It goes without saying that money alone cannot erase the trauma that sexual abuse can cause or serve as any kind of direct remedy for that abuse happening in the first place. However, it can still be very important to seek comprehensive civil compensation from your abuser in addition or as an alternative to pressing criminal charges against them. There are many specific financial, physical, and personal losses you may experience from your abuse that can be effectively addressed in a civil claim.
If you have questions about available damages in Stamford sexual abuse cases or want to ensure you can recover as much as possible, you should make contacting an experienced sexual abuse lawyer from Berkowitz and Hanna LLC your top priority. In the meantime, here is a brief overview of the kinds of damages you may be able to factor into your lawsuit or settlement demand.
“Compensatory damages,” since they are specific forms of harm which can be compensated for in a sexual abuse lawsuit. Compensatory damages can be further divided into “economic” and “non-economic.” Economic damages have objective financial values that can be established through quantitative evidence like bills and pay stubs. Noneconomic damages have more subjective financial values that must be established qualitatively based on the unique experiences of the person filing suit.
Recoverable economic damages in a typical Stamford sexual abuse case can include medical expenses for treatment of abuse-related physical injuries, costs of psychiatric treatment, lost work income, and lost long-term working and earning capacity. Non-economic damages generally center around physical pain and suffering, but they can and usually should also include emotional anguish, psychological trauma, and lost overall enjoyment of life.
In addition to the compensatory damages mentioned above, courts overseeing sexual abuse claims in Stamford can also impose “punitive damages” against the defendant(s) named in the claim and award that money to the plaintiff. Punitive damages are explicitly meant to punish a civil defendant for egregious or intentionally malicious behavior, and also to discourage other people from acting in the same way in the future.
It is important to note that Connecticut state law places strict “caps” on the value of punitive damages in sexual abuse claims and in most other types of personal injury litigation. Because of these caps, punitive damages generally cannot exceed the value of the plaintiff’s court costs and legal fees. This is something to consider factoring into a sexual abuse case, and something that a seasoned lawyer can help you work around.
The idea of putting any kind of financial value on the harm you have experienced from being targeted by sexual abuse can be hard to think about. However, seeking fair restitution for specific losses you can trace back to your abuser’s unlawful actions and the actions of the people who enabled them can be key to protecting your future prospects and maximizing your quality of life despite what happened to you.
You have support available from compassionate legal representation in ensuring you get the most money possible for your damages in a Stamford sexual abuse case. Call today for a confidential consultation.
Berkowitz Hanna
1177 Summer St 4th Floor
Stamford CT
06905
