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While you should be able to trust a therapist to provide help and support, some people take advantage of this trust. Therapist sexual abuse is a serious issue that impacts many patients, and the emotional impacts can continue even years after the abuse. If you are or someone you love is a survivor of sexual abuse, you are not alone. Legal support is available to help you work through the steps that follow.
A Washington therapist sexual abuse lawyer can help you seek justice, obtain compensation, and protect your rights in the process. Even if you are not sure about pursuing a case, speaking with a sexual abuse lawyer can provide insight into your options. At Boren Law, initial consultations are free and confidential.
It is the role of a therapist to help his or her clients, but in too many cases, unethical individuals will exploit that same emotional vulnerability for their own purposes. Sexual abuse can involve inappropriate touching, coercion into sexual activity, and ultimately crossing ethical boundaries. The therapist-patient relationship involves inherent trust, and abuse or grooming often occurs under the guise of treatment. This is why therapy governing bodies have strict professional codes, which largely prohibit sexual interactions between a therapist and patient.
In some cases, sexual abuse by a therapist can lead to disciplinary or even criminal charges. However, regardless of whether a prosecutor or disciplinary board charges a therapist with sexual abuse and/or assault, survivors can often pursue civil lawsuits for financial compensation relating to abuse. A Washington lawyer can help you gather evidence against your therapist or a child’s therapist, file a sexual abuse lawsuit, and seek financial compensation for therapy, lost wages, and emotional trauma.
In Washington, the statute of limitations for cases involving child sexual abuse can vary depending on the facts of the case. Sometimes it takes years for an individual to recognize that his or her emotional injuries relate to their sexual abuse. Still, some deadlines can be as short as six months, so it is important to act quickly and consult with an attorney.
Depending on the facts of the case, you may even be able to pursue a case against not only an abusing therapist but also supervising professionals or institutions who would have been required to report suspected abuse as mandatory reporters (or who had an independent duty to keep you safe from a therapist’s abuse).
Reasonably so, many people have concerns about privacy in court cases. In many circumstances, the state allows the use of pseudonyms (e.g., “Jane Doe” or “John Doe”) in the public record to protect the privacy of survivors.
A civil lawsuit can be difficult to manage without professional legal help. Communicating with a Washington attorney helps ensure you are informed while you pursue compensation in your therapist sexual abuse case. Our legal team assists with the investigation and collection of evidence throughout your case, which may include obtaining:
Your attorney can file a civil complaint with a Washington State Court and work toward settlement negotiations on your behalf or a trial.
Compensation for sexual abuse claims may include economic damages, like medical expenses and therapy costs, as well as non-economic damages, like pain and suffering. In some cases, compensation may even include punitive damages against the wrongdoers to punish particularly egregious conduct.
Working with a trauma-informed lawyer is always a good idea. Our legal team has extensive experience in sexual abuse litigation, and we provide respectful, survivor-centered communication with a focus on compassion. If you or a loved one has survived sexual abuse, you deserve justice. Speak confidentially with a Washington therapist sexual abuse lawyer at Boren Law to learn how we can help you reclaim your voice.