When you attend a religious ceremony or institution, you want to know that you and your loved ones are safe. However, there are some individuals who will use that feeling of communal safety to conduct unspeakable acts against individuals who do not feel confident enough to speak out.
These incidents of sexual assault do not have to go unanswered. There are several degrees of sexual assault, all of which a West Virginia clergy sexual abuse lawyer can help you understand and apply, as applicable, to your case. The most important thing to note, though, is that while you may feel alone in these cases, you do not have to be. The team with Pintas & Mullins Law Firm can handle your case with care, fighting for your compensation all the while.
If you want to discuss your case, you can reach out to the team at (800) 219-9622.
Collaborating with a West Virginia Clergy Sexual Abuse Lawyer
The team with Pintas & Mullins Law Firm knows how hard it can be to deal with life after sexual abuse. A clergy sexual abuse lawyer can help you navigate the immediate aftermath, though, and help you feel less alone in your recovery.
The good news is that not all of these sorts of cases require you to go to court to seek out compensation for your losses. Instead, you can calculate your potential compensation with a clergy sexual abuse lawyer and present that estimate to the liable party or institution. This way, an attorney can negotiate for compensation on your behalf without you having to go through the process of bringing your story before a court.
A liable party, however, may also feel comfortable bringing a settlement to you before you can seek out legal action. In these cases, you can still reach out to a West Virginia clergy sexual abuse lawyer to discuss whether or not the settlement attends to all of your needs. If you believe that the settlement is insufficient, you can have an attorney negotiate on your behalf.
There are cases, though, wherein the liable party will refuse to acknowledge that wrong was done or that your family may be entitled to compensation. In these cases, you can file a lawsuit and rely on a clergy sexual abuse lawyer to represent you, should those court proceedings begin.
Working Together to File a Complaint
Complaints help you bring the details of your case before a court. In these documents, you can detail:
- The identity of the party you believe to be liable for the losses inflicted on you or a loved one
- The evidence you have to identify that party as liable
- An estimation of the compensation you may receive
- The calculations that led you to the aforementioned estimate
While gathering evidence for these cases can be emotionally trying, that evidence can help you bring your concerns before a judge. A lawyer can help you work through the situation as it occurred and bring forth evidence to back your claim.
Valid forms of evidence in a case of clergy sexual assault in West Virginia can include:
- Eyewitness testimony
- Video recordings of the event
- Audio recordings of the event
- The opinions of medical professionals identifying any injuries you or a loved one may have endured
From here, you can calculate your potential compensation. Note that much of the compensation in a sexual assault case can be classified as “non-economic,” meaning that you can work with a clergy sexual assault lawyer to determine the extent of those losses.
Your avenues for compensation may include:
- Medical bills
- Hospital stays
- Treatment costs
- Counseling costs
- Lost wages
- Loss of future earning potential
- Loss of consortium
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
For a free legal consultation with a West Virginia Clergy Sexual Abuse Lawyer Lawyer serving nationwide, call (800) 219-9622
Contingency-Based Law Firms Fight for You
Recovering from the shock and trauma of sexual abuse should be the most important thing you do in the time after what happened. You may, however, find yourself reluctant to take legal action out of concern for the legal fees that myth suggests come along with it.
The team with Pintas & Mullins Law Firm knows how those myths can keep families from taking action against the parties who have hurt them. That is why the firm operates on contingency. This way, you can seek out legal advice without worrying about the cost. Instead, you will only receive a bill for the services you benefited from if a court chooses to award you damages for your losses.
Even then, you can protect your savings. It is this process that makes taking legal action against a liable party more accessible, no matter what kind of state you may find yourself in after your case comes to light.
West Virginia Clergy Sexual Abuse Lawyer Lawyer Near Me (800) 219-9622
The Benefits of Working with a West Virginia Clergy Sexual Abuse Lawyer
A case of clergy sexual assault can shock not only your family but the community around you. These sorts of cases take time to process, and you should be entitled to that time. You are also, however, entitled to take legal action against your abuser. West Virginia’s SS 61-8B-1 describes sexual assault and the consequences a person can face for forcing another party, including a child, to perform sex acts.
It is with this statute and similar legislation in mind that Pintas & Mullins Law Firm can help your family recover. Together, you can better understand what happened in your case and what compensation, as well as other legal action, you may be able to pursue.
If you want to start discussing your case, you can reach out to the team with Pintas & Mullins at (800) 219-9622. You should not have to suffer further from the abuse.
Call or text (800) 219-9622 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
