Sexual abuse and assault are deeply traumatic experiences for the survivors. Injury Lawyer Team understand the intricacies of sexual abuse cases and are ready to help survivors with their sexual abuse claims in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
WE ARE ONLY ACCEPTING SEXUAL ABUSE CASES INVOLVING INSTITUTIONS.
IF YOU HAVE A MATTER INVOLVING A RELATIVE OR ACQUAINTANCE, PLEASE CONTACT YOUR LOCAL BAR ASSOCIATION
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Why Choose Injury Lawyer Team
Sexual abuse survivors deserve compensation for the physical, emotional, and financial damages they’ve endured. At Injury Lawyer Team, we are committed to securing the maximum settlement for your medical expenses, therapy, lost wages, and other damages to help you rebuild your life.
| $21 Million Hotel sexual assault case | $15 Million Coach grooming and abuse | $7 Million Cruise ship rape settlement |
| $6 Million Negligent security assault | $6 Million Child sexual abuse lawsuit | $5 Million Therapist sexual abuse settlement |
With years of experience, our compassionate legal team will protect your rights and fight relentlessly to hold abusers and institutions accountable. We will guide you through every step of the process, ensuring you receive the justice and compensation you deserve. Let us stand by your side in your pursuit of justice.
Understanding Sexual Abuse and Assault
Sexual abuse and assault are broad terms that encompass many different acts. Sexual assault and abuse is any type of sexual behavior or act where there is no consent. Sometimes, there are power imbalances involved, but not always. Sexual assault and abuse can be anything from inappropriate and uncomfortable sexual jokes to sexual violence.
Consent must be continuously given and by someone capable of consenting. Someone under the influence of drugs or alcohol or who is being manipulated cannot consent.
Common Forms of Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse and assault can occur in several different ways. Some of the most common forms of sexual abuse and assault are:
- Child Sexual Abuse: Any sexual behavior or act with a minor, including penetration, touching, or exposure to sexual content.
- Statutory Rape: Sexual intercourse between an adult and a minor, often between someone older and a teenager who thinks they’re able to consent but can’t.
- Digital Sexual Abuse: Sharing videos and photos of someone naked or performing sexual acts without their knowledge or consent.
- Sexual Harassment: Any kind of unwanted sexual advances, like inappropriate touching, sexual comments, or requests for sexual favors.
- Voyeurism: Watching someone perform sexual acts or undress without their knowledge or consent.
- Incest: Sexual acts between two family members, usually between an adult and a child.
- Sexual Assault and Rape: Intercourse between two people where there’s no consent. This usually involves some level of force, but it doesn’t have to.
- Sexual Exploitation: Coercing someone into sexual acts for financial or some other type of gain.
Institutions Where Sexual Abuse Is Most Likely to Occur
Sexual abuse and assault can happen anywhere, but some institutions see a higher number of these cases for several reasons. At Injury Lawyer Team, we’re prepared to protect your rights if you’ve been sexually abused or assaulted at the following institutions:
- Religious Institutions: Clergy abuse is a huge issue within the Catholic Church, but sexual abuse can occur in any religious institution.
- Sports Clubs: Coaches, team doctors, and other teammates might harm others in the sports club.
- Military Institutions: Sexual abuse and assault within the military often result from an intense abuse of power through the chain of command.
- Hotels and Short-Term Rentals: As transient locations, these tend to be a breeding ground for sex crimes since people move in and out of these locations fairly quickly.
- Shelters: Those seeking a safe place in shelters are often subjected to sexual abuse by shelter workers or other people living in the shelter.
- Workplace: Power dynamics often play a role in sexual harassment or abuse within the workplace.
- Inpatient Treatment Facilities: These patients are especially vulnerable, making them easy targets for a sex offender.
- Prisons and Correctional Facilities: Inmates are often subjected to sexual abuse and assault from other prisoners and correctional officers.
- Foster Care: We’ll protect the rights of those within our foster care system that have been sexually abused or assaulted by foster parents, social workers, shelter employees, or anyone else.
- Daycare Facilities and Nursing Homes: Daycares and nursing homes care for those who can’t fully care for themselves, but staff, other patients, or visitors can harm people.
- Educational Institutions: Whether it’s elementary schools or college campuses, sexual abuse and assault can happen at these institutions.
Steps to Take If You Are a Victim of Sexual Assault
If you’ve been a victim of sexual assault or abuse in Allentown, knowing what you should do immediately afterward will be invaluable in protecting yourself and if you want to pursue justice at any point. Some steps to take afterward are:
- Find somewhere safe and away from the perpetrator if you can.
- Seek medical attention so there is medical documentation of your injuries, no matter how minor or visible they are.
- Report sexual abuse or assault to the Allentown authorities and file a police report.
- Document everything you can about the assault.
- Preserve evidence as best you can to assist in your civil lawsuit.
- Seek support from friends, family, and local resources like Turning Point of the Lehigh Valley and the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape (PCAR).
- Hire sexual abuse attorneys who have experience handling similar cases in Allentown.
Compensation Awarded in Sexual Abuse Claims
Sexual abuse victims can file a civil lawsuit to seek compensation for damages caused by the assault. Injury Lawyer Team are experienced attorneys who know how to obtain compensation types like:
- Therapy and medical costs
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment in life
- Emotional distress
As we build your case and assess the damages, we’ll determine what a fair settlement might be, given your circumstances. Every case is different, and these factors will impact your total settlement:
- The duration and severity of the abuse
- The strength of the evidence
- The impact it’s had on your life
- The degree of negligence of any liable institutions
Liability in Sexual Abuse Cases in Allentown, PA
In sexual abuse and assault cases, it’s not always just the individual (s) who committed the act that is responsible. While we strive to hold the perpetrator(s) responsible, sometimes institutions can be liable due to negligence by enabling or failing to prevent the abuse.
When it comes to holding different institutions liable in a sexual assault or abuse case, we can do so under these legal theories:
- Negligent Hiring & Supervision: Failing to screen or properly supervise employees.
- Vicarious Liability: Even if the institution isn’t negligent, it can sometimes be held responsible for the actions of its agents or employees.
- Failure to Report: Even if the institution isn’t considered a mandated reporting location, they can be held liable for not reporting any accusations of suspicions.
- Negligent Response to Complaints: If the institution is aware of complaints and chooses not to act on them, it can be held responsible.
Some laws, like Title IX, provide additional protections in schools and educational institutions.
How to Prove a Sexual Assault Case
We’ll have to build a strong case based on your specific circumstances to ensure we secure the maximum compensation for your claim. This means being able to prove who the liable parties are. We work tirelessly to ensure we can build the strongest case possible for our clients. We can do this by:
- Gathering evidence
- Establishing a timeline of events or pattern of abuse
- Securing expert testimony
- Showing damages incurred
- Building a narrative that showcases the full scope of the sexual abuse or assault
How Our Allentown Sexual Abuse Lawyers Can Help
The attorneys at Injury Lawyer Team are committed to protecting your rights and handling all the complexities of your case. This allows you to focus more on healing and moving forward. We can help by:
- Providing you with a safe place for a free, confidential consultation.
- Thoroughly investigating every aspect of your claim to build a strong case.
- Developing a strong legal strategy to help you get the best possible outcome.
- Handling all negotiations with insurance companies and opposing counsel.
- Representing you in the courtroom if we can’t reach a settlement out of court.
- Offering you access to support resources.
The Time Limits for Filing a Civil Lawsuit in Allentown, PA
If you want to take legal action against your abuser or the institution whose negligence led to your abuse, you need to know the statute of limitations for filing a civil suit in Allentown. Pennsylvania law has different statutes of limitations for child and adult survivors.
Survivors of child sexual abuse have until they turn 30 to file a civil case against anyone liable. As for adults, they have two years from the date of the incident.
Contact Our Allentown Sexual Assault Attorneys Today!
If you’ve been sexually assaulted or abused, you need compassionate support and an experienced legal team to help you seek justice. Injury Lawyer Team has a strong record of representing survivors of sexual abuse and assault, ensuring they receive the maximum financial compensation allowed under current law.
Our law firm provides the legal representation you need while protecting your legal rights and offering the guidance you deserve. If you’re ready to pursue legal action and hold your abuser accountable, retain our legal services today.
Contact us online to schedule your free consultation, or call us 24/7 at (888) 424-5757.
Related Practice Areas
- Erie Sexual Abuse Lawyer
- Philadelphia Sexual Abuse Lawyer
- Pittsburg Sexual Abuse Lawyer
- Reading Sexual Abuse Lawyer
All content undergoes thorough legal review by experienced attorneys, including Jonathan Rosenfeld. With 25 years of experience in personal injury law and over 100 years of combined legal expertise within our team, we ensure that every article is legally accurate, compliant, and reflects current legal standards.
