When most people think of personal injury law, they often consider car accidents, truck accidents, and other relatively known acts of negligence. However, there are some situations that people don’t think about that can cause just as much physical and emotional damage: sexual abuse.
It is a situation that can ruin lives, causing irreparable harm to those affected. It often results in the victim holding it in, afraid of telling anyone about what happened to them. It’s important to speak out about these situations, not just for personal healing, but for the sake of holding the responsible party accountable.
Not everyone is aware of it, but legal action exists for those who have been sexually abused, regardless of the type of sexual abuse. However, understanding what types of cases exist and the rights of those affected is extremely important.
Sexual Abuse In Schools
We expect that when we send our children to school that they will be safe and cared for by responsible adults and professionals in the educational field. We hope that there is a relationship built on trust and that the best interests of the child will be met.
Unfortunately, this trust is often broken and the child is put in harm’s way. In both private and public schools, the potential of sexual abuse is something that has been realized far too often. These matters require special care and the family of the affected child deserve to hold the school and responsible party accountable for the harm caused.
What Happens When the Person Has Special Needs?
Children and adults alike with special needs are often in the care of individuals who are supposed to be trusted. It is unfortunate, but many children with disabilities have been shown by studies to be at a higher risk of being a victim of sexual abuse for one reason or another.
For parents, it’s important to recognize the potential signs of sexual abuse including change in behavior and attitude, disruptive behavior, low self-esteem, depression, and regressive behaviors. These may be indicators that someone around your child is sexually abusive, whether this involves a caretaker, friend, or anybody else.
Sexual Abuse In a Foster Home
Children in foster homes are often moved from home to home over the course of their young lives. They’ve already missed out on stability in their lives and deal with the emotional impact of this situation. Even worse is when the foster parents are not looking out for the best interests of the children in their care.
Foster home sexual abuse often involves children who have been moved multiple times in a short period of time, those who are permanent in the system, those with special needs, those who have emotional issues, and those who may have been abused in the past.
When Sexual Abuse Involves a Family Member
John Wooden once said, “the most important thing is family and love.” We trust our family to be there for use when it matters the most. But what happens when it is someone you consider family who causes the harm?
Unfortunately, there are many situations in which children are sexually abused by a member of their own family. Our firm works hard for families because we know that this is a difficult situation to endure. Any time these matters involve someone of your own family, it requires delicate representation with the focus on coming forward, speaking out, and holding the wrongdoer accountable.
Why a Personal Injury Case After Sexual Abuse?
Much like any situation in which a person sustains serious harm, sexual abuse is the result of someone else’s negligent and unforgiveable behavior. It should be treated as such and the individual who suffered the damage should be able to seek financial compensation to help with medical assessments, therapy and emotional treatment costs, any serious physical injuries sustained, and more.
Taking legal action and holding the party civilly and financially accountable sends a message. It helps the victim seek justice—seek closure—and let it be known in a public forum that these actions should not be tolerated.
Taking legal action allows those affected to move forward from this emotional process in a more positive way. It is a way for you to show the person you once trusted that what they did was not okay, and they should pay for their actions.
At The Matiasic Firm, our San Francisco sexual abuse attorneys understand the sensitivity of these cases. It is our duty and top priority to uphold the highest level of respect, integrity, confidentiality, and compassion for our clients.
We always aim to put your needs first, representing adults and children in sexual abuse matters in which their trust and well-being has been violated by family members, friends, co-workers, teachers, home service professionals, massage therapists, medical professionals, foster care, day care workers, and more.
When the unthinkable happens, and families are forced to endure the aftermath of a case involving sexual abuse, it is of the utmost importance to have someone on your side who has helped those in similar situations. Our team aims to serve justice and hold the attacker completely accountable for their actions.
If your or someone you love has been the victim of sexual abuse, the authorities can handle the criminal aspect of the attacker; we’re here to take care of civil justice. Call us today at (415) 858-6692 and discuss your potential case with our skilled team.