Victims of sexual abuse suffer life-long consequences, from physical to emotional and mental impact. Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers are committed to supporting sexual assault survivors, helping them seek justice for the acts perpetrated against them.
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
Table of Contents
Why Choose Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers
At Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, we are focused on getting you the highest financial compensation for your sexual abuse case, allowing you to recover losses for your medical expenses, therapy costs, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Our compassionate and experienced legal team is here to help. We do all we can to help you receive substantial settlements and verdicts.
| $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 |
We are your best advocate and relentlessly fight to protect your rights. We do everything possible to help your financial recovery and prioritize healing.
Understanding Sexual Abuse and Assault
Sexual abuse and sexual assault fall under the category of sex crimes in Maryland.
- Sex crimes are any type of non-consensual sexual contact or behavior.
- Sexual abuse is any type of sexual activity with a minor or with someone unable to consent due to a mental or physical disability.
- Sexual assault is any type of sexual contact that is non-consensual, including touching or physical activity itself.
Sexual abuse, regardless of its form, is all about the lack of consent. You did not consent to the sexual behavior. Often, it results from an abuse of power, and you have the right to find the right legal representation to help you understand your options.
Common Forms of Sexual Abuse
The definition of sex crimes can be broad in Columbia, MD, so it may be difficult to know if you are a victim of sexual abuse. Here are some common forms of sexual abuse, though it is important to note that this list is not exhaustive.
- Rape: Rape is a forced, non-consensual sexual intercourse. It is usually a violent crime where threats and manipulations could also be involved.
- Sexual harassment: This includes verbal, physical, or even visual unwanted sexual behaviors. It could be in the form of uncomfortable sexual remarks, groping, or even sexual favors in exchange for something else.
- Exhibitionism: Exhibitionism is when someone sexually exposes themselves to you in a public place without your consent.
- Voyeurism: When someone watches you where you have a reasonable expectation of privacy without your consent. Voyeurism is often described as a psychological condition where the perpetrator usually gets satisfaction from peeping at those who are naked or undressing.
- Child sexual abuse: Child sexual abuse involves sexual activities with a minor or between minors. It could be in the form of inappropriate touching and even non-contact sexual activities, such as exposing a child to sexual acts and exploitation of that child.
Sexual abuse can occur even if the physical act of sex did not occur. The right lawyer can help you navigate the legal system and understand the type of financial compensation you can recover.
Institutions Where Sexual Abuse Is Most Likely to Occur
Because there is often a power dynamic involved in sexual abuse cases, there are many institutions where it may be common to find victims of abuse. Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers cover all types of Columbia, MD, sexual abuse cases including:
- Workplace: Sexual abuse and assault cases that happen in any work environment.
- Inpatient treatment facilities: Sexual abuse or any form of molestation at facilities, including rehab, mental health facilities, and others.
- Prisons and correctional facilities: Facilities like jails, juvenile detention facilities, and psychiatric correctional facilities could also be places where sexual abuse can occur.
- Foster care system: This can happen in homes and government facilities.
- Care facilities: Care facilities include nursing homes, daycares, and adult care centers.
- Educational institutions: Includes schools and universities.
- Religious institutions: Examples include the Catholic Church, camps, and other churches and religious-affiliated programs.
- Sports clubs: Including private and public clubs.
- Military institutions: Including all branches of the U.S. military.
- Hospitality industry: This includes hotels and short-term rentals like Airbnb.
- Shelters: Some homeless shelters and domestic abuse shelters record sexual abuse cases.
- Medical facilities: Sexual abuse can happen at doctors’ offices, hospitals, medical personnel, etc.
Sexual abuse can happen anywhere in Columbia, MD, so it is important to find the right legal representation to help you through the legal process. It can make a significant difference in the outcome of your case.
Steps to Take If You Are a Victim of Sexual Assault
If you find yourself the victim of any type of sexual assault, including attempted rape, domestic violence, or other types of sexual abuse, there are steps you should take.
- Take immediate steps to ensure your personal safety and well-being. If you can, leave the situation or seek assistance from others to get out.
- Document the abuse. Write down everything you can remember that happened, including the situation’s who, what, where, when, and why. List the names of any witnesses. Take pictures if applicable. There are no details too small to help you get justice.
- Seek the help of sexual abuse lawyers like Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers. We help review the documentation and build a case against the alleged perpetrator. We advocate on your behalf throughout the legal process and ensure they are held liable.
- Survivors in Columbia can access support through organizations like Hope Works, the Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault, and RAINN. You can also seek medical health and mental health resources as needed.
Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers has extensive experience and a proven track record of success in trying sexual abuse cases and helping our clients seek justice. Our law firm works to ensure the perpetrator is held responsible and accountable through legal action.
Compensation for Sexual Abuse Victims
There are different types of compensation available for survivors of sexual assault in Columbia, MD. This can include all past, current, and future damages in the following areas.
- Medical expenses
- Mental health expenses (therapy, counseling, and other mental health treatment)
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress and trauma
- Lost wages
- Punitive damages
How much you can receive depends on the following:
- Severity of abuse
- Length of abuse
- Impact of the assault
- The age of the victim
- Evidence of the abuse
The legal process can be intimidating, but our highly trained and dedicated team of lawyers at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers is here to support you at every step.
Liability in Sexual Abuse Cases
For sexual abuse and sexual assault cases in Columbia, MD, both the perpetrator(s) and third parties can be held responsible for the abuse that occurred. That means you may be able to recover damages against both.
Institutions and third parties can be held liable for things like:
- Negligence in preventing abuse
- Failure to report incidents
- Inadequate response to complaints
Examples of these behaviors could be a failure to run proper background checks, insufficient supervision, and fostering an environment where abuse can occur. Because of this, they can be held vicariously liable, which means they can be held responsible for another’s actions.
Educational and other federally funded institutions in or around Columbia are also subject to Title IX regulations, prohibiting discrimination and other behaviors based on protected characteristics.
How to Prove a Sexual Abuse Case
The team at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers can help you prove liability in a sexual abuse case. While many nuances and complexities are involved, it really comes down to three steps to help ensure all parties are held accountable.
- Evidence: Gather all the evidence that the abuse occurred, including any against the institution or third party.
- Negligence or intentional misconduct: We use the evidence to establish negligence or intentional misconduct occurred.
- Link abuse and harm suffered: As a result of the sexual abuse, we show substantial damage occurred, including physical pain, emotional trauma, and more.
We do our best to ensure the survivors of sexual abuse get justice for what happened to them. We provide the legal guidance the victim needs and represent them in court if necessary.
How Our Columbia Sexual Abuse Lawyers Can Help
Our team of sexual abuse lawyers can help you get justice in Columbia and Maryland, allowing survivors of sexual abuse to begin to heal.
- We are your guide, helping you navigate the legal system in Columbia and suggesting the best course of action to get the best results.
- We are your investigators, helping you build a solid case to receive compensation for your suffering and hold those responsible for the crimes that occurred accountable.
- We are your voice, representing you in court in Maryland and advocating for you every step of the way.
We want to help all survivors of sexual abuse in Maryland, so reach out to understand how we can assist you.
The Time Limits for Filing a Claim in Columbia, MD
Adults who were sexually abused have three years from when the abuse occurred to file a claim. This does not apply if you were a minor when the abuse occurred.
The Maryland Child Victims Act of 2023 removes the statute of limitations for civil lawsuits related to childhood sexual abuse. Now, victims of child sex abuse can file a claim, regardless of how long ago the abuse occurred.
Previously, victims only had until the age of 38 or 21, depending on when they were filing. The law also imposes limitations on damages in certain situations.
Contact a Columbia Sexual Abuse Attorney Today!
If you or someone you care about has suffered from sexual abuse, you deserve compassionate support and strong legal representation. Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers is dedicated to helping survivors navigate the complexities of the legal system and fight for justice.
Our skilled attorneys have extensive experience handling sexual abuse cases, and we are here to help you pursue the financial compensation and accountability you deserve. We approach every case with sensitivity, ensuring your voice is heard while providing the aggressive representation needed to hold perpetrators and institutions responsible.
Call our law firm at (888) 424-5757 or fill out our online form.
Related Practice Areas
- Baltimore Sexual Abuse Lawyer
- Germantown Sexual Abuse Lawyer
- Silver Spring Sexual Abuse Lawyer
- Waldorf 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.
