Victims of sexual assault in the Fort Worth area and throughout Texas are often entitled to file civil lawsuits to seek compensation for the harm they faced. A lawsuit cannot undo what happened, but compensation for your injuries and the healthcare and counseling needed after sexual assault can help you move forward with your life.
The Fort Worth, TX attorneys for sexual assault victims at The Queenan Law Firm may be able to help. Our lawyers represent victims of sexual assault and other injuries and traumatic experiences. We fight to help our clients get compensation and work to have the courts hold the at-fault parties accountable for their actions. For help seeking justice in your case, call our lawyers today at (817) 476-1797. We offer free, confidential legal consultations.
Filing a Civil Lawsuit for Sexual Assault in Fort Worth, TX
Victims of sexual assault and sexual abuse in Texas are the victims of both a crime and what is known as a “tort.” The crime involved in your case could vary from assault to sexual assault to aggravated sexual assault. If the victim was a minor, other crimes could be charged instead. Even when the police and the criminal justice system bring criminal charges against someone for sexual assault, the victim still has the option of pursuing a civil case, too.
Torts are like the civil version of crimes; they encompass different types of wrongful actions and harmful behaviors that could hurt other people. Many torts and civil lawsuits deal with negligence and accidental injuries, but victims of intentional torts like assault and sexual assault can also file civil lawsuits.
When you turn to the criminal justice system, the outcome you hope for is that the defendant will be arrested, charged, and punished for their crime. This can often involve jail time, fines, and other penalties, but there is almost no focus on the victim in these cases. The government brings the case instead of the victim, and while the court might order restitution in some cases, it is often too low to cover the victim’s needs.
When you file a civil lawsuit for the tort of assault or sexual assault, you can seek compensation for any harms you suffered in the assault. This puts a greater focus on the victim and their needs, and it is often a better way to seek personal justice for what you were put through.
Damages in a Lawsuit for Sexual Assault in Fort Worth
When you sue for damages after a sexual assault in Fort Worth, TX, you can often seek compensation for any harms that resulted from the assault. This primarily involves damages paid directly to you to cover the pain and suffering you faced and also includes damages for the mental anguish, emotional distress, and other intangible harms you faced.
You can also seek compensation for the economic harms you faced. Many survivors of sexual assault and sexual trauma seek medical care. Especially if you were the victim of violent sexual assault, you could need medical treatment for injuries. After the initial events, you could also seek mental health care and counseling to deal with the less physical effects of the event. These expenses and any other costs – such as lost wages for time off work during your recovery – could also be claimed as damages.
The last form of damages is known as “punitive damages.” While we typically turn to the criminal justice system to punish the abuser in sexual assault cases, the civil courts can also order them to pay additional damages to the victim purely to punish the assailant and deter future acts like this. These damages are not always ordered, but they are often available in especially severe cases.
Suing Institutions for Sexual Assault in Fort Worth
In many sexual assault, sexual harassment, and sexual abuse cases, the individual defendant is not the only party involved. In many cases, there is some institution that shares responsibility in some way. Often, cases of child sexual abuse occur while the victim is under the supervision or care of a camp counselor, a teacher, a priest, or some other adult in charge. The institutions that these abusers work for can often be held accountable for failing to keep abusive employees away from people under their care. In some cases, they may even be responsible for putting others at risk by covering up past allegations of abuse or moving abusers to avoid scandals.
Adult sexual assault victims in Fort Worth are often assaulted at work. Regardless of the industry, any unwanted sexual touching at work is inappropriate and could qualify as both sexual harassment and sexual assault. Sexual harassment at work is often handled under the Texas Commission on Human Rights Act or under federal law. However, victims of sexual assault at work are often not constrained by these laws and can instead file a civil lawsuit against the abuser and their employer for sexual assault at work in Fort Worth, Texas.
In many cases, suing an institution allows the court to issue higher damages because the institution often has a better ability to pay than the individual assailant. This could result in full coverage for your medical care and therapy as well as full compensation for the trauma you endured. You could also potentially receive higher punitive damages.
Call Our Fort Worth, TX Lawyer for Sexual Assault Victims Today
Talk to a Fort Worth lawyer for sexual assault victims about seeking compensation for the sexual assault or other sexual trauma you endured. Survivors of sexual assault and sexual abuse have to be incredibly brave to come forward about what happened to them, and they deserve to have their voices heard and their rights protected. Our Fort Worth, TX attorneys for sexual assault victims fight to help survivors of sexual assault seek compensation and get justice for what happened to them. To set up a free, confidential legal consultation, call our lawyers today at (817) 476-1797.