Leistungen im Rahmen der Sozialen Entschädigung als Geschädigter beantragen

If you have suffered damage to your health as a result of certain events, you can receive social compensation benefits in the form of cash benefits and benefits in kind. The damage to your health may be the result of an act of violence, war or a specific vaccination.

If you have suffered damage to your health as a result of a harmful event that occurred in Germany and the event and its consequences have been recognized, you can receive financial support and compensation. Harmful events can be, for example, an act of violence (physical and psychological), medical treatment or a vaccination. The compensation helps to compensate for any loss of income and to cover the costs of medical treatment and rehabilitation. Possible beneficiaries may be civilian service victims, war victims, vaccination victims or victims of violence.

Please note that your social compensation provider will decide whether and to what extent you will receive support.

Coordination takes place with the relevant competent authority, which will inform you which benefits you may be eligible for. These may include counseling and support services, as well as benefits for medical treatment, participation, the need for care, psychotherapeutic services, pension benefits and pensions.

If necessary, you must provide evidence.

The following evidence is required for the initial application:

• Proof of the damaging event, for example: Evidence of the criminal proceedings (police reports, court decisions, court judgments, witness statements), medical certificates, evidence of the consequences of the injury, or evidence of the vaccination
• Medical certificates on the consequences of the injury and treatment history

Other medical documents (e.g. hospital report, therapy report)

• You have suffered a health impairment in Germany due to a damaging event and can prove the direct or substantial connection.
• The health impairment has resulted in physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments that continue to exist.
• You have your place of residence or habitual abode in Germany and
  • you were temporarily abroad at the time of the offense and suffered a damaging event there, or
  • You are temporarily resident abroad but have suffered a harmful event in Germany, or
  • You have your permanent residence abroad but have suffered a damaging event in Germany.

Dhe application is free of charge.

Submit the completed application for social compensation for injured parties together with all the necessary documents to the competent authority (social compensation body). The authority will examine your application and decide on the granting of the benefit and its scope. You will receive a notification of the decision and, if applicable, information on the benefits granted as well as other necessary evidence.

You can apply for social compensation benefits online or in writing.

• If necessary, you can make an appointment with your contact person at the pension authority or at your responsible office.
• We will then discuss with you whether you are entitled to social compensation benefits and what support services can be offered.
• If necessary, the case management team can discuss the further procedure and possible entitlements to benefits with you that go beyond the general duty to provide information and advice.
• If you are entitled to social compensation benefits, your contact person will discuss the next steps with you.
• The contact person will provide you with the relevant documents. If necessary, complete the documents, enclose the required evidence or supporting documents and send the documents back to your contact person.
• Your claims will be determined ex officio on the basis of the documents. The authority will inform you of the result in the form of a decision, which is usually sent to you by letter.
• If entitlements to benefits have been determined, you will receive an approval notice. If no entitlements are determined, you will receive a rejection notice.
• However, you also have the option of submitting the application online. To do this, you must complete the online application and upload the necessary supporting documents
• The eligible costs will be transferred to the account you have specified.

The prerequisite for processing is that all mandatory information has been provided. The processing time varies depending on the competent authority and the individual case. It is not possible to give an exact time and it depends on the complexity of the individual case.

There is no deadline.

Appeal: An appeal can be lodged against a decision within one month of its notification. Further information on how and where to lodge an appeal can be found in the notification of your application.

• Entitlement to social compensation benefits for victims
• Eligibility requirements: Recognized harmful event with harmful health consequences
• Costs: the application is free of charge
• Discretionary benefit, no legal entitlement
• Responsible: Social compensation authorities

Examples of damaging events: Consequences of war, vaccination damage, acts of violence

The competent authorities in the state of Hesse are the Hessian Offices for Care and Social Affairs (HÄVS) in Darmstadt, Frankfurt am Main, Fulda, Gießen, Kassel and Wiesbaden.

You can find the HAVS responsible for your place of residence under the following link: