Bronx Attorney for School Sexual Abuse Claims
While schools are meant to be a safe space for children to learn and grow, some students are hurt by predatory adults. If you were the victim of school sexual abuse, talk to an attorney about filing a claim and getting justice.
Damages in school sexual abuse claims may include economic and psychological damages, although many cases tend to focus on psychological and mental suffering. Punitive damages might also be considered. Your deadline to file your claim is longer than you might realize. Victims of childhood sexual abuse have until their 55th birthday to submit their case to the courts. Obtaining evidence to back up your claims might be difficult, especially if many years have passed since the abuse. Plaintiffs often rely on testimony from people who knew about the abuse to support their claims. Numerous defendants might be implicated in your case. While we should of course include the abusers, we should also consider suing the school or school district.
If you were the victim of sexual abuse by school officials, contact our attorneys for school sexual abuse at The Carrion Law Firm by calling (718) 841-0083 and schedule a free initial case review.
Deadlines to File Civil Claims for School Sexual Abuse in The Bronx
As with any other claim for injuries, sexual abuse cases must be filed according to the statute of limitations. This statute places a deadline on when the case must be filed. If the deadline passes, the plaintiff might lose their right to sue, barring very special circumstances. In New York, the deadline for childhood sexual abuse claims has always been longer than ordinary injury claims. Even so, many victims do not report the abuse for decades, and this deadline was found to be too short.
In 2019, the Child Victims Act greatly extended the deadline for plaintiffs to file claims for childhood sexual abuse. Now, victims of childhood sexual abuse may file civil claims for damages up to their 55th birthday. Even if you were abused at school many years ago, there is still hope for justice and closure.
The law was passed on February 14, 2019. For those whose claims expired by the time the new Act was passed, a 1-year window of time was available for them to submit their claims. The window opened on August 14, 2019 and closed the following year. If you are unsure whether your claim can still be filed, ask our team for assistance.
Damages Available to Victims of School Sexual Abuse in The Bronx
Damages in school sex abuse cases may include compensatory damages for the economic costs of the plaintiff’s injuries in addition to the psychological toll of the abuse. In some cases, depending on the situation, the court might also award punitive damages meant to serve as a punishment for the defendant.
Economic damages may account for things like hospital bills or other financial costs related to sexual abuse. In other types of injury claims, economic damages may be quite substantial. In childhood sexual abuse cases, it is somewhat common for these damages to be less than you might realize. While some plaintiffs did receive medical care for their injuries from the abuse, it might have happened many years ago, and records of these costs might be lost. Alternatively, some plaintiffs never reported their injuries or sought medical attention because they were afraid of retaliation from their abuser, so there are no hospital bills to claim.
Non-economic damages can be quite extensive in this kind of case. The trauma and emotional turmoil experienced by sexual abuse survivors can be incredibly painful and psychologically scarring. Many people find that the abuse impacts their everyday life for years. Diagnosable psychological conditions like PTSD are not uncommon. To get an idea of just how much the abuse affects you this way, it might be wise to speak to a mental health professional. Our attorneys can help you get justice and compensation for all the pain you have endured.
How to Obtain Evidence for a Bronx School Sexual Abuse Civil Claim
Since many school sex abuse cases are heard years after the abuse happened, it is often difficult for plaintiffs to find evidence supporting their claims. Things like physical evidence are likely long gone, and physical injuries have likely recovered. Even so, there may be evidence out there, and our team will help you find it.
Many plaintiffs rely on testimony from people who knew about the abuse or have other personal knowledge relevant to the case. For example, if you were abused at school, other teachers or administrators might have knowledge of the abuse and testify about what happened. Perhaps other students witnessed the abuse or were also abused themselves and can testify.
While witness testimony can sometimes be less than rock solid, it can be very powerful when the person testifying has a clear memory of the events that transpired. Even just a few witnesses from around the time the abuse was happening can make for a very strong case.
Who You May Name in Your Bronx School Sexual Abuse Claims?
Deciding who to name in your lawsuit is not always easy. While we should include the abuser in your case, this is not always possible. Perhaps you were abused by a teacher or a coach at school, but this person has since passed away. In such a case, your lawyer can still help you find justice.
We can look into suing the school or district for the abuse. We might find evidence that school administrators or even district personnel knew about the abuse. It is not uncommon for people to find out that school administrators actually worked to cover up the abuse. If this is the case for you, we might name the school and district in your lawsuit.
Depending on what kind of school you attended, suing the school might be a challenge. Public schools are considered governmental entities, and teachers and administrators are public employees. As such, there might be issues of governmental immunity hindering your case. If possible, we will find ways around this. Perhaps the immunity was waived or never applied because of the nature of the abuse. Your attorney can investigate and come up with an answer.
Contact Our Bronx Lawyers for School Sexual Abuse Claims to Begin Your Case
If you were sexually abused as a young student, contact our lawyers for school sexual abuse at The Carrion Law Firm by calling (718) 841-0083, and schedule a free initial case review.