Illinois Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Attorneys

We are experienced Illinois attorneys who have helped hundreds of victims of sexual abuse and assault sue their abusers. You can call our office at 312-346-5320 or 800-517-1614 to speak with a lawyer for FREE or you can fill out our contact form  and we will contact you. We have been helping people since 2001 and would love to provide a confidential case review.

Sexual abuse can be rape, fondling, unwanted touching or kissing or other forced or coerced acts. Nearly all of us are aware of the high-profile sexual abuse scandals involving the clergy. Priests or preachers are often held in high regard and have a position of power over their parishioners. But there are many other power dynamics between abuser and victim:

• Police officer and citizen
• Teacher and student
• Boss and employee
• Scout leaders and troop members
• Uber or Lyft drivers and passengers
• Coaches and players
• Lawyers and clients
• Doctors and patients

Sexual abuse can occur in many forms. It may be repeated, unwanted touching from a boss or supervisor. It may be an unwarranted and aggressive strip search from a police officer. It may be sexual acts with a student by a teacher or school staff member.

The emotional after-effects of the sexual abuse can last for years or even a lifetime. Victims may want to bury what they experienced and never speak of it. However, if they want to pursue legal action against their abuser, the process of seeking justice may be incredibly healing for them. In addition, the money they receive in a settlement can pay for therapy and wellness treatments.

Time Limits For Suing For Sexual Abuse In Illinois

The time limit for suing in Illinois for sexual assault or abuse depend on the facts of what happened, how old you were at the time of the attack. In some cases it can be as little as two years and in others there is no time limit. Our best advice is to consult with an attorney as soon as possible. While these are obviously tough and emotional situations, you do not want to wait too long and lose your rights.

Who Can Be Sued In Illinois For Sexual Assault?

A sexual abuse lawsuit may be filed against one person, the abuser. However, in many cases, the organization behind the abuser may be at fault as well. For example, if a high school teacher sexually assaults a student on school property, the school district may be responsible in some way if the act happened while the teacher was performing official duties or the school should have known about the abuse. The Catholic Church as an organization was responsible for covering up the horrible actions of some of its priests.

Generally speaking, we will look to sue anyone that can be held responsible for the terrible act happening. This is the best way to not only get the highest financial recovery possible, but also to prevent it from happening to someone else in the future. When an employer or other institution has to pay a financial penalty for their negligence, it is usually what causes positive changes to be made.

Bottom line is that we will talk to you for free and any attorney we recommend to help you will discuss the options of who you have to sue and how to best proceed. Ultimately the decision will be up to you.

Working With An Illinois Sexual Abuse Lawyer

There are three common questions that we get about sexual assaults and working with an attorney:

1. What does it cost to hire a lawyer if I was sexually assaulted? The answer is nothing. Every attorney we recommend works on a contingency basis which means there is no fee unless your case is successful. You will get a free case review to determine if there is a case worth pursuing and what the next steps would be.
2. What is my case worth? Every sexual abuse and assault case is different. What it’s worth depends on what happened, what evidence you have, what injury you can prove and what money the defendant has. That is one reason we sue employers and organizations. They typically have insurance polices or funds to properly compensate you. Sadly, if you are sexually assaulted by a homeless person, the case is probably worth nothing because they do not have anything. But even then, we would look at if someone else like a building owner could be responsible. We have helped people get settlements in the six and seven figures and always try to get the highest amount possible for anyone we help.
3. Will I have to go to trial. The honest answer is that every case is different. Most cases settle. Sometimes they settle within weeks. But a trial could be a possibility. We always try to recommend whatever is in the best interests of a client. Part of a free case review is to help determine the likely path of your case.

We also will do whatever we can to make you feel safe and comfortable. For example, if you prefer working with a female attorney, we know and recommend many excellent female sexual abuse lawyers. If you need someone who speaks a foreign language, we can usually accommodate that too.

Step To Take If You Have Been Sexually Assaulted In Illinois

While every situation is different, for most victims of sexual assault, we recommend the following:

1. Call the police. Not only is this the only way to bring criminal charges against your attacker, it also adds credibility to your claim. If you do not do this, the first thing a defense attorney will do is ask why you didn’t and try to make it seem like it is only about money. We understand that it can be scary to call the police at times, especially if you have had bad interactions with them in the past or they do not support you. We are happy to talk to you about this. Often an attorney can help with this part of the case too.
2. Get medical care. If you have any physical injuries, see a doctor ASAP. If you have mental health issues from this, that would be more than understandable. The way to prove that is to see a psychologist or psychiatrist about what happened.
3. Document what happened in writing. These experiences can be very traumatic. Sometimes our brains will block out bad memories. Other times details get jumbled with the passage of time. If you have notes, it will enhance your credibility in case you ever have to testify in the future.
4. Speak to an attorney. We want to make sure that you get the best representation possible and do not lose your rights because you missed the time limit for suing.
5. Do not discuss what happened on social media. These posts could potentially be used against you.

Sexual assault cases are very sensitive and emotional. You can speak with us confidentially and we can point you in the right direction. The attorneys we work with on these cases have a track record of success and are only paid if they are successful for you. Please contact us any time. We promise to give you the same guidance we would give to a family member or friend.