Attorney for Victims of Sexual Abuse in Cranberry Township, PA

Sexual abusers are not always charged, tried, and convicted. Many escape justice for various reasons. However, victims can still pursue justice through the civil courts. A lawyer can help you file a lawsuit against those responsible for the abuse and get you justice and compensation.

Although a civil lawsuit does not involve criminal charges or penalties, you may still claim extensive damages for everything you have endured because of the abuse. Medical bills, the costs of mental health care, and extensive damages for pain, suffering, humiliation, and a whole host of other deeply painful experiences. Many people are haunted by sexual abuse for years. If you were abused, even once, you deserve justice.

Call The Law Office of Andrew Shubin at (814) 826-3586 and ask our attorneys for victims of sexual abuse for a confidential initial case assessment at no cost.

What Damages Should You Claim in a Sexual Abuse Civil Case?

Damages may vary from plaintiff to plaintiff depending on the nature of the sexual abuse and each plaintiff’s personal experiences. Your lawyer should help you evaluate your damages to make sure you get the most compensation possible.

Medical Bills

Sexual abuse often causes painful bodily injuries, and victims may need urgent medical care. Even if you received medical care for injuries from sexual abuse a long time ago, and even if you did not report the abuse at that time, you may still claim these medical costs as part of your damages.

Cost of Mental Health Care

Sexual abuse leaves psychological scars in addition to physical ones. Many victims live with the distress, trauma, and shame of sexual abuse for many years or even the rest of their lives. As such, many victims need mental health care, which can be expensive. Be sure to discuss these costs with your lawyer and make sure they are included in your damages.

Pain and Suffering

Costs of mental health care aside, you may live with serious mental trauma because of sexual abuse, and you may be entitled to extensive damages for numerous forms of pain and suffering. These damages are highly subjective and based on your unique experiences.

Evaluating these damages can be difficult because they are not always tied to a specific monetary value. Even so, the more your pain and suffering interferes with your life, the greater your damages should be.

Should You Report Sexual Abuse to the Police Before Filing a Civil Lawsuit?

You should report sexual abuse to the police, even if a long time has passed. There may still be evidence out there, and the police may find it and use it to arrest the person who hurt you.

If the abuse happened recently, contact the authorities right away. Your attorney can help you if necessary.

How to Prove Claims of Sexual Abuse

Proving your claims requires evidence, and we should investigate your claims thoroughly to find what we need.

Witness Testimony

You should be prepared to testify about the sexual abuse in court. This can be difficult, and many plaintiffs feel that testifying retraumatizes them, but it may be necessary. Often, the victim of sexual abuse is the only witness. Additionally, only you can explain your pain and suffering and how sexual abuse has affected your life.

Medical Records

If a doctor evaluated you after the sexual abuse occurred, we should review those medical records to see if they can help us prove your claims. Often, the injuries a victim sustains may be consistent with sexual abuse. A physician may review your medical records and explain whether the injuries are likely the result of sexual abuse.

Evidence Controlled by the Defendant

Some evidence may be under the control of the defendant. For example, if we are suing a school for sexual abuse, we may need school records about you, the defendant, and others involved in the case. We can obtain these records through the discovery phase of the case.

During this phase, each side of the case must exchange information and evidence. If the defendant refuses to hand over evidence, our lawyers for victims of sexual abuse may ask the court to compel production. If they still refuse, they may face legal penalties.

How Soon After Sexual Abuse Should You File a Lawsuit?

The time you have to sue for sexual abuse in Pennsylvania depends on how old you were when the abuse occurred.

If you were a child when the abuse happened, you have 37 years from when you turn 18, or until age 55, to file a civil lawsuit. If you were at least 18 but younger than 24, you have until the age of 30 to file your case.

If the abuse happened when you were 24 or older, you have only 2 years to file your case.

Who Can You Sue for Sexual Abuse in Cranberry Township, PA?

We may sue numerous parties for sexual abuse, not just the person who actually committed the abuse.

The Abuser

We must include the person who committed the sexual abuse in your lawsuit. They are a primary defendant, and we may need to include them for the case to move forward. Even if this person has passed away, it may still be possible to include their estate.

The Abuser’s Employer

Many cases of sexual abuse involve the abuser’s employer. If the abuser used their position of employment to access the victim or otherwise perpetrate the abuse, the employer may be held responsible. Including employers is a good idea because individual abusers may be unable to afford your damages on their own.

Institutions

Did a school have a legal duty to protect you from the abuse and fail to do so? Did a church knowingly shield the abuser from accountability and keep victims quiet? Even if these institutions did not employ the abuser, they might still be held responsible for sexual abuse if they failed to stop it or knowingly allowed it to continue.

Will the Defendant in Your Civil Lawsuit for Sexual Abuse Face Criminal Charges?

Maybe. If there is sufficient evidence, the authorities may bring criminal charges against the defendant. Even if they do not, criminal and civil proceedings are separate. The fact that someone is not criminally charged for the abuse does not mean they cannot be held civilly liable.

Speak to Our Lawyers for Victims of Sexual Abuse in Cranberry Township, PA About Your Claims

Call The Law Office of Andrew Shubin at (814) 826-3586 and ask our attorneys for victims of sexual abuse for a confidential initial case assessment at no cost.