The road to recovery is often uncertain for victims of sexual abuse, but knowing your options can help you regain a sense of control and empower you to the next stage of healing in your life. Sympathetic and confidential legal assistance is available to address sexual abuse with personal injury cases.
A North Miami Beach sexual abuse lawyer at Dolman Law Group is here to offer an open ear and a plan of action for holding your abuser responsible.
Reasons To Seek Civil Justice in Your North Miami Beach Sexual Abuse Case
Sexual abuse victims should know that criminal justice is not the only justice they can receive. Civil justice also provides a form of relief.
Hold the Defendant Directly Accountable By Making Them Pay
Money cannot erase what you went through, but making the perpetrator pay can be a validating and healing experience.
Your compensation will be an acknowledgment of the damage you suffered at their hands or on their watch. It can also provide you resources to rebuild your life. Our Miami Beach lawyers will do everything they can to make that a reality.
Our Legal Team Will Pursue the Fair Compensation You Need
You could recover monetary compensation for multiple losses you have suffered due to the abuse. These losses can be financial, physical, or psychological and include:
- Medical treatment
- Lost income
- Chronic pain
- Sexually transmitted diseases
- Emotional distress
- Mental anguish
- Psychological disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Reduced ability to work
- Mental health treatment
- Reduced quality of life
- Anxiety
- Depression
Our attorneys can help put you on a path to healing by enlisting experts in the fields of medicine and psychology. We want to support you until the completion of your case.
Recognizing Sexual Abuse Can Be Difficult, So Here Are Some Signs
Sexual abuse can take many forms. It does not only involve sexual contact, nor does it have to be aggressive. It also involves non-physical sexual experiences like exposing your genitalia to someone else. Examples of sexual abuse also known as sexual assault, include:
- Rape
- Using minors to create child pornography
- Exposing or exhibiting genitals
- Unwanted or inappropriate touching
- Verbal sexual assault
- Exposure to pornographic material
- Voyeurism
Sexual Abuse Can Occur in Many Situations
Sexual abuse claims can result from a spectrum situations often involving a person in a position of authority or trust taking advantage of the victim. The National Sexual Violence Resource Center states that most sexual assault victims know their attacker. Some common sexual abuse situations we see in our practice include:
- Acquaintances
- Family members
- Staff members at nursing homes
- Clergy
Proving Sexual Abuse in a Personal Injury Case in North Miami Beach, Florida
Unfortunately, sexual abuse itself isn't defined as an actual cause of action for a civil court case in Florida. Lawyers in North Miami Beach must present the specific cause or circumstances of the abuse to prove that their clients have a case. Legally valid causes of action for a personal injury claim against a sexual predator include:
Premises Liability
This is sexual violence occurring on another person's property due to an unsafe or defective condition. This could involve inadequate security, doors that don't lock, or poor lighting. For instance, this could happen on a commercial property or an apartment complex.
Sexual Battery
Under Florida Statutes § 794.011, sexual battery is the anal, oral, or vaginal penetration of a person by another person's body part or object without consent. This is known more commonly as rape.
Assault
When a person threatens to harm someone else with the very real intent or ability to do so, they are considered to have assaulted the victim under Florida law.
Hiring Negligence
If a victim was harmed by an employee who was not properly screened, trained, or supervised, the company could be negligent and thereby responsible for your injury.
Our lawyers will examine and investigate the facts of your case to pinpoint the best path forward to receiving justice. We understand how difficult it can be to come forward with your story. Our team aims to make sure that your doing this is not in vain.
You Do Not Need To Be Rich To Hire a Lawyer After a Sexual Assault
Some lawyers make their clients pay up front or by the hour. We do not do this. We know our clients are in vulnerable positions after suffering injuries or abuse. Our team doesn't want to put further stress or financial pressure on you.
So, we take cases on a contingency-fee basis. This involves you agreeing to a portion of your settlement or judgment serving as our attorney's fee.
Do I Have To File My Lawsuit Within a Certain Time?
Florida Statutes § 95.11 imposes a general, four-year timeline on personal injury lawsuits. So, you would have to file your lawsuit before this time frame ends. However, there are situations where you could have more or less time to do so.
This could include if you were a child at the time of the abuse. Your lawyer will inform you of how much time you have.
What Should I Expect When I Hire a Sexual Abuse Lawyer From Your Firm?
Our team will handle your case with sensitivity and see it through to the end. This process is about getting justice and closure for you. It will begin with your lawyer speaking to you about your case and the abuse.
Then, we will compile evidence to support your claim. This could include your testimony, testimony from witnesses to the abuse, photos, videos, and incident reports. We will also explore the criminal history of the perpetrator. If they have done this before to other people, this fact could influence your chance at recovering damages.
We will file your lawsuit and take your case to court. You could recover compensation from the perpetrator, a property owner's homeowners insurance, or another liable party. Any criminal case you enact will not affect this civil case.
Get Justice with Dolman Law Group Standing at Your Side
Let the North Miami Beach lawyers at Dolman Law Group be your tool for justice. Call (305) 676-8154 for sensitive and dedicated legal service. You do not have to suffer in silence after sexual abuse. Our North Miami Beach personal injury lawyers want to secure fair damages for your assault-related losses. We can start as soon as you call to tell us your story.
North Miami Beach Office
1820 NE 163rd St #306,
North Miami Beach, FL 33162
(305) 676-8154