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Sexual Abuse Of Children
In the past few years it has become clear that childhood sexual abuse is more prevalent than previously known. Most of the time, the media tends to focus on priests who abuse children under their care. As attorneys who handle cases in this area, we know that it extends further then the clergy. Often we see childhood sex abuse committed by janitors, nurses, social workers, doctors, teachers and anyone who has contact or free access to children. You would think that these repulsive animals would stop abusing after witnessing so many of their peers being arrested. Unfortunately, childhood sexual abuse has not diminished over the years.
Victims need to understand that they are not alone and that it was never their fault. Spineless abusers lurk in all types of settings from schools to family friends to members of the clergy. The Rogatinsky Firm is able to represent you and handle your case no matter what city you live in. Often we will handle childhood sex abuse cases that occurred many years ago and it is our job to find ways to make sure that you are not sidetracked in your path of healing.
What Are The Legal Issues?
Of course there are legal issues in every claim for childhood sex abuse. The main issue that is always a consideration is the statute of limitations of the particular state that you were abused in. Some states are better and some states are just awful. Before we can take your case we need to gather enough information from you so that we can determine if a claim can be brought without getting kicked out of court. If a claim is not filed within the prescribed statute of limitations the victim is forever barred from bringing a claim. Sometimes the statute can be overcome if we can prove concealment or fraud on the part of the institution but every case is reviewed individually and if it’s a close call, the answer is not always clear. We realize that it is not always possible but we urge any victim who has been abused to come forward as soon as possible after the abuse so that your chances of healing and recovery are increased exponentially. The bottom line is that you should meet with me as soon as possible to avoid statute of limitation problems.
How Do We Prepare Your Sex Abuse Claim?
We know it is difficult to talk about. Attorney Sam Rogatinsky will speak to you to discuss the circumstances of your case. We look at a number factors but one of the first things we examine is the type of abuse you suffered. Unfortunately we need to document the abuse and this involves getting the details. We need to observe you and learn how the abuse affected you. Some people will become psychologically impaired after being abused while others will repress their feelings or become hardened and distant. Each case that we see is different and it is important to evaluate your mental condition before we file a law suit. Lawsuits are not taken lightly by the church and they will do what they can to refute your claim. You need to be ready both physically and emotionally because once a law suit is started, it takes on a life of its own and you may not be happy with some of the things that are said by the abuser.
You will also need to go over the dates, times of abuse and the frequency of the abuse. Of course, the dates don’t have to be exact and nobody is expecting you to know that but we will need to develop a time line with the different events that occurred before and after the abuse. After I gather all this information I will make a personal assessment of how the abuse affected your life.
Once we decide to take your case we are going to insist that you see a properly trained therapist who has experience dealing with victims of childhood sexual abuse. After a psychological evaluation, I will determine the need and scope of future medical and psychological treatment. Whether the abuse happened last week or in the last decade, the therapist will be able to tell me your state of mind and your ability to go through a legal battle that may end up in litigation for quite some time.
Consequences Of The Sex Abuse
The main problems that people have after being sexually abused are helplessness, hopelessness, and shame. We are here to tell you that there is nothing to be ashamed of and we understand the pain you are going through on a daily basis. We have also noticed that survivors of childhood sexual abuse tend to withdraw emotionally and intellectually.
What Are The Next Steps?
If you or someone you know has been the victim of childhood sexual abuse, we invite you to call me – Samuel Rogatinsky at The Rogatinsky Firm and I will review and respond to your claim as soon as possible. All information regarding this topic will always remain confidential.
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