The Brown Law Firm can help you if you’ve been injured or have gone through sexual abuse in Alaska. Sexual abuse can take many forms, and the circumstances surrounding the abuse can have a major impact on your legal options. But you don’t have to face it alone. We’ll be there to support you. Set up a free consultation today to talk through your options.
Why a Lawyer Makes Sense After Sexual Abuse
If you’ve gone through sexual abuse, you’re not thinking about a civil injury claim, and rightfully so. You’re likely just focused on trying to get help and move forward with your life. But the reality is that you have certain rights and options for holding your abuser or anyone that didn’t step up accountable. That’s also the point where it makes sense to talk to our lawyers, where we can help you by:
- Figuring out who’s responsible
- Finding important information and evidence
- Explaining your rights and options fully
- Handling the back-and-forth with institutions and insurance companies
Most importantly, we want you to know that you’re not alone and you have our support. This is a situation nobody wants to be in or should have to go through, but if it has happened, our team will be there to make sure you have what you need to move forward.
Information That Can Help You After Going Through Sexual Abuse
Going through sexual abuse is something nobody should have to experience, but sadly, it’s an ongoing issue in a lot of different places throughout Alaska. But when it happens to you or someone you care about, it’s obviously very personal and isolating. As hard as it is, though, there’s a few basic pieces of information that can help you as you try to move forward:
- When and where it happened. Think about when the abuse happened and where you were. You don’t need to remember the exact date. Even a general timeframe or location can help.
- Who was involved. The person’s name, job, relationship to you, or connection to a school, workplace, church, or other organization can all be useful.
- Any messages or other communications. If you have texts, emails, social media messages, letters, or anything else related to the abuse, hold onto them.
- Whether anyone else knew about it. If you told someone about the abuse or know that someone else had complained about the person’s behavior, that’s worth mentioning.
- People who may have information. Think about anyone who saw something, noticed a change in you, or may have known what was going on.
- Medical or counseling records. If you’ve received medical care, counseling, or therapy because of the abuse, those records may help show how it affected you.
- How it affected your work or school. If what happened affected your job, education, attendance, or ability to participate in activities, let your lawyer know.
- What the organization did about it. If the abuse happened at a school, workplace, church, youth program, or another organization, information about how they responded—or failed to respond—can be important.
You don’t have to go out and find all of this yourself. And if you don’t have much documentation, that’s okay, too. Start with what you remember and whatever information you have. From there, we can help fill in the gaps.
What Makes Sexual Abuse a Legal Issue in Alaska?
This is the big question, and it’s difficult to answer since sexual abuse can take so many different forms—and it can happen anywhere in this day and age. Generally though, it’s worth breaking it down piece by piece. First of all, sexual abuse can include things like:
- Rape or sexual assault
- Sexual abuse of a child
- Sexual exploitation
- Sexual coercion
- Sexual harassment
- Incest
- Non-consensual sharing of intimate images
- Sexual trafficking
Where it happens also matters, because there are different levels of responsibility. But one way or the other, sexual abuse frequently happens in places like:
- Homes and families
- Schools and universities
- Churches and other religious organizations
- Youth organizations and sports programs
- Workplaces
- Nursing homes or care facilities
- Jails and prisons
- Online
In terms of what matters for you legally, it still comes down to negligence. In this context, it just means:
- Somebody didn’t take the necessary steps to either stop the sexual abuse from happening or didn’t act on reports of it.
The important thing is that responsibility can and usually does go beyond the person who abused you. And when it goes beyond that, it narrows responsibility down to:
- An employer or organization if it failed to properly hire, supervise, or respond to someone who posed a risk.
- A school, sports program, or youth organization if it failed to take reasonable steps to protect the people in its care.
- A church or other religious organization if it knew or should have known about the risk and failed to take appropriate action.
- Another person or business if its actions or negligence helped create the circumstances that allowed the abuse to happen.
So yes, there’s a lot of different ways responsibility can shake out with sexual abuse. But for you, it’s not about tracking down everyone, it’s about knowing what your legal options are for getting financial help for what the abuse has cost you.
How the Claims Process Usually Works After Sexual Abuse
Even though it happens in a variety of different environments, sexual abuse is an incredibly painful and difficult thing to endure. But when it happens because of someone else’s negligence, it gives you the same options for filing a claim and getting damages as you would if you were in a car accident or a slip-and-fall. That surprises a lot of people, but it’s true. And with that, the process can involve two separate paths:
- Filing an insurance claim outside of court
- Filing a personal injury lawsuit
Insurance can be a good starting point, and is generally a more private option. The problem is that insurance policies have limits. So with the more long-term consequences of sexual abuse, a lawsuit is sometimes a stronger option. However, it takes more time and effort, and while your privacy will always be protected, some filings are public. No matter what though, the goal is making sure you have the financial support you need to address what you’ve lost. That can include things like:
- Medical and counseling expenses
- Lost wages or income
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Other damages related to the abuse
Remember, the process takes a lot of time, effort, and most of all, courage. That’s why having someone on your side who can handle the legal process and deal with the other people involved can make things a little more manageable. And because Alaska has deadlines for filing these types of claims, it’s important not to wait too long to find out what options you may have. Of course, our team will be with you from the beginning to support you on your journey.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to file a claim?
It depends on the circumstances. Felony sexual abuse that happens to you doesn’t have a deadline, while misdemeanor abuse carries a deadline of three years. Even still, the longer you wait to file, the harder it can be to get information and figure out who’s involved.
Can I file a civil claim if my abuser was never convicted?
Yes, potentially. A criminal case and a civil case are two different things. Someone not being convicted of a crime doesn’t mean you can’t file a civil claim. We can look at the evidence you have and explain whether a civil claim makes sense.
What if I don’t have a lot of evidence?
That’s okay. Even if you have a few medical records and notes, we can help you get internal records and other things that might implicate your employer, business, or other institution to figure out who knew what and what they did about it.
Survivors of Sexual Abuse in Alaska Can Turn to The Brown Law Firm
Sexual abuse in Alaska can leave you dealing with a lot long after the abuse itself is over. You may be dealing with physical injuries, emotional trauma, financial problems, or just trying to figure out what comes next.
At The Brown Law Firm, we’ll listen to what happened, look at the information you have, and explain what your legal options look like. You don’t have to decide whether you’re ready to file a lawsuit. You can start by having a conversation and getting some answers. If you’re ready to talk, set up a free consultation today.