Chicago Sexual Abuse Lawyers

Sexual abuse can devastate victims’ lives, but victims can still seek justice through the legal system. At Lane Brown, our expert sexual abuse lawyers specialize in protecting your rights and getting justice for your emotional damage and physical injuries. Call us today to speak to one of our sexual abuse attorneys.

Sexual abuse and assault are crimes punishable by years in prison and other sentences in Illinois. But even if the perpetrator is locked up, victims are often left with lingering emotional difficulties, damage, injuries, and trauma. What recourse do they have?

Victims of sexual abuse can take abusers to civil court to recover compensation for their suffering. They may seek compensation for their physical suffering, emotional suffering, and all costs associated with recovering from those traumas. However, anyone who attempts a sexual abuse claim must be prepared for the legal challenges that lie ahead.

For one, the abuser is likely to have a defense attorney of his or her own, so you’ll want to consider hiring a sexual abuse lawyer to help you get the compensation you deserve. At Lane Brown, LLC, our lawyers are wholeheartedly committed to helping the victims of sex abuse and their families find financial justice. We’ll use every resource our law firm has to prove the abuser’s liability and wrongful acts.

Sexual abuse cases can be difficult and overwhelming for victims to combat in the courtroom, but remember you’re not alone. We’re here to provide support and help you pursue justice every step of the way.

How Can a Chicago Sexual Abuse Lawyer Help Me?

When you’ve been injured or traumatized by an abuser, you deserve compensation; however, that compensation isn’t easy to get. Even if the other person is given a conviction and jail time, it’s possible to make a mistake and lose your chance at winning your sex abuse civil suit.

When you’re thinking of fighting back against your sexual abuser, a sexual abuse lawyer makes that process easier and more efficient in several key ways:

• We’re well-versed in how to best handle these cases and fight for victims of sexual abuse.
• We’re prepared to bring our skills and honed strategies to best advocate for your case.
• We believe victims of sexual abuse deserve fair compensation, and we fight to help you obtain it.

Working with a trusted sexual abuse lawyer in Chicago offers a myriad of advantages. When you’re in the middle of a civil case and dealing with the aftermath of your traumatic event, it’s easy to lose track of laws, statutes, and deadlines. Unfortunately, if you wait too long to file, you could lose your chance for future compensation. In Illinois, the statute of limitations for personal injury claims is generally two years from the incident or the discovery of the harm, although exceptions can apply to sexual abuse cases. Partnering with a lawyer as early as you feel comfortable can help ensure you have the best chance at fighting the sexual abuse case and getting fair compensation.

Our lawyers can also help you keep track of the laws that will affect your case to ensure that you don’t have to. You’re dealing with a terrible situation, so we do our best to handle as many aspects of your case as possible so you can focus on your recovery.

Finally, a legal professional will be especially helpful in standing up to your abuser. When you’re dealing with someone you knew and trusted, such as a teacher, nurse, or a family member, it’s often difficult to face them and fight for the compensation you deserve. If you’re struggling with a sensitive case, you can rest easy knowing that we’re on your side and will ensure you get compensated.

Differences Between Criminal and Civil Court for Sexual Abuse

It’s likely that your abuser is in the process of being tried or has been tried in a criminal court for their wrongful actions and the injuries they inflicted on you. For many people, this seems like the end. Unfortunately, a criminal conviction for an abuser does nothing to financially compensate their victims.

Criminal charges differ from civil suits—they’re strictly meant to punish the perpetrator and prevent them from causing further harm. But while abusers may pay high fines to the criminal courts for their actions, this money will not go toward helping you recover. Indeed, everything from the criminal trial focuses on the accused and their defense rather than your suffering.

That’s where your formal civil lawsuit comes in. Rather than being based on the crime that was committed, your sexual abuse claim focuses on the serious bodily harm, injuries, or mental trauma done to you. This will be your main chance to get the financial compensation you need to recover, so it’s important to get started as early as possible. Even if the criminal trial is ongoing, our lawyers can still formulate an effective response and build a case to prove the abuser’s liability.

If the abuser is convicted of a crime despite their defense, that’s more evidence that they harmed you and violated your rights. This can increase your chances of winning compensation.

Speak to one of our sexual abuse lawyers today to discuss your legal options during a free and confidential consultation. We know what you’re going through, as we’ve helped many other individuals in similar situations.

Naming Your Abuser

To get the compensation you deserve, you must name the perpetrator or perpetrators in your sexual abuse claim. This will allow your sexual abuse attorney to gather evidence, such as legal documents, medical records, criminal histories, and witness statements, to prove your claim. While it can be tough to get these documents on your own, a sex abuse lawyer can help while you focus on healing.

However, naming your abuser can be especially difficult if your attacker was close to you or is a person with authority. Sadly, this is often the case. The following are some of the most common abusers taken to court for their liability in sex abuse claims:

• Acquaintances
• Family members
• Spouses and partners
• In cases involving minors: school teacher, school nurse, coach, extracurricular activity leader, and church administrator

In the vast majority of cases, victims of sexual violence know their abusers, although cases involving aggravated assault, sexual assault, or molestation by strangers do occur.

As difficult as it can be to name your abuser, you can rest assured that any information you provide about the abuser will help our sexual abuse lawyers assess your case.

Sex Abuse Can Take Many Forms

Sexual violence is a broad term that refers to any unwelcome sexual contact. Almost any action that is classified as sexual violence warrants a sexual abuse claim for compensation.

No matter what form of sex abuse you’ve suffered, our lawyers can help and will make a difference. While it may be difficult to think about what happened, you deserve to be compensated for the injuries and trauma you’ve experienced.

The following are some common types of sexual abuse for which you can pursue compensation:

• Rape – Rapists can be held accountable in criminal and civil court for their egregious actions and the traumatic damage they cause.
• Sexual Abuse of Minors – These cases often involve a religious institute, school, or youth sports organization. Sexual contact with a minor is a crime that can and should be punished in civil and criminal court. If your child has been victimized by an adult, our childhood sexual abuse lawyers can help you file a claim.
• Unwanted Touching – Sexually touching someone against their will is a form of sexual violence that may warrant a civil claim and a criminal case. No one can be touched in this way without legal reprisal.
• Drug-Facilitated Assault – More commonly known as “date rape,” this form of sexual violence is most often perpetrated in bars and parties. It is a vicious abuse and should not go unpunished.
• Intimate Partner Violence – Partners and married couples must give consent for sexual contact. An abusive partner can be held accountable in criminal and civil court if they force their spouse to perform or experience an unwanted sexual act.
• Sexual Abuse of Elders – The wrongful sexual abuse of the elderly often takes place in nursing homes and retirement communities. This heinous act is commonly perpetrated by staff members of nursing homes whose job is to help and care for the elderly residents in these facilities.

If you have experienced sexual abuse, whether through negligence or malice, you may still have a viable claim, even if what happened to you is not listed here. A sex abuse attorney can advise you on the next steps in filing your claim when you decide it’s time to litigate.

Red Flags Associated with Sexual Abuse

If you suspect that someone you love might be suffering from sexual abuse in any of its forms, from harassment to assault, there are certain warning signs you can keep an eye out for. Keep in mind that a person exhibiting just one of these red flags may not have been abused or assaulted, but the more signs you see in how they are acting, the greater the chance that they’ve been sexually abused or something else traumatic has happened to them.

Some of the signs seen in abuse victims include:

• A loss or gain in appetite
• Sudden depression or anxiety
• Social isolation
• Thoughts of self-harm
• Substance abuse
• Sexually transmitted infections (STIs/STDs)
• Nightmares
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Age regression

There are also signs of negligence and abuse you can look out for when an abuser knows their victim, as most do. Some red flags that perpetrators have been known to display include:

• Not respecting boundaries
• Discussing inappropriate topics
• Acting with an inappropriate sexual interest in the victim
• Engaging in unwanted harassment and physical behaviors like touching, hugging, kissing, and other physical contact

There is no defense for these wrongful, hurtful actions, and they are not accidents. The abusers need to be held responsible, which is where our experienced abuse lawyers come in.

What You Should Do if You Suspect Sex Abuse

When you have reason to believe that someone you love is being sexually abused or assaulted, you have to act. First and foremost, you need to make sure you get the victim to safety and see that they are protected. If the victim is your child, remove them from the situation or location where they’re being abused, whether that’s at the home of a friend or family member or even at their school. Next, you can search “child sex abuse attorney near me” to find a dedicated legal team that’s ready to fight for you or your child.

Once they’re safe, you should carefully bring your concerns to their attention. Do not be surprised if they deny your claims or get angry that you communicated your suspicions to them – this is a normal reaction, even if you’ve kept things confidential. If they can open up to you, consider involving the police. You can call your local police department to make a report so they can begin a criminal investigation.

Finally, call your sexual abuse lawyer. We’ll begin building a case with all the evidence we have so you can secure the compensation the victim will need to move past the damage that resulted from the abuse.

Compensation for Sex Abuse Damage

Victims of sexual abuse deserve compensation for every damage they have suffered as a result of the abuse. In addition to economic damages, sex abuse claims often involve non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering and emotional distress, which do not have a financial impact on victims but need to be compensated nonetheless.

These non-economic damages can be difficult to quantify, but our lawyers know how to factor them into an abuse claim. These emotional damages can be just as difficult to work through as the physical ones – if not more difficult – because they can haunt you for decades.

Getting compensation for negligence and abuse may not heal the mental wounds you suffered when you were assaulted, but it can help you pay for the treatments you need and cover your expenses while you’re handling the aftermath of your sexual abuse. The following are some common damages awarded in sexual abuse claims:

• Any medical bills related to the abuse
• The cost of therapy
• Emotional distress, including trauma like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Diminished current and future quality of life
• Pain and suffering that resulted from the abuse

Sex abuse cases often end with large financial awards to victims because the actions of the perpetrators are so horrific. A lawyer can ensure your settlement fairly compensates your suffering and exposes the liability of the abuser.

Areas We Serve

Contact a Chicago Sexual Abuse Attorney Today

The days, months, and years after sexual abuse are often extremely difficult for victims. The emotional trauma and pain alone warrant compensation. On top of that, you’ve been hurt, and chances are good that you feel threatened and frightened. For some victims of sexual abuse, the idea of fighting for fair compensation may feel difficult or impossible. We’re here to make sure you don’t have to fight alone.

Holding the perpetrators of sexual abuse accountable in civil court is important. Not only does it ensure victims see financial justice, but it also holds abusers accountable and disincentivizes other abusers by showing the cost of their actions.

When you’re seeking justice for your abuse and injuries, call a lawyer who can support your needs and act quickly to get you the care and attention you need. Our attorneys will fight to ensure you get fairly compensated and can finally experience closure.

The attorneys at Lane Brown, LLC, understand how sensitive these matters can be, and we are fully prepared to handle your case with care and the efficiency necessary for a successful outcome. While we have experience with all practice areas of personal injury law, our law office has a unique focus on the service of helping the victims of sexual abuse, and their families, get justice.

To schedule a fully confidential, free, no-pressure consultation with a Chicago sexual abuse lawyer, call us at 312-332-1400 or fill out the contact form at the bottom of the page.