What to Do After a Terrorist Attack: A Legal Guide for Victims and Families

The moments, hours, and weeks after a terrorist attack are overwhelming. Injury, loss, trauma, and crisis demand your full attention. Legal questions feel impossibly abstract against that backdrop. But the actions you take — or fail to take — in the immediate aftermath can determine whether you and your family receive the compensation you are owed.

This guide is written for victims and families who need practical answers, not legal theory. It walks through each step, in sequence, so you know what to do and when.

Step 1: Prioritize Safety and Medical Care

This seems obvious, but it needs to be said first: your health and safety come before everything else. Seek medical care immediately for any injury, including injuries that seem minor. Many conditions — traumatic brain injury, internal bleeding, PTSD — do not present obvious symptoms right away. Early medical documentation is also critical for any future legal claim; gaps in treatment are used by defendants and government programs to minimize compensation.

Keep every medical record, bill, and doctor's note. Request complete copies from every provider. Digital copies stored in multiple secure locations are best.

Step 2: Document Everything

As soon as it is safe to do so, begin creating a contemporaneous record of what happened and what you are experiencing.

• Write down your account of the attack: where you were, what you saw and heard, the sequence of events — as much detail as you can recall
• Photograph all physical injuries before they heal
• Preserve clothing, personal items, or any physical evidence from the scene (do not tamper with crime scenes, but preserve what is legally yours)
• Keep a daily journal documenting your physical symptoms, emotional state, and how your injuries affect your daily life and work
• Save all communications with emergency services, hospitals, government agencies, and insurance companies

Step 3: Register with the Appropriate Government Agencies

Several federal and state agencies need to know you exist before they can help you. Registration does not automatically entitle you to compensation, but failing to register by the deadline can bar your claims entirely.

FBI Victim Assistance

The FBI's Victim Assistance Program connects terrorism victims with services, keeps victims informed of case developments, and coordinates with other agencies. If the FBI has jurisdiction over the attack — which it does for most domestic terrorist incidents and any attack against U.S. nationals abroad — register with FBI Victim Assistance as early as possible.

Office for Victims of Crime (OVC)

The Department of Justice's OVC administers compensation and assistance programs for victims of federal crimes, including terrorism. Contact the OVC to learn what programs you are eligible for based on the specific attack.

State Crime Victim Compensation Programs

Every state has a crime victim compensation program funded in part by federal VOCA grants. These programs can cover medical expenses, mental health counseling, lost wages, and funeral costs, subject to per-category and total maximums. State programs typically have short application deadlines — often one year from the date of the crime — so do not delay.

Step 4: Notify Your Insurance Companies

Notify your health insurer, life insurer (if applicable), disability insurer, and homeowner's or renter's insurer as promptly as possible. Delay in notification can be used as a basis to deny or reduce claims. Keep a written record of every conversation, including the date, the name of the representative, and the substance of what was discussed.

Be cautious about giving recorded statements to insurance companies — particularly to the other side's insurer — without first consulting an attorney.

Step 5: Understand the Statute of Limitations

Different legal claims have different deadlines. Missing a deadline means losing the right to pursue that claim permanently, regardless of how strong it is.

• Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) civil claims: 10 years from the date of injury
• Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) claims against the U.S. government: 2 years from the date of the negligent act
• State tort claims: varies by state, typically 2-3 years
• Government fund claims (VCF, VSST Fund): vary by program; some have registration deadlines separate from claim filing deadlines
• Workers' compensation (if injured while working): typically very short, often 30-90 days for notice

These deadlines run from different triggering events. An attorney can help you identify every applicable deadline and prioritize accordingly.

Step 6: Consult a Terrorism Compensation Attorney

Terrorism law is a specialized field. Not every personal injury attorney, and not every criminal defense attorney, has the experience needed to navigate ATA civil litigation, government compensation fund claims, sovereign immunity issues, or the complex discovery rules that apply in terrorism cases.

When evaluating a terrorism attorney, ask:

• Have you handled ATA civil cases before? What were the outcomes?
• Do you work on contingency, and what percentage do you charge?
• Will you personally handle my case, or will it be assigned to a junior attorney?
• What is your assessment of the strongest claims available to me?
• How long do cases like mine typically take to resolve?

Contingency Representation

Most terrorism compensation attorneys represent victims on a full contingency basis: you pay no legal fees unless and until compensation is recovered. The contingency percentage varies but is typically 25-40% depending on the complexity of the case and the stage at which it resolves. Out-of-pocket costs (filing fees, expert witnesses, travel) are handled differently by different firms — get clarity on this upfront.

Step 7: What to Expect from the Process

Terrorism cases are not resolved quickly. Government fund claims can take one to three years to process. ATA civil litigation often takes five to ten years before a final resolution, whether through settlement or judgment. This is not a reason to avoid pursuing a claim — it is a reason to start early.

Accountability is not only about money. Civil litigation creates a public record, compels testimony under oath, and can reveal how an attack was financed and enabled — information that may prevent the next one.

The terrorist act that injured you or killed your family member was not your fault. The legal system exists, in part, to ensure that those responsible — including the organizations and governments that funded and supported the attack — face real consequences. Take the first step: document, register, and call an attorney.