13952
. (a) An application for compensation shall be filed with the
board in the manner determined by the board.
(b) (1) The application for compensation shall be verified under
penalty of perjury by the individual who is seeking compensation, who
may be the victim or derivative victim, or an individual seeking
reimbursement for burial, funeral, or crime scene cleanup expenses
pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 13957. If the individual
seeking compensation is a minor or is incompetent, the application
shall be verified under penalty of perjury or on information and
belief by the parent with legal custody, guardian, conservator, or
relative caregiver of the victim or derivative victim for whom the
application is made. However, if a minor seeks compensation only for
expenses for medical, medical-related, psychiatric, psychological, or
other mental health counseling-related services and the minor is
authorized by statute to consent to those services, the minor may
verify the application for compensation under penalty of perjury.
(2) For purposes of this subdivision, "relative caregiver" means a
relative as defined in paragraph (2) of subdivision (h) of Section
6550 of the Family Code, who assumed primary responsibility for the
child while the child was in the relative's care and control, and who
is not a biological or adoptive parent.
(c) (1) The board may require submission of additional information
supporting the application that is reasonably necessary to verify
the application and determine eligibility for compensation.
(2) The staff of the board shall determine whether an application
for compensation contains all of the information required by the
board. If the staff determines that an application does not contain
all of the required information, the staff shall communicate that
determination to the applicant with a brief statement of the
additional information required. The applicant, within 30 calendar
days of being notified that the application is incomplete, may either
supply the additional information or appeal the staff's
determination to the board, which shall review the application to
determine whether it is complete.
(3) The board shall not require an applicant to submit
documentation from the Internal Revenue Service, the Franchise Tax
Board, the State Board of Equalization, the Social Security
Administration, or the Employment Development Department to determine
eligibility for compensation. The board may require and use
documentation from these entities to verify the amount of
compensation for income or support loss.
(d) (1) The board may recognize an authorized representative of
the victim or derivative victim, who shall represent the victim or
derivative victim pursuant to rules adopted by the board.
(2) For purposes of this subdivision, "authorized representative"
means any of the following:
(A) Any person who has written authorization by the victim or
derivative victim. However, a medical or mental health provider, or
agent of the medical or mental health provider, who has provided
services to the victim or derivative victim shall not be allowed to
be an authorized representative.
(B) Any person designated by law including, but not limited to, a
legal guardian, conservator, or social worker.
(3) Except for attorney's fees awarded under this chapter, no
authorized representative described in paragraph (2) shall charge,
demand, receive, or collect any amount for services rendered under
this subdivision.
(4) The initial application materials sent by the board to an
applicant shall be written in English, Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese,
Korean, East Armenian, Tagalog, Russian, Arabic, Farsi, Hmong, Khmer,
Punjabi, and Lao. If the applicant selects one of the languages
listed in this subdivision, the board shall send all subsequent
communications in that language.