Having to pay financially for the crime that you commit is called restitution. Each crime has a certain restitution amount that can be paid by the defendant. The judge has the right to ask the defendant to pay restitution for the crime. In some cases, restitution does cover medical expenses of the victim. Sometimes compensation is also part of the restitution paid by the defendant.
Some people might think that restitution and fines are the same thing. A fine is paid to the government for breaking the law or causing damages. On the other hand, restitution is always paid to the victim of a particular offense. However, there are some instances in which restitution is paid to the government. These are the cases in which the defendant has caused losses to the government. These are recovered in the form of restitution and the judge makes sure that the damaged property is fixed.
Restitution laws are different for different states because they have their own statutes to deal with it. But most states give judges the authority to make important decisions regarding the amount and time to pay the restitution. You could be ordered to pay restitution only in some cases, especially if it is your first offense. But in other situations, it may be added to another sentence, for example, you might be asked to pay restitution on top of a prison sentence.
If you have been charged with a crime, hire a defense attorney to discuss all possible outcomes with you, including the payment of restitution.