Sexual abuse cases are becoming increasingly easier to bring as society has become more and more aware of the abuses that often take place behind closed doors. Bringing your case into the light is now more than ever an opportunity to step forward, speak your truth, and fight for justice for what happened.
In many cases, there is substantial compensation available from individuals and institutions responsible for the abuse you faced. Our attorneys can help you tell your story and get the compensation you need for the physical and mental/emotional impact of sexual abuse, whether you were abused as a child victim or an adult.
For a free case evaluation, reach out to our attorneys representing sexual abuse victims today at The Carrion Law Firm by calling (631) 910-7493.
Basics of a Sexual Abuse Claim on Long Island
Many people have questions and misunderstandings about how a sexual abuse claim works, and our attorneys representing sexual abuse victims hope that the following information can help clear up some of the questions you might have:
Is a Sexual Abuse Case Civil or Criminal?
Often, the sexual abuse you faced constitutes a crime, and you can report it to the police. This will start the process of a criminal investigation which might end in the abuser being charged with sexual assault, rape, or a similar crime. Ultimately, that might result in punishment and potential jail time for the defendant. However, the focus of the criminal justice system is to punish defendants rather than to help victims.
Alongside – or instead of – criminal charges, you can file a civil lawsuit against the abuser. This can help you hold them personally responsible for what they did to you and all of the economic and non-economic harm that resulted from the abuse. This can potentially mean financial compensation for your injuries, medical care, mental health care, lost wages, and emotional distress, along with other damages.
In a civil lawsuit, you can also often sue institutions that might have shared responsibility for the abuse or acted to cover up the abuse.
What Does an Attorney for Sexual Abuse Victims Do?
Our attorneys can be your attorney. That means that we can help you file your case and represent you in all legal filings and hearings related to your civil case. We can also stand up for you and help field questions from police, reporters, or anyone else who comes forward for information if your case becomes public.
As your attorney, we represent you and your best interests, and we are bound by ethics rules to help you get compensation, to help maximize your compensation, and to protect your rights – including the fact that we have to keep everything you tell us strictly confidential unless we have your permission to release the information or use it as evidence in your claim.
What Constitutes “Sexual Abuse” for a Lawsuit?
We use the term “sexual abuse” or “sexual assault” pretty broadly in this context. There are many different types of conduct that can constitute sexual abuse, and we might change the specific name of the claim based on what specific conduct happened to you.
In any case, there are claims available for all kinds of unwanted touching, sexual harassment, “grooming” acts, coercive sexual acts, sexual acts under the effects of drugs or alcohol, and especially forcible rape or sexual assault. Our attorneys can help file the right claim for what happened to you.
Holding Individuals and Institutions Liable for Sexual Assault in Long Island, NY
As mentioned, one of the benefits of coming forward and filing a civil lawsuit for sexual abuse is that you can often hold institutions liable for the part they played in your abuse. There have been many cases filed in New York and around the country against schools, churches, camps, hospitals, scouting organizations, and other institutions for sexual abuse, coverups, and irresponsible oversight.
Suing Individuals
In cases where the individual acted alone and no institution was involved in the abuse, our lawyers can help you sue them individually. This can help you get compensation for what they did to you, but the case will usually stop with them. There might be no additional compensation available beyond what the individual assailant can pay you.
Institutional Coverups
Many cases against the Catholic Church, schools, and other institutions show evidence that the individual assailant was known by the institution to have a history of complaints about sexual abuse or other inappropriate conduct. In these cases, the institution is sometimes accused of covering up past allegations, failing to properly investigate reports, or relocating abusers to a new community without warning them.
In these instances, the institution might share in fault for the abuse because they could have stopped the abuser, and in fact had a duty to stop future abuse but ultimately failed to act. These institutions are just as responsible as the abuser, as they put you in danger. Juries can apportion blame, and courts can order institutions to pay their fair share of damages.
Institutional Negligence
Sometimes the institution’s responsibility is not as clear. Rather than cases where the institution knew about past abuse, there might have been an institution that should have learned of the abuse or taken better steps to protect people but failed to do so. For example, an institution that failed to run proper background checks on staff or a school that did not have proper systems to report and investigate allegations of sexual assault might be negligent. These cases are often more fact-sensitive, but our attorneys might be able to find liability against an institution and file your claim against them alongside the individual assailant.
For a Free Case Review, Call Our Long Island Sexual Assault Victim Lawyers Today
Call The Carrion Law Firm’s attorneys representing sexual abuse victims at (631) 910-7493 for a free review of your case today.