Becoming a victim of molestation is an experience that can alter life as you know it forever. The emotional trauma of surviving this type of abuse does not disappear even if the abuse itself has come to an end, and for those who seek treatment, therapy bills can add up and lead to falling into financial crisis. It isn’t fair that being victimized should cause your life to spiral out of control through no fault of your own, but you don’t have to continue to suffer alone. Seeking justice in the civil court is something that a qualified legal professional can help you with. If you would like to speak to a molestation victim attorney in Rolling Hills or elsewhere in the Los Angeles area, contact Okabe and Haushalter.
Although it is possible to pursue both criminal justice and file a civil suit—either concurrently or at separate points in time—the way these two courts operate is different. Criminal court focuses on finding out who is guilty of committing particular crimes and penalizing them accordingly. However, civil court is focused on establishing liability or negligence and making certain that damages resulting from that liability or negligence are paid out to the appropriate parties.
A price tag cannot be placed on a spirit damaged by trauma, but in the civil courtroom, the value of damages needs to be assessed in order for financial compensation to be asked for by the court. Documents proving lost wages and therapy bills resulting from the trauma of your abuse can be used to help quantify the damages your abuser owes you for your pain and suffering, and the civil court can use those documents to establish its demand that the person who is liable for your pain and suffering pays out. Money cannot heal the invisible wounds left on a psyche, but it can help to reduce financial strain brought about as a result of being victimized.
A competent attorney will demand that the person responsible for your suffering be made to pay the maximum amount possible in damages, and will keep you informed of your case’s progress every step of the way. You do not have to file criminal charges in order to file a civil suit, so you can contact a civil attorney for a consultation whether or not you have filed or intend to file criminal charges against your abuser.
If you need a molestation victim attorney in Rolling Hills, the legal professionals at Okabe and Haushalter can assist you with your civil case. We will fight for you in court and work tirelessly to help you get the maximum award possible to compensate for you and your family’s pain and suffering. Take the first step toward getting justice and closure—contact us now for a free case evaluation.
