Anyone who is the victim of a sexual assault crime has the right to file a civil suit seeking financial compensation for injuries. These injuries would be sustained as a result of the crime from the assaulter or from others whose negligence gives rise to the conditions which allowed the crime to occur.
A simple example would be an action by the victim of a sexual assault in her home against the man who assaulted her and against the landlord who failed to repair the broken lock on the front door of the building. Another example would be a massage therapist who assaulted a client at a Day Spa or Wellness Center without having a license or where previous complaints were reported and the company failed to do anything about it or hired the therapist knowing they had a history of sexual assault in the past.
While the criminal justice system holds criminal defendants accountable for their crimes against the state, the civil justice system holds defendants who are found liable directly accountable to their victims.
A civil lawsuit can provide for reimbursement of monetary losses as well as emotional and physical injuries suffered by the sexual assault victim. A civil suit gives the victims their “day-in-court” regardless of whether there was a full criminal trial. If there was a criminal trial and the assaulter was found guilty, this is extremely helpful for your civil case as well.
infographic by: www.eglaw.com
