Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse has a devastating and often long-lasting impact on the lives of victims. A single individual may be responsible for this misconduct, but in some cases a third party is also partly responsible. At Frankl Kominsky, our injury lawyers are available to provide legal counseling and advocacy for victims of sexual abuse in the West Palm Beach area, as well as other regions of Palm Beach County. Let us try and help you hold those who harmed you accountable and pursue the compensation that you need to recover.

According to the Florida Council against Sexual Violence, a sex offense is reported in Florida every 42 minutes. Sexual battery, rape, molestation, and other forms of abuse cause both physical and psychological harm. Despite the trauma associated with them, these events are under-reported.

When a child or adult is sexually abused, the victim has a right to hold the wrongdoer and possibly a third party liable for the assault. Negligence on the part of an organization or other person often contributes to the actual abuse. Daycares, schools, nursing homes, and hospitals are some examples of organizations that may be at least partially responsible for a sexual assault.

Sexual abuse is a crime, but it also gives rise to civil liability, which means that a victim has the right to pursue a lawsuit against the wrongdoer. You might be able to bring a claim based on multiple causes of action, including battery, false imprisonment, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

A third party may be held accountable if its negligence contributed to the sexual abuse. A sexual assault may be the result of inadequate security at a shopping mall, nightclub, or other venue, which can facilitate the commission of a crime. Property owners are required to exercise reasonable care to prevent foreseeable injuries, such as by providing sufficient lighting on their premises. If an owner failed to provide adequate security, and a rape or another sexual crime occurred as a result, the owner may be liable to the victim.

A third party may also be held responsible for the negligent hiring and supervision of its staff. A person may be sexually victimized at a school, nursing home, or hospital. These entities are responsible for conducting background checks on their teachers, doctors, and staff. They must also adequately supervise their employees. If a student, nursing home resident, or patient is sexually abused because the organization did not use due diligence in hiring its personnel, the entity may be partly liable.

An adult who was victimized as a child may bring a claim against the person that sexually abused him or her. Florida has a two-year statute of limitations on most injury lawsuits. The Florida Supreme Court, however, acknowledged that childhood victims of sexual abuse might suppress memory of the event because of its traumatic nature. In these situations, the victim has two years from the time he or she became aware of the abuse to file a claim.

You may be able to recover damages if you prevail in your sexual abuse case. You can seek financial compensation for your pain and suffering as well as reimbursement for any medical treatment associated with the aftermath of the abuse. In addition, you may be able to negotiate terms to address the issues that caused or contributed to the incident, such as revised hiring policies.

The injury attorneys at Frankl Kominsky offer their assistance in cases of sexual abuse throughout Palm Beach County. Our attorneys understand the many layers of harm that these events can inflict on victims. We serve residents of Lake Worth, and Boca Raton, in addition to other cities throughout Palm Beach County. For a confidential consultation, call us at (561) 609-1948 or contact us online. We speak Spanish and Creole.