Molestation is a crime that has a devastating impact on its victims. Whether you were victimized once or suffered years of abuse, the effects of this crime can stay with you for a lifetime. Molestation victims often need extensive therapy in order to resume functioning in their lives, even after the perpetrator has been convicted in criminal court. Just because the person who hurt you is behind bars does not mean that justice has been brought to full fruition. All too often, people are molested due to the negligence of another party—and in those cases, the third party can be held liable in civil court. If you were victimized in Los Angeles county, a molestation victim attorney in Santa Monica at Okabe and Haushalter can help you file a civil suit.
Whether or not the person who victimized you has been convicted in a criminal case, you could still be entitled to damages and restitution in civil court. If someone else’s negligence—lack of action on your behalf, or improper actions that enabled the criminal to victimize you—is proven in civil court, you could get a cash settlement, and possibly even help prevent other people from becoming future victims.
Civil court does not function in the same way as criminal court. Criminal cases deal with specific penal codes being applied to specific crimes and determining whether or not an accused party is guilty of those crimes. However, civil court deals with negligence and liability. For example, if your molestation occurred while you were attending a retreat at a resort and the staff at that resort failed to provide sufficient security measures, they could be held liable for the crime due to their negligence.
A competent civil attorney can review your case and establish whether or not a third party’s negligence paved the way for the crime committed against your person. If that third party is deemed negligent, they can be held partially accountable for the pain and suffering you endured as a victim and may be required by the court to pay out damages to you. Depending on the nature of the negligence, it is possible that a change in business practices or even halting business entirely could result from your case’s outcome. An experienced attorney can help you learn more about whether a civil court case is right for your circumstances.
You don’t have to keep suffering alone. By contacting a molestation victim attorney in Santa Monica, you can finally get justice for the crimes committed against you in civil court. The expert lawyers at Okabe and Haushalter can help you pursue civil action for the wrongs done unto you. You could be entitled to monetary compensation in civil court. We offer free case evaluations, so contact us today to learn more about how we can help you get the closure you deserve.
