Section 611A.52 Definitions

611A.52 DEFINITIONS.

Subdivision 1.Terms.

For the purposes of sections 611A.51 to 611A.68, the following terms shall have the meanings given them.

Subd. 2.Accomplice.

"Accomplice" means any person who would be held criminally liable for the crime of another pursuant to section 609.05.

Subd. 3.Board.

"Board" means the crime victims reparations board established by section 611A.55.

Subd. 4.Claimant.

"Claimant" means a person entitled to apply for reparations pursuant to sections 611A.51 to 611A.68.

Subd. 5.Collateral source.

"Collateral source" means a source of benefits or advantages for economic loss otherwise reparable under sections 611A.51 to 611A.68 which the victim or claimant has received, or which is readily available to the victim, from:

(1) the offender;

(2) the government of the United States or any agency thereof, a state or any of its political subdivisions, or an instrumentality of two or more states, unless the law providing for the benefits or advantages makes them excess or secondary to benefits under sections 611A.51 to 611A.68;

(3) Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid;

(4) state required temporary nonoccupational disability insurance;

(5) workers' compensation;

(6) wage continuation programs of any employer;

(7) proceeds of a contract of insurance payable to the victim for economic loss sustained because of the crime;

(8) a contract providing prepaid hospital and other health care services, or benefits for disability;

(9) any private source as a voluntary donation or gift; or

(10) proceeds of a lawsuit brought as a result of the crime.

The term does not include a life insurance contract.

Subd. 6.Crime.

(a) "Crime" means conduct that:

(1) occurs or is attempted anywhere within the geographical boundaries of this state, including Indian reservations and other trust lands;

(2) poses a substantial threat of personal injury or death; and

(3) is included within the definition of "crime" in section 609.02, subdivision 1, or would be included within that definition but for the fact that (i) the person engaging in the conduct lacked capacity to commit the crime under the laws of this state; or (ii) the act was alleged or found to have been committed by a juvenile.

(b) A crime occurs whether or not any person is prosecuted or convicted but the conviction of a person whose acts give rise to the claim is conclusive evidence that a crime was committed unless an application for rehearing, appeal, or petition for certiorari is pending or a new trial or rehearing has been ordered.

(c) "Crime" does not include an act involving the operation of a motor vehicle, aircraft, or watercraft that results in injury or death, except that a crime includes any of the following:

(1) injury or death intentionally inflicted through the use of a motor vehicle, aircraft, or watercraft;

(2) injury or death caused by a driver in violation of section 169.09, subdivision 1; 169A.20; or 609.21; and

(3) injury or death caused by a driver of a motor vehicle in the immediate act of fleeing the scene of a crime in which the driver knowingly and willingly participated.

(d) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), "crime" includes an act of international terrorism as defined in United States Code, title 18, section 2331, committed outside of the United States against a resident of this state.

Subd. 7.Dependent.

"Dependent" means any person who was dependent upon a deceased victim for support at the time of the crime.

Subd. 8.Economic loss.

(a) "Economic loss" means actual economic detriment incurred as a direct result of injury or death.

(b) In the case of injury the term is limited to:

(1) reasonable expenses incurred for necessary medical, chiropractic, hospital, rehabilitative, and dental products, services, or accommodations, including ambulance services, drugs, appliances, and prosthetic devices;

(2) reasonable expenses associated with recreational therapy where a claimant has suffered amputation of a limb;

(3) reasonable expenses incurred for psychological or psychiatric products, services, or accommodations, not to exceed an amount to be set by the board, where the nature of the injury or the circumstances of the crime are such that the treatment is necessary to the rehabilitation of the victim;

(4) loss of income that the victim would have earned had the victim not been injured;

(5) reasonable expenses incurred for substitute child care or household services to replace those the victim or claimant would have performed had the victim or the claimant's child not been injured. As used in this clause, "child care services" means services provided by facilities licensed under and in compliance with either Minnesota Rules, parts 9502.0315 to 9502.0445, or 9545.0510 to 9545.0670, or exempted from licensing requirements pursuant to section 245A.03. Licensed facilities must be paid at a rate not to exceed their standard rate of payment. Facilities exempted from licensing requirements must be paid at a rate not to exceed $3 an hour per child for daytime child care or $4 an hour per child for evening child care;

(6) reasonable expenses actually incurred to return a child who was a victim of a crime under section 609.25 or 609.26 to the child's parents or lawful custodian. These expenses are limited to transportation costs, meals, and lodging from the time the child was located until the child was returned home; and

(7) the claimant's moving expenses, storage fees, and phone and utility installation fees, up to a maximum of $1,000 per claim, if the move is necessary due to a reasonable fear of danger related to the crime for which the claim was filed.

(c) In the case of death the term is limited to:

(1) reasonable expenses actually incurred for funeral, burial, or cremation, not to exceed an amount to be determined by the board on the first day of each fiscal year;

(2) reasonable expenses for medical, chiropractic, hospital, rehabilitative, psychological and psychiatric services, products or accommodations which were incurred prior to the victim's death and for which the victim's survivors or estate are liable;

(3) loss of support, including contributions of money, products or goods, but excluding services which the victim would have supplied to dependents if the victim had lived; and

(4) reasonable expenses incurred for substitute child care and household services to replace those which the victim or claimant would have performed for the benefit of dependents if the victim or the claimant's child had lived.

Claims for loss of support for minor children made under clause (3) must be paid for three years or until the child reaches 18 years old, whichever is the shorter period. After three years, if the child is younger than 18 years old a claim for loss of support may be resubmitted to the board, and the board staff shall evaluate the claim giving consideration to the child's financial need and to the availability of funds to the board. Claims for loss of support for a spouse made under clause (3) shall also be reviewed at least once every three years. The board staff shall evaluate the claim giving consideration to the spouse's financial need and to the availability of funds to the board.

Claims for substitute child care services made under clause (4) must be limited to the actual care that the deceased victim would have provided to enable surviving family members to pursue economic, educational, and other activities other than recreational activities.

Subd. 9.Injury.

"Injury" means actual bodily harm including pregnancy and emotional trauma.

Subd. 10.Victim.

"Victim" means a person who suffers personal injury or death as a direct result of:

(1) a crime;

(2) the good faith effort of any person to prevent a crime; or

(3) the good faith effort of any person to apprehend a person suspected of engaging in a crime.

History:

1974 c 463 s 2; 1975 c 359 s 23; 1983 c 262 art 1 s 6; 1Sp1985 c 4 s 10; 1986 c 444; 1986 c 463 s 12; 1987 c 244 s 3; 1987 c 333 s 22; 1988 c 638 s 5; 1989 c 264 s 3; 1990 c 371 s 1; 1990 c 579 s 10; 1992 c 571 art 5 s 8; 1993 c 326 art 6 s 12-14; 1994 c 636 art 7 s 7; 1995 c 226 art 7 s 25; 1997 c 239 art 7 s 28,29; 1999 c 136 s 2; 2000 c 478 art 2 s 7