Were you sexually assaulted in Jacksonville, FL? If so, you could be entitled to compensation for your injuries. However, recovering compensation for a sexual assault claim can be challenging. Call our Jacksonville personal injury attorneys at Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers for help at (904) 396-1100.
Our experienced lawyers have over 80 years of combined experience. We have won tens of millions of dollars in jury verdicts and settlements for our clients. Our attorneys use their extensive legal knowledge, skills, and resources to pursue fair compensation for injured victims and their families.
Sexual assault or sexual violence can have long-term physical, emotional, and financial impacts on victims. Let us help you hold your attacker and anyone else who contributed to the attack liable for these damages. Contact us for a free initial consultation.
How Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers Help You With a Sexual Assault Injury Claim in Jacksonville, Florida
Being sexually assaulted is one of the most traumatic experiences imaginable. If this has happened to you, you deserve justice and compensation for all of the losses you’ve incurred, including your pain and suffering.
A criminal case punishes your attacker but does not compensate you for your losses. We will help you file a civil case to hold them personally responsible for the harm they caused.
When you hire our top-rated Jacksonville personal injury lawyers, you can expect us to:
- Explain how Florida intentional tort laws and personal injury laws apply in your case
- Investigate your case to gather evidence proving fault and liability
- Obtain copies of police reports and evidence from the criminal case
- Work with leading experts to obtain additional evidence and opinions to strengthen your case
- File insurance claim and all other documents for your case
- Negotiate with insurance companies, defense lawyers, and other parties to obtain a fair settlement
- File a sexual assault lawsuit and take your case before a jury
Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers have excellent ratings from our clients and peers. We received the Martindale-Hubbell 2021 Platinum Client Champion Award, its highest award for client services. We have an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell, its highest peer rating.
Our attorneys appear on lists of top-rated attorneys with prestigious organizations, including Super Lawyers, Florida Trends Legal Elite, and The National Trial Lawyers. At Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers, our lawyers have earned top recognition for their services because they achieve top results.
We are compassionate, focused, and dedicated legal advocates for our clients. We use all available resources to hold the parties responsible for your sexual assault financially accountable for their negligence and wrongdoing.
Contact our law offices in Jacksonville, Florida, to get started with a free case review.
We’ll Fight To Recover Compensation for All of Your Sexual Assault Injuries
Sexual assault can cause a wide range of injuries impacting the victim physically, emotionally, and mentally. At Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers, we fight for fair compensation for all injuries, including but not limited to:
- Cuts and lacerations
- Sexually transmitted diseases
- Soft tissue damage
- Broken bones and fractures
- Spinal cord injuries
- Facial injuries
- Back and neck injuries
- Unwanted pregnancies
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other psychological conditions
- Traumatic brain injury
If you are a survivor of sexual assault, see a doctor as soon as possible. It can be difficult to tell what happened to you, but prompt medical care can help you recover fully from the assault. Victims should also consider filing a police report. Sexual assault is a crime, and your attacker deserves to be prosecuted and punished in criminal court.
Proving Liability for a Sexual Assault Injury Claim in Jacksonville, FL
An attacker can face criminal charges for sexual assault. If convicted, they may serve jail time, be required to register as a sex offender, and pay fines. However, the criminal punishment does not compensate you for your injuries and damages.
The court might order the offender to pay restitution. Unfortunately, restitution is unlikely to compensate you fully for your losses. However, you can file a personal injury claim in civil court seeking compensation for all damages.
While the burden of proof in civil court is not as high as the level required to obtain a criminal conviction, you must prove the elements of your case by a preponderance of the evidence.
Florida does not have a specific personal injury law for sexual assault. Instead, sexual assault cases are filed based on the facts and circumstances of the case. Examples of causes of action for a sexual assault claim include:
- Negligence
- Intentional torts
- Negligent security
- Premises liability
- Vicarious liability
- Negligent hiring
The legal elements you must prove depend on the grounds for your sexual assault claim. For example, if you accuse an employer of vicarious liability because an employee sexually assaulted you, you would need to prove:
- The sexual assault was committed by an employee;
- While acting within the scope of their employment;
- The employer had the ability to exercise control over the employee at work; and,
- You sustained injuries and damages because of the sexual assault.
The grounds for suing the attacker might fall under the category intentional torts. You would need to prove that the attacker acted with intent to harm you and the sexual assault caused your injuries and other damages.
Our Jacksonville sexual assault lawyers handle all the legal requirements for a sexual assault claim. We analyze the evidence in your case, apply the applicable laws, and file a claim based on the appropriate grounds.
Who Is Liable for a Sexual Assault Injury Claim in Jacksonville, FL?
The person who sexually assaulted you is responsible for the harm they caused. However, they might not be the only party who could be liable for your damages.
Florida law holds parties who contributed to the circumstances that led to the sexual assault liable for damages. Therefore, your case may include claims against:
- Employers
- Landlords
- Sports organizations
- Schools, universities, and daycares
- Resorts and hotels
- Churches and other religious organizations
- Property owners
- Youth organizations, including the YMCA, the Boy Scouts, and the Girl Scouts
- Teachers and aides
- Sports and entertainment venues
- Businesses
Our Jacksonville sexual assault attorneys file claims against all liable parties. If the attacker is in jail or does not have sufficient assets to pay a claim, the best way to recover compensation is to pursue claims against the parties who share liability for the attack.
What Damages Can I Recover for a Sexual Assault Claim in Jacksonville, FL?
Survivors of sexual assault can receive compensatory damages. Economic damages include monetary losses and financial harm caused by the sexual assault. Examples of economic damages in a sexual assault case include:
- The cost of medical treatment and care
- Rehabilitative therapies
- Mental health counseling
- Lost wages and benefits
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Reduced earning capacity
- Household services and personal care
Sexual assault also causes victims pain and suffering. This harm is compensated through non-economic damages. Examples of non-economic damages for a sexual assault claim include:
- Pain, suffering, and discomfort caused by physical injuries
- Emotional distress, including mental anguish, depression, PTSD, anxiety, and other psychological injuries
- Diminished quality of life and loss of enjoyment of life
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Permanent impairments and disabilities
The value of your sexual assault claim depends on the severity of your injuries, the impact the assault has on your everyday life, and your financial losses. It also depends on other factors, such as the strength of your evidence and the parties involved in the case.
A jury may award punitive damages as a means of punishment for the attacker. Punitive damages also deter the abuser and others from committing sexual assault. To receive punitive damages, you must prove that the attacker’s conduct was intentional or amounted to a conscious disregard for the safety of others.
What Is the Deadline To File a Sexual Assault Lawsuit in Florida?
The Florida statute of limitations for a sexual assault lawsuit depends on the grounds for the lawsuit. If you are filing based on an intentional tort, the deadline to file a lawsuit is usually four years from the date of the assault.
However, if your sexual assault claim is based on negligence, your deadline to file a lawsuit is two years from the assault unless the assault occurred before March 24, 2023. Negligence claims had a four-year deadline until the law changed.
Exceptions to the statute of limitations and factors in your case could change the deadline to file a sexual assault lawsuit. If you miss the filing deadline, you lose the right to pursue a court case against your attacker and other parties. Therefore, we recommend contacting our Jacksonville sexual assault lawyers as soon as possible to discuss your case.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Jacksonville Sexual Assault Lawyers
Victims of sexual assault have rights. Your abuser and the parties who contributed to the sexual assault should be held financially liable for your damages, losses, and harm. At Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers, we’ll fight to ensure they are held accountable to the highest degree. Call now for a free case review with an experienced, compassionate Jacksonville sexual assault attorney.
