Sexual Abuse Lawyers in California

Sexual abuse can happen in many different settings, including professional ones or in situations where you would normally expect to be safe, such as going to a routine dental or doctor’s appointment. Because of the many factors that can be involved with sensitive cases of this nature, it can be helpful to work with sexual abuse lawyers in California. Let’s take a moment to focus on what you steps you can expect attorneys specializing in sexual abuse cases to take when offering assistance and advice.

Reviewing Evidence

Whether it’s a physician’s report prepared after a thorough physical examination is performed or photographs of the scene of the incident that were taken by the police or investigators, there is a lot of evidence that’s likely to be part of a sexual abuse case. Sexual abuse lawyers in California know how to properly gather this type of evidence and review it. With evidence, they may also take steps that could include:

• Requesting additional medical documentation if what’s available is insufficient
• Interviewing witnesses to the incident, if there were any
• Making an attempt to obtain evidence that may not have been initially collected, such as cellphone data from the involved parties

Clarifying What ‘Sexual Abuse’ Is

Some instances of sexual abuse are more subtle in nature. Repeated instances of inappropriate sexual comments on the job, for instance, can be considered a form of sexual abuse, especially if there have been repeated complaints made about this type of behavior. Sexual abuse lawyers in California may also be able to build a case based on instances of unwanted touching, fondling, and even kissing. If you have any doubts about the nature of your situation, you can discuss it with an attorney during an initial consultation, often without a fee or a commitment to pursue a case.

Exploring All Legal Options

Criminal prosecution is certainly a possible legal remedy sexual abuse lawyers in California can help you explore if there were illegal or criminal actions that took place. But there are also civil remedies that could be available to victims of sexual abuse. For example, in some situations, it may be possible to seek compensation for psychological counseling and medical expenses, lost income due to time missed from work, and emotional trauma. In some cases, suffering involving both the victim and their spouse may be considered compensable.

Whether or not compensation can be secured by sexual abuse lawyers in California representing a victim of sexual abuse will ultimately depend on the factors involved with a case. If a child is involved, there are age of consent laws that apply even if the minor claims to have been a willing participant in the actions that took place. If two adults were involved, it may be possible to pursue a case if consent was given under duress – e.g., a boss who took advantage of an employee by threatening their job if they didn’t do as requested. An attorney will present the options you have available based on your unique circumstances so you can make well-informed decisions going forward.