Sexual Abuse

Most commonly, we hear of the criminal aspect of sexual assault, but there are also civil claims that a victim may be able to bring against the party (or parties) responsible. Depending on the facts of the case, the responsible party, or defendant, may be the assailant, their employer, or another person that was involved in the assault. The victim may be able to bring personal injury claims for injuries suffered as a result of the sexual assault committed against him or her. When bringing a personal injury case, the plaintiff (injured party or loved one bringing the lawsuit on the injured party’s behalf) must be able to prove certain elements to the court. The elements are these:

• The injured party was sexually assaulted by the assailant.
• The injured party suffered damages as a result of this assault (damages may be physical or emotional injuries).
• The defendant was the cause of the victim’s injuries and the cause was either intentional or negligent in nature.