New York City Crime Victim Rights Lawyer

The criminal justice system in New York is built around the prosecution of defendants, but that architecture leaves a second set of people, the ones who were actually harmed, with a far less defined role than most assume. Victims are not parties to criminal proceedings in the formal sense. They do not have counsel appointed for them. They do not control charging decisions, plea offers, or sentencing recommendations. And yet the outcomes of those proceedings, and a host of parallel civil remedies, can permanently shape what a victim recovers financially, emotionally, and legally. A New York City crime victim rights lawyer exists precisely because navigating that gap requires someone who understands how the criminal system works from the inside while also knowing where the civil system can intervene.

Jason Goldman spent the early part of his career as a Brooklyn prosecutor, handling serious felony offenses before transitioning to private practice. That background produces a specific kind of usefulness for crime victims: he knows exactly how district attorneys build cases, what evidentiary standards they work with, what they will and will not pursue, and where victims are typically left to fend for themselves in the process. Victims in New York often discover, too late, that they had rights they never exercised, deadlines they missed, or parallel civil claims they failed to file because no one told them those claims existed alongside the criminal prosecution.

The Law Offices of Jason Goldman represents victims and those with extraordinary stakes in civil and criminal proceedings across New York City and beyond. For someone who has been harmed by another person’s criminal conduct, the legal work does not end when the DA files charges. In many respects, the most consequential advocacy happens outside the courtroom, in the preparation, in the procedural positioning, and in knowing which levers exist and when to pull them.

What Crime Victims in New York Are Actually Entitled To

New York’s Executive Law and Criminal Procedure Law contain a set of established rights for crime victims, but awareness of those rights and the ability to enforce them are two separate things. The state’s Crime Victims Bill of Rights includes the right to be notified of significant proceedings, the right to be heard at sentencing through a victim impact statement, and the right to request notification when a defendant is released, paroled, or transferred. Victims also have the right to consult with the prosecutor’s office about plea negotiations, though that consultation does not carry veto power over prosecutorial decisions.

Beyond these procedural rights, New York maintains the Crime Victims Board, now operated through the Office of Victim Services (OVS), which administers a compensation program for victims of violent crimes. Eligible applicants may recover certain out-of-pocket losses including unreimbursed medical expenses, lost wages, and funeral costs, subject to program limits and eligibility criteria. Filing a claim with OVS has specific deadlines, and failure to comply with those deadlines can result in denial regardless of the underlying circumstances.

Critically, none of this is automatic. A victim who assumes the DA’s office will inform them of every relevant development, advocate for their financial recovery, or explain their options for civil action is operating on an incorrect assumption. The prosecutor represents the People of the State of New York, not the individual victim. That is not a criticism of prosecutors; it is simply an accurate description of their role. A crime victim rights attorney in New York fills the space that the criminal system deliberately does not occupy.

Civil Claims That Run Parallel to Criminal Prosecution

One of the most consequential and most overlooked aspects of crime victim representation is the civil dimension. A criminal conviction is not required for a victim to pursue a civil lawsuit. The standards are different: where criminal prosecution requires proof beyond a reasonable doubt, a civil claim is decided by a preponderance of the evidence, a meaningfully lower bar. Victims of assault, sexual abuse, robbery, and other crimes may have actionable civil claims for damages entirely independent of whether the DA secures a conviction or even files charges.

Third-party liability is a particularly significant area. In New York City, a victim injured in a hotel, nightclub, apartment building, or retail space may have a claim not just against the perpetrator, but against the property owner or manager if inadequate security contributed to the harm. Buildings in Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island are subject to premises liability principles when foreseeable criminal acts occur on their property and reasonable security measures were absent. Cases have arisen from incidents in subway stations, parking garages, and commercial corridors throughout the five boroughs where venue operators failed to address known risks.

Defamation and privacy claims also arise in the context of criminal incidents, particularly where false accusations were made against a victim or where a victim’s identity was disclosed in ways that violated their privacy. The Law Offices of Jason Goldman’s experience in civil rights and civil litigation positions the firm to evaluate whether these parallel claims exist and whether pursuing them simultaneously with the criminal process serves the client’s interests or creates strategic complications that warrant a different sequence.

Charges and Situations That Commonly Lead Victims to Seek Counsel

• Violent crime and assault: Victims of physical attacks in New York City may have simultaneous OVS compensation claims, civil assault and battery suits, and premises liability claims against property owners where the attack occurred, each with independent procedural requirements and deadlines.
• Sexual offense and abuse: New York’s Adult Survivors Act and the Child Victims Act extended the statutes of limitations for survivors of sexual abuse, opening civil windows that previously did not exist; understanding which window applies and when it closes requires case-specific analysis.
• Robbery and financial crimes: Victims of theft, fraud, or financial exploitation may pursue restitution through the criminal process while simultaneously litigating civil claims for compensatory and in some cases punitive damages.
• Domestic violence: Victims navigating criminal orders of protection, family court proceedings, and civil actions simultaneously need coordination across multiple forums, including Supreme Court, Family Court, and Criminal Court, all of which can operate concurrently in New York.
• Wrongful death following criminal conduct: Families who have lost someone to homicide or another criminal act may pursue wrongful death claims in civil court even as a murder or manslaughter prosecution proceeds in criminal court.
• Hate crimes and civil rights violations: Victims of bias-motivated crimes in New York may have federal civil rights claims in addition to state tort claims, and the federal courthouse in the Southern or Eastern District of New York may be the appropriate venue for those actions.
• Stalking and harassment: Civil harassment orders, tort claims for intentional infliction of emotional distress, and criminal protective order enforcement each represent distinct legal tools that a victim may deploy, and the sequence in which they are used matters.

What Victims Should Do After a Crime in New York City

The first and most time-sensitive priority after any crime in New York City is preserving evidence. That means documenting physical injuries with photographs before they heal, saving all electronic communications including texts, emails, and social media messages, and retaining any surveillance footage you are aware of. In New York City, commercial and municipal surveillance footage is frequently overwritten within days. If footage from a storefront, transit station, or building lobby may be relevant, a formal legal preservation demand must go out quickly, because the window to capture that evidence closes faster than most victims realize.

If you have not already filed a police report, do so as soon as possible with the local NYPD precinct covering the area where the incident occurred. Victims in Manhattan can contact precincts across the borough’s districts; victims in Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island should contact the precinct with jurisdiction over the specific location. The complaint number generated by your report will be essential for any subsequent insurance claim, OVS application, or civil lawsuit.

OVS applications must generally be filed within a defined period from the date of the crime or the date of reporting, and exceptions are limited. The OVS office can be reached through the New York State Office of Victim Services, which maintains a presence in New York City. Submitting an incomplete or untimely application can result in denial of compensation that would otherwise be available. An attorney can review your eligibility and help structure the application correctly.

If you were victimized at a location operated by a third party, such as a restaurant, bar, hotel, residential building, or transit facility, you should avoid speaking to the property owner’s representatives or their insurance carriers before consulting a lawyer. Those conversations are frequently used to gather statements that limit or eliminate the owner’s liability. The same caution applies to any approach by a defendant’s representatives or their insurer. Statements made informally, even in what feels like a cooperative exchange, can foreclose options later.

Victims in New York City who want their voices heard at sentencing must communicate that intent to the assigned assistant district attorney. Victim impact statements are submitted to the court before sentencing, but knowing when and how to submit one, and what it can and cannot accomplish, matters. If the prosecution is considering a plea offer that does not reflect the severity of what occurred, victims have a right to be consulted, even if the final decision rests with the DA.

Why the Law Offices of Jason Goldman for Crime Victim Representation

Most crime victim representation in New York comes from legal aid organizations or nonprofit advocacy groups that, while dedicated, are managing substantial caseloads and have limited capacity for the kind of individualized, aggressive, and creative advocacy that high-stakes matters require. The Law Offices of Jason Goldman operates differently: the firm is boutique, selective, and designed for matters where the outcome genuinely changes the arc of a person’s life.

Jason Goldman began his career as a Brooklyn prosecutor, developing an intimate understanding of how the DA’s office prioritizes cases, evaluates evidence, and makes charging decisions. That perspective now directly benefits victims who need to understand what the prosecution is likely to do, when a plea negotiation may shortchange them, and where the criminal process alone will not deliver what the victim actually needs. Having tried over 25 cases to verdict, Mr. Goldman understands what it takes to present a story to a judge or jury with the kind of discipline and precision that leads to results.

The firm has been recognized by outlets including the New York Post and Fox 5 for its work on high-profile and complex matters. For crime victims whose cases attract public attention, or for those who specifically want their matter kept out of the public eye, the firm’s capacity to manage both the legal strategy and the media dimension is a practical differentiator. Mr. Goldman’s network includes public relations professionals, crisis management specialists, and journalists, which allows victim clients to control the narrative around their case rather than be defined by it. Named a New York Super Lawyers Rising Star, Mr. Goldman brings credentials and instincts from both sides of the adversarial process to every matter he takes on as a New York crime victim rights attorney.

Questions People Ask About Crime Victim Rights in New York

Do I need a lawyer to pursue victim compensation through New York’s Office of Victim Services?

You are not required to have an attorney to file an OVS claim, but having one matters more than people expect. The application involves specific documentation requirements, deadlines tied to when the crime was reported, and income-related eligibility calculations. Claims are denied for procedural deficiencies that an attorney reviewing the application in advance would catch. If you are simultaneously pursuing civil litigation, the way your OVS claim is framed can also intersect with that case.

Can I sue the person who committed a crime against me even if they were acquitted?

Yes. A criminal acquittal does not bar a civil lawsuit. The two proceedings operate under entirely different standards. An acquittal means the prosecution failed to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt; a civil case requires only that you prove your claims by a preponderance of the evidence, meaning it is more likely than not that what you allege occurred. Civil verdicts against defendants who were acquitted criminally are not unusual.

What is the statute of limitations for filing a civil lawsuit after being the victim of a crime in New York?

It depends on the type of claim and the nature of the crime. Intentional tort claims such as assault and battery generally have a one-year statute of limitations in New York, while negligence claims against third parties typically carry a three-year limit. Sexual abuse survivors may have different and in some cases extended windows under legislation that has modified traditional limitation periods. These timelines are unforgiving, and identifying which applies to your specific situation requires legal analysis, not general research.

The DA offered the defendant a plea deal I think is too lenient. Can I stop it?

You cannot veto a plea agreement, but you have the right to be consulted before one is finalized, and your input can influence the process. If you believe the proposed plea fails to reflect the severity of what happened, communicating that to the assigned ADA and, if necessary, to the DA’s victim advocacy unit can make a difference in some cases. Having a lawyer make that communication on your behalf, with a clear articulation of the legal and factual reasons the plea is inadequate, carries more weight than a victim acting alone.

If I was victimized by someone who has no money, is there any point in filing a civil lawsuit?

Sometimes the perpetrator is not the only defendant with financial exposure. If the crime occurred on a third party’s property, if an employer negligently allowed a dangerous person access to you, or if any other entity’s failure contributed to what happened, those parties may be viable civil defendants regardless of whether the direct perpetrator has assets. Evaluating the full landscape of potential liability is precisely what a civil investigation does before a lawsuit is filed.

Does New York have a crime victim advocate program that attends court with me?

Yes. The New York City District Attorney’s offices, as well as various nonprofit organizations throughout the boroughs, offer victim advocacy services that can include court accompaniment, notification of proceedings, and help accessing social services. These advocates play a valuable support role but do not provide legal representation. They cannot advise you on civil claims, negotiate on your behalf, or counsel you on legal strategy. They fill a different function than legal counsel does.

My attacker is facing federal charges, not state charges. Does that change my rights as a victim?

Federal proceedings in the Southern District of New York or the Eastern District of New York are governed by the Crime Victims’ Rights Act, a federal statute that establishes rights including the right to be reasonably heard at plea and sentencing proceedings, the right to be treated with fairness, and the right to full and timely restitution. The procedural mechanisms for asserting those rights in federal court differ from those in state court, and the United States Attorney’s office operates differently than the local DA. A New York crime victim rights attorney who understands both federal and state criminal procedure is particularly useful when the matter is in federal court.

Can a crime victim’s identity be protected from public disclosure in New York proceedings?

New York law provides certain protections, particularly for sexual offense victims, but the scope of those protections is not unlimited and requires active steps to enforce. Victim identity can become an issue in high-profile cases where media coverage is intense. Legal counsel can pursue protective orders, seek sealing of certain court records, and work to prevent disclosure through strategic coordination with the court and the prosecution. Assuming the system will automatically protect your privacy is a mistake that attorneys who handle media-sensitive matters regularly address.

I was a victim of fraud or financial crime. Is there any way to recover my money beyond waiting for the criminal case?

Restitution through the criminal process is available in some fraud cases but is often inadequate, partial, or delayed by years of appeals and collection difficulties. A parallel civil action for fraud, conversion, or unjust enrichment can proceed simultaneously and may provide faster, more complete recovery depending on the defendant’s assets and the nature of the scheme. In cases involving securities fraud or other regulated conduct, regulatory complaints and investor restitution programs may also be available through agencies such as FINRA or the SEC. The criminal case should not be treated as the only vehicle for financial recovery.

What if law enforcement mishandled my case or I was mistreated by police after reporting a crime?

Victims who were mistreated, disbelieved, or whose cases were improperly handled by law enforcement may have civil rights claims separate from any lawsuit arising from the underlying crime. Section 1983 of the federal civil rights statute provides a mechanism for suing state actors, including police departments, for constitutional violations. These are complex claims with procedural requirements including, in some cases, notice of claim filings within tight deadlines. If you believe law enforcement misconduct compounded the harm you suffered, that avenue deserves evaluation by someone who understands both criminal procedure and civil rights litigation.

Representing Crime Victims Across New York City and the Surrounding Region

The Law Offices of Jason Goldman represents crime victims throughout every borough of New York City. In Manhattan, the firm serves clients from neighborhoods including Midtown, the Upper East Side, the Upper West Side, Harlem, Washington Heights, Chelsea, the Lower East Side, Tribeca, and the Financial District. In Brooklyn, representation extends across Park Slope, Crown Heights, Bedford-Stuyvesant, Flatbush, Bushwick, Williamsburg, Sunset Park, and Canarsie. Victims in the Bronx from areas including Fordham, Mott Haven, Riverdale, Pelham Bay, and the Grand Concourse can access the firm’s representation. Queens clients from Flushing, Jamaica, Astoria, Forest Hills, Jackson Heights, Long Island City, and Richmond Hill are also served, as are residents of Staten Island from communities including St. George, Tottenville, and New Dorp.

Beyond the five boroughs, the firm handles matters for victims in Westchester County, Nassau County, Suffolk County, and throughout the broader New York metropolitan area. For matters that warrant pro hac vice admission in other jurisdictions, Jason Goldman’s credentials and network support representation beyond New York’s borders when the circumstances call for it.

Speak with a New York City Crime Victim Rights Attorney

The decisions made in the weeks and months after a crime, what to document, what not to say, which deadlines to meet, and which parallel legal avenues to pursue, are not recoverable if missed. A New York City crime victim rights attorney can assess the full scope of what you are entitled to, which legal vehicles serve your specific situation, and how to navigate a process that was never designed with your interests as its primary focus. The Law Offices of Jason Goldman represents victims in complex, high-stakes matters where getting the strategy right from the beginning defines what becomes possible later.

Contact the firm today to schedule a confidential consultation. Jason Goldman can be reached directly at jg@jasongoldmanlaw.com or through the contact information listed on this site. The firm’s offices are located at 275 Madison Avenue, 35th Floor, New York, NY 10016.