It hardly needs to be said that money alone cannot completely make up for the physical, emotional, and psychological trauma stemming from sexual abuse. However, it can still be crucial to seek comprehensive civil compensation for the effects of sexual abuse in order to maximize your quality of life moving forward, as well as to mitigate the impact that your abuse has had and will have on your financial security.
In addition to having a broad understanding of who you can sue over sexual abuse and what specific legal grounds you might need to establish in order to justify a case, it can also be helpful to know a little in advance about what kinds of losses may be compensable. This brief overview of common damages in Bridgeport sexual abuse cases can give you a better idea of what you are entitled to, and what a sexual abuse lawyer can pursue on your behalf.
Economic damages with objective financial values are easier to seek financial recovery in a Bridgeport sexual abuse claim than non-economic damages, which must be valued subjectively, as discussed in more detail below. However, that does not mean getting paid fairly for things like medical expenses, lost work earnings, and disability-related costs for things like wheelchairs and home modifications is simple to accomplish, especially if it has been many years since the sexual abuse in question.
When seeking restitution for economic damages caused by sexual abuse, it will be vital to have as much documentation as possible, not only establishing the existence and financial value of those damages, but also demonstrating a causal link between a specific act of abuse and the financial losses caused by that abuse. This is one of many aspects of the sexual abuse litigation process that a skilled attorney can provide assistance with.
Unlike with economic damages, there are no bills, receipts, or invoices to use in order to establish exactly how much money was spent or lost because of subjective personal losses stemming from sexual abuse in Bridgeport. Accordingly, the best course of action is typically to estimate a fair value for non-economic harm based on evidence like expert witness input, personal testimony, and court precedent from similar cases in the past.
Depending on the circumstances, it may be prudent to calculate non-economic damages in direct relation to economic damages—for example, by equating one day of pain and suffering to one day of working income, and multiplying that figure by the total length of time during which that pain and suffering persisted. Once again, guidance from experienced legal counsel can be extremely important when it comes to determining a fair financial value for years’ worth of physical pain, emotional anguish, psychological trauma, and lost enjoyment of life caused by sexual abuse.
Regardless of whether you previously pressed criminal charges against someone who sexually abused you, you likely still have grounds to file civil suit against them and seek damages for the harm they have done to you. That said, it can be difficult to know on your own what kinds of damages you can factor into a Bridgeport sexual abuse case in the first place, let alone to obtain a fair amount of recovery for all of them.
That is where the assistance of a compassionate sexual abuse lawyer can make all the difference. Call Berkowitz and Hanna, LLC today to discuss your options.
Berkowitz Hanna
1087 Broad St
Bridgeport CT
06604
