being prosecuted for the criminal act, you can talk to the district attorney about getting restitution ordered as part of the abuser’s criminal sentence.