Survivors of sexual abuse carry the weight of their experiences, often in silence, due to the deeply personal and traumatic nature of the abuse. In Dayton, our legal team offers a safe, confidential space for survivors to seek justice and healing. The Dayton Personal Injury Lawyers at our firm are not just advocates; they are compassionate allies, dedicated to supporting survivors through the complexities of the legal process, ensuring they receive the respect, understanding, and compensation they deserve.
Addressing the aftermath of sexual abuse requires a comprehensive approach that considers the emotional, psychological, and financial impacts on the survivor. Our firm is committed to providing survivors with the resources and representation needed to navigate their legal journey. At The Fitch Law Firm, we understand the courage it takes to come forward and we’re here to guide you every step of the way, fighting for your rights and the justice you seek.
You May Be Able To Collect Compensation for the Damages You Suffered
If you are a survivor of sexual abuse or assault, you may be entitled to pursue compensation from the person who abused you. This compensation can then be used to pay for your treatment and other related expenses.
The types of damages you may be able to collect include:
Medical Bills
If you went to the doctor to get treatment for your injuries, medical bills can add up. You may be able to recover compensation to pay for:
- Blood tests
- Physical exams
- Doctor’s appointments
- Surgeries
- Hospitalization
- Ultrasounds and other imaging exams, if necessary
Doctor’s appointments are not just limited to your medical doctor. They can also cover the costs of your psychotherapy sessions if you suffered psychological trauma as a result of your abuse and require psychiatric treatment.
Lost Wages
If the sexual abuse took place at work, you may have to leave your job temporarily or permanently. To better your mental health, you may need to take off work or find another job.
Even if you were not abused at work, you may still choose to stay home and focus on healing until you feel ready to go back to your job. We can calculate how your sexual abuse affected your ability to make income, then pursue compensation to cover this loss.
Pain and Suffering
The physical and mental pain from sexual abuse can take a toll on your personal life. Pain and suffering can apply to physical and emotional pain. For example, you may not enjoy activities you once did because it reminds you of the abuse, or enjoying those activities may hurt too much to do them.
Though your pain and suffering cannot be healed with money, we aim to pursue compensation that reflects the impact the abuse had on your life. With financial compensation, you may be able to pave a new pathway for yourself.
Emotional Distress
Emotional distress is a non-economic damage that focuses more on the mental effects of sexual abuse. If you suffered or continue to suffer depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, or insomnia as a result of the sexual abuse, you may be able to claim this damage.
These are not the only damages you can seek from the at-fault party. A sexual abuse lawyer from our team in Dayton can help you figure out what your other options are. To learn more, reach out to the Fitch Law Firm LLC.
How Our Team Can Help You Prepare Your Sexual Abuse Case
A lawyer from our team can help you pursue justice from the person or people who caused you or your loved one so much pain. Our team will work together to build your case so that you can focus on healing.
Once you agree to have us represent your sexual abuse case, we can get to work and help you build your claim or lawsuit by:
Interviewing Relevant Parties or Potential Witnesses in Your Case
If the abuse took place at work or other location, our team can interview the witnesses. We can ask potential witnesses if they noticed any strange behavior from the abuser or if they themselves have witnessed or experienced any abuse themselves.
If a child was sexually abused, our team can question teachers, friends’ parents, and other people in the child’s circle if they noticed the child was suddenly withdrawn or had a change in demeanor, among other things.
Gathering Evidence that Supports Your Claims About the Abuse
Our team can also investigate your case to gather supporting evidence. Evidence may include:
- Pictures of the injuries
- Records of the staff to see when and where they were at the time of the abuse
- Any video footage that captured the abuse, such as from surveillance cameras
- The official police report about the sexual abuse
- Witness testimony
Monitoring How Long You Have Left to File Your Case
We can also help you meet the statute of limitations. Keep in mind that this deadline varies case by case. Our team can determine which deadline applies to your case after listening to your story.
Representing You During Negotiation Meetings or at Trial
After you have suffered sexual abuse, the last thing you want to do is dispute your case with the at-fault party’s legal team. Instead, your lawyer can negotiate a settlement with them and let you know about any updates throughout the process.
If you are not satisfied with the insurance company’s final offer, your lawyer can take the case to court and represent you in your pursuit of justice.
The Last Thing You Should Worry About Is How You’re Going To Pay For Your Medical Bills.
(614) 545-3930 Get Treatment for You or Your Loved One Right Away if Sexual Abuse Has Occurred
If you or your loved one is experiencing abuse, visit a doctor right away to get checked out. In doing so, you can prepare a rape kit or otherwise document your abuse in your medical records, which can be used as supporting evidence in your case.
You may also want to consider consulting a mental health professional. Experiencing this kind of abuse can lead to psychological trauma. If it goes untreated, sexual assault survivors may engage in self-destructive behavior or attempt suicide.
Resources Available to Sexual Assault Survivors
Keep in mind that anyone suffering from sexual abuse may also be experiencing other types of harm, such as physical and emotional abuse. These forms of abuse share many of the same symptoms, but it is still important to decipher what types you or your loved one has been suffering from.
It may be beneficial to contact the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) to learn more about the different types of abuse. More importantly, this network can provide resources to help survivors through this difficult time in their lives.
RAINN has helped over three million survivors and their families. If you are interested, you can call RAINN’s hotline. Someone is always there to speak with you or your loved one.
We Will Be
There To Help
You All The Way
Frequently Asked Questions About Dayton Sexual Abuse
When you have endured sexual abuse, you have been through enough. When you are considering your legal options, you may have many unanswered questions regarding the claims process.
In the hopes of giving you the clarity you need, we have answered some of the most frequently asked questions regarding sexual abuse claims below. If you have additional questions that we did not discuss here, be sure to reach out to our office to schedule a free consultation, so we can discuss your concerns further.
Who Can Be Sued for Sexual Abuse in Dayton?
Multiple parties may be liable for the sexual abuse you endured in Dayton. You may want to file a claim against your abuser, but you may also be surprised to discover that other individuals and entities could also share fault.
Essentially, anyone who facilitated or contributed to sexual abuse you suffered could also be at fault. For instance, if you experienced sexual abuse by a camp counselor at a summer camp, you might be able to hold the camp’s administrators responsible for not preventing the abuse.
Your attorney will need to carefully analyze the details of your case to ensure all culpable parties are held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.
How Long Do You Have To File Your Lawsuit?
How long you have to file your sexual abuse lawsuit in Dayton depends on your situation. Our team will review your case and explain its statutory deadline. We will consider:
- How old you were when the abuse occurred
- How long it has been since the last incident of sexual abuse
- The date of the first incident of sexual abuse
- When you discovered you were sexually abused
This deadline is crucial to your case’s outcome. If your lawsuit is not filed before the statute of limitations expires, you will no longer have the opportunity to have your case heard in the Dayton civil court system.
How Do Sexual Abuse Claims Differ from Criminal Sexual Abuse Charges?
The criminal case against your abuser is different from your civil lawsuit against them. In criminal sexual abuse cases, it will be up to the state’s prosecuting attorney to determine whether they want to file formal charges against your abuser or anyone else who could be responsible.
If the prosecuting attorney brings charges against the liable party, they will need to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt to obtain a conviction. If the defendant is found guilty, they could spend time in prison, be ordered to register as a sex offender, be required to pay fines, and face other criminal penalties.
This is significantly different from how civil sexual abuse cases work. Here, you will work with a sexual abuse lawyer in Dayton to file a lawsuit against the abuser and other liable parties. You could be compensated for all of the ways your life has been affected by what you have been through. A criminal case does not yield compensation; in the same way a civil case may.
Your attorney will need to prove liability based on a preponderance of the evidence, which means the evidence must show that the defendant is more than likely responsible for the abuse you endured.
Our Attorneys at the Fitch Law Firm LLC, Want to Help You
Taking legal action against the person who hurt you cannot only put an end to your abuse, but it can also keep others from getting hurt, as well. For this reason, consider hiring a sexual abuse lawyer from our team in Dayton today.
We want to help you get the most favorable outcome in your case so you can begin to heal. Contact the Fitch Law Firm LLC today.