Learning that your child has suffered sexual abuse is devastating, and your child could face a difficult recovery as they struggle with both physical and emotional wounds. Pursuing a civil lawsuit against your child’s abuser, or people who failed to protect them, may enable your family to hold the perpetrators legally and financially accountable.
To make the legal process as accessible as possible for you, our sexual abuse victim attorneys take cases across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Our Fort Washington child sexual abuse injury lawyers from Friedman Shuman Layser work hard to build a strong case for justice for your family.
Signs of Sexual Abuse in Children
Building a legal claim against an alleged sex offender can be difficult when the victim is a young child or teenager. Children can be reluctant to talk about the abuse they suffered because they are afraid or embarrassed, or they might not even know that something illegal has occurred. If you suspect someone has abused or is abusing your child, you should look for warning signs, such as:
- Regression or changes in your child’s behavior, such as bedwetting, thumb-sucking, fighting, or damaging property
- Sudden fears of people or places
- Flinching when being touched
- Drug or alcohol abuse
- Self-harm
- School-related problems, such as lower grades or skipping school
- Inappropriate sexual or suggestive speech, knowledge, or behavior
- Receipt of inappropriate gifts
Our compassionate attorneys in Fort Washington know how to help you through the difficulties following the sexual abuse of a child. We can help you fight for justice and accountability in a civil lawsuit
How Does a Civil Lawsuit Work in a Child Sex Abuse Case?
While many people are familiar with criminal cases that follow child sexual abuse, fewer understand that a victim’s family could seek their own justice in civil court. Knowing that your child’s attacker faces criminal charges and serious consequences might ease some of your family’s pain and anger. However, even a guilty verdict in a criminal court will not bring back your child’s innocence or take away the physical, emotional, and financial toll inflicted on your child and family.
Fortunately, our legal system allows you the opportunity to pursue a civil lawsuit against your child’s abuser or other parties. Even if a court finds the abuser not guilty in a criminal trial, you can still seek justice in a civil claim, as the rules surrounding the burden of proof in a civil case are less strict.
If your legal claim is successful, your family will obtain financial compensation, which you can use to pay for your child’s medical care, therapy, and other needs.
Our compassionate Fort Washington attorneys can meet with your family in complete privacy to explain the legal process for a child sexual abuse claim.
Call Our Child Sex Abuse Injury Attorneys in Fort Washington Today
Sexual abuse of children can be damaging to them in the long-term, beyond any medical expenses required in the short-term. Our Fort Washington child sexual abuse injury lawyers can identify liable parties, and either negotiate a financial settlement or fight in court for a verdict that compensates for your losses.
Call Friedman Shuman Layser today to discuss how we can support your family at this extremely difficult time.