New York Laws
Article 22 - Office of Victim Services
625 - Filing of Claims.

§ 625. Filing of claims. 1. A claim may be filed by a person eligible
to receive an award, as provided in section six hundred twenty-four of
this article, or, if such person is under the age of eighteen years, an
incompetent, or a conservatee, by his relative, guardian, committee,
conservator, or attorney.

2. A claim must be filed by the claimant not later than one year after
the occurrence or discovery of the crime upon which such claim is based,
one year after a court finds a lawsuit to be frivolous, or not later
than one year after the death of the victim, provided, however, that
upon good cause shown, the office may extend the time for filing. The
office shall extend the time for filing where the claimant received no
notice pursuant to section six hundred twenty-five-a of this article and
had no knowledge of eligibility pursuant to section six hundred
twenty-four of this article.

3. Claims shall be filed in person, by mail or electronically, in such
manner as the office may prescribe. The office shall accept for filing
all claims submitted by persons eligible under subdivision one of this
section and alleging the jurisdictional requirements set forth in this
article and meeting the requirements as to form in the rules and
regulations promulgated to carry out the provisions and purposes of this
article.

4. Upon filing of a claim pursuant to this article, the office shall
promptly notify the district attorney of the county wherein the crime is
alleged to have occurred. If, within ten days after such notification,
such district attorney advises the office that a criminal prosecution is
pending upon the same alleged crime and requests that action by the
office be deferred, the office shall defer all proceedings under this
article until such time as such criminal prosecution has been concluded
and shall so notify such district attorney and the claimant. When such
criminal prosecution has been concluded, such district attorney shall
promptly so notify the office. Nothing in this section shall limit the
authority of the office to grant emergency awards pursuant to section
six hundred thirty of this article.