As a parent, when you send your child to school, you entrust the school administration with your child’s safety. Unfortunately, school administrators and teachers often fail in their duty to provide a safe environment for the children. As a result, children are at risk of being sexually abused by the very people they trust.
If your child has been sexually assaulted by someone at a New York school, you need to take the following steps to ensure your child’s safety and to hold the perpetrator accountable.
Reassure Your Child
First and foremost, tell your child that what happened was not their fault and they should not blame themselves in any way. Do not ask your child too many questions about the incident. Remain calm and assure them that they will be safe.
Report the Incident to Law Enforcement
Report the incident to the police and Child Protective Services as soon as you can. The sooner you report, the sooner they can start their investigation and initiate criminal proceedings against the perpetrator.
Preserve the Evidence
Do not wash your child’s clothes and accessories. Keep them safe, as they might contain DNA evidence which can be crucial in building a strong case against the perpetrator.
Get Medical Help
Sexual assault can affect children physically as well as emotionally. Make sure your child gets the medical treatment and care they need.
Contact an Experienced New York Child Sexual Assault Lawyer
Sexually assaulting a child is not only a criminal offense, but also a civil offense under New York law. With the help of an all-star New York sexual assault attorney, who has been through the legal minefields before, you can bring a tort claim against the perpetrator and recover compensatory damages.
Apart from the perpetrator, you might also be able to sue the parties that enabled their actions or failed to protect your child. For example, if your child was sexually assaulted by a teacher, coach, school bus driver, or anyone who is employed by the school, and if the school administration knew about it and failed to take any action, you have the right to sue the school administration for failing to provide a safe environment for your child.
Types of Compensatory Damages You can Recover in a New York Child Sexual Assault Claim
Medical Expenses
If your child was physically harmed as a result of the assault, you can seek compensation for the medical expenses associated with their treatment and care.
Cost of Therapy
Being sexually assaulted can traumatize a child and affect their mental health. They might develop anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, clinical depression, and other disorders for which they might require counseling and therapy. You can seek compensation for the cost of therapy and other mental health treatments they might need.
Pain and Suffering and Emotional Distress
A skilled child sexual assault attorney will focus on building a strong case of compensation for pain and suffering, emotional anguish, and other economic and non-economic damages caused as a result of the assault. Backed by medical documentation and professional testimonies of mental health experts specializing in child sexual abuse cases, your attorney can establish compelling evidence to pursue maximum damages for pain and suffering and emotional trauma.
Choose Outstanding and Trusted New York Child Sexual Assault Lawyers to Protect Your Child’s Rights
If your child is a survivor of sexual assault at school, the child sexual abuse lawyers at the Law Office of Michael S. Lamonsoff can hold the perpetrator accountable and get justice for your child. Led by award-winning civil litigator Michael S. Lamonsoff, our legal team has over 100 years of combined legal experience and has recovered more than 500 million dollars in settlements and jury awards for our clients.
We can handle your case with the sensitivity and compassion it deserves and fight aggressively to obtain the maximum amount of compensation from the perpetrator. Call us today at 212-962-1020 or get in touch with us online to schedule a free and confidential consultation with a profound and considerate New York child sexual abuse lawyer.
