Palm Bay Sexual Abuse Attorney

If you live believe that you have been the victim of institutional sexual abuse or harassment, let us help you get compensation for what happened to you. If we’re fortunate, the evidence we uncover could put the perpetrator and the institution into the crosshairs of the criminal justice system. Our personal injury attorneys in Palm Bay, FL are ready to help.

What Is Institutional Sexual Abuse?

There are positions of status that grant people power over others and get reinforced by institutions. When abusers use this power to hide their sexual crimes, this is institutional sexual abuse. Some places where this kind of abuse happens include:

• Police and correctional facilities
• Schools
• Summer camps
• Churches
• Sports teams

If the victim tries to speak up for themselves, the institution may fight back to protect the abuser. This leaves victims extremely vulnerable and we will not stand for it. We help these victims get a voice, protection against retaliation, and potential compensation.

Bridging Civil and Criminal Courts in Sexual Abuse Cases

A successful civil suit against these abusers can do more than bring you compensation. It can also help other victims and expose faults in the institution to the public. Once exposed, the people can demand change despite the power in the institution.

While civil suits are won on a lower preponderance of evidence than criminal cases, a prosecutor can use the evidence we uncover should they choose to press charges. For instance, a successful conviction of an abuser at a summer camp could cause the state to examine the leadership for further crimes, or even shut down the camp.

Compensation helps, but it’s cold comfort when you know your abusers are still free. Our Palm Bay, FL, sexual abuse attorneys will do what we can to build a strong case and make the criminal justice system take notice of the larger problem.

Compensation in Sexual Abuse Cases

Victims of sexual abuse usually have deep mental scars after the experience. It may be hard for them to form relationships or be near people like their abuser. Therapy can help, but it can take years of expensive sessions to bring back a sense of normalcy.

You can get compensation for what your abuser did to you, even if they never left a permanent injury on your body. You don’t have to suffer alone with help out of financial reach. The sooner we hear your story, the sooner we can tell you if you have a case and an estimate of your chances of success.

Talk to a Sexual Abuse Lawyer Sooner Than Later

It’s always better to approach a sexual abuse attorney as soon as possible after your attack. There are deadlines to file cases in the civil court system. However, sexual abuse falls into a weird intersection of the statute of limitation laws.

Many victims are children who don’t have the ability to speak up or sue on their own, and institutions will often claim false memories or a breach of the deadline to deny cases. However, the Florida courts are taking a different approach when it comes to statutes of limitation in institutional childhood sex abuse cases.

While it will be more difficult to sue over a case that’s over four years old, there may still be ways to get compensation based on these recent rulings. Still, it’s better to speak with a Palm Bay sexual abuse lawyer sooner rather than later.

If I Win, Will My Abuser Go to Jail?

The civil court system has no control about whether abusers go to jail or not. All we can get for you is financial compensation. However, part of this process is the public exposure of evidence into the court record.

The state may decide to examine this evidence and rule whether a warrant should be issued for your abuser. Only the state can press criminal charges and they only do so if the evidence supports the charge.

Institutional sex abusers love to use their power and position to hide evidence or have it destroyed. We will drag it out into the open record and, with good fortune, the state will act and get your abuser behind bars.

Find a Sexual Abuse Attorney in Palm Bay Today

Andrew Pickett Law is passionate about this kind of lawsuit. If you live in Palm Bay or anywhere else in Brevard County, Florida, we are ready to help you come forward. Speak to our compassionate sexual abuse attorneys in Palm Bay by calling us or using our online contact form to schedule a free consultation.