Dallas Sexual Assault Lawyer

A sexual assault can generate both a lawsuit and a criminal prosecution. A Dallas, Texas criminal prosecution, however, might not result in any compensation for you beyond “restitution.” 

Considering the extensive harm that any sexual assault victim endures, this is simply not enough, and you must demand more. Anderson Injury Lawyers can assist you in recovering the full amount of money damages available.

You need an experienced Dallas sexual assault lawyer, and you need to pursue a sexual assault claim against a party that can afford to pay it. Anderson Injury Lawyers can help you find the appropriate defendant and demand every dime you deserve. Contact us today by calling us at (214) 327-8000 for a free consultation. 

How Anderson Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Sexual Assault in Dallas

How Anderson Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Sexual Assault in Dallas

Our Dallas sexual assault attorneys have been fighting fiercely for the rights of victims like you since 2007, and we have won hundreds of millions of dollars for our clients. We prefer to win at the settlement table, but we know how to win in court when defendants refuse to settle. 

Our lead attorney, Mark Anderson, is Board Certified in personal injury trial law, an honor only a vanishingly small percentage of Dallas personal injury attorneys can claim. 

You probably won’t end up at trial. Nevertheless, we can help you throughout the legal process in the following ways:

  • Investigating your case to determine your best course of action.
  • Navigating the complexities of civil litigation to seek compensation for damages such as medical expenses, therapy costs, and emotional distress.
  • Collaborating with your doctors to document and understand the full extent of your injuries.
  • Helping you obtain protective orders.
  • Connecting you with support groups and counseling services.
  • Working discreetly to gather evidence and witness testimony that support your claim, while maintaining the utmost respect for their privacy.
  • Negotiating with insurance companies for coverage of your medical treatments and counseling services.

Contact our law offices in Dallas, TX, today to learn more about our legal services. Your initial case review is free of charge. 

How Common Are Sexual Assaults in Dallas, Texas?

In a recent year in Dallas, victims report about 60 rapes per 100,000 population. This statistic is not particularly enlightening, however. They don’t include sexual assaults that fall short of the legal definition of rape, for example. Likewise, they don’t include victims who, out of shame or fear, do not report their sexual assaults. The total number of Dallas sexual assault victims is probably much greater than the number that the statistics indicate. 

National statistics indicate that:

  • 80% of sexual assault victims are under age 30.
  • Only about a third of sexual assault victims file a police report.
  • Women ages 16-19 are statistically more likely to suffer a sexual assault.

There seems to be no particular reason to believe that sexual assaults follow a dramatically different statistical pattern in Dallas than they do elsewhere in the country.

What Is My Dallas Sexual Assault Case Worth?

The following factors influence the value of your sexual assault claim: 

  • Your age at the time of the assault. 
  • The degree of your vulnerability at the time of the assault.
  • The depth of the emotional impact upon you.
  • The nature of the perpetrator’s actions (some sexual assaults are worse than others).
  • The perpetrator’s criminal history.
  • The seriousness of any physical injuries you might have suffered.
  • Damage to your reputation, if the assault harmed your public image or career.
  • The impact on your relationship with your partner, if any.

Since no two sexual assault cases are alike, many other factors not listed above can play a role.

What Kind of Damages Are Available to Sexual Assault Victims?

Like other personal injury victims., you are generally entitled to two forms of compensation—economic damages and non-economic damages. These might include:

  • Reimbursement for your past, present, and estimated future medical expenses. This includes mental health treatment.
  • Compensation for earnings you lost if you missed work because of the assault.
  • Compensation for diminished earning capacity, if you suffer long-term loss of your ability to earn a living because of the assault.
  • Any out-of-pocket expenses you had to pay.
  • Compensation for physical pain, emotional distress, anxiety, depression, or diminished quality of life.
  • Restitution: As mentioned above, a criminal court might order the perpetrator to pay you for specific costs such as medical expenses or counseling services.

You might also qualify for punitive damages, which are additional damages designed to punish the defendant for outrageous conduct. Although courts are reluctant to award punitive damages, sexual assault is almost always considered outrageous.

How Much Does It Cost To Hire a Dallas Sexual Assault Lawyer?

You can hire a sexual assault lawyer without a penny in your bank account. Personal injury lawyers, including sexual assault lawyers, calculate their fees on a contingency basis. 

A contingency fee is a pre-agreed percentage of the total compensation you win, whether in court or at the settlement table. If you lose, which isn’t all that likely, your legal fees will amount to $0.00.

We’ll Fight To Recover Compensation for All of Your Sexual Assault Injuries

We will fight hard to make sure that you receive full compensation for all of your injuries, both physical and psychological. Common sexual assault injuries include:

  • Anxiety disorders
  • Bites
  • Bruises
  • Burns
  • Concussions or other head injuries
  • Cuts or lacerations
  • Dental injuries
  • Depression
  • Eating disorders
  • Eye injuries
  • Fractures
  • Gastrointestinal injuries
  • Genital injuries
  • Internal injuries
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
  • Pregnancy
  • Self-harm tendencies
  • Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)
  • Sleep disturbances, including nightmares and insomnia
  • Strains and sprains
  • Substance abuse issues
  • Suicidal ideation or attempts
  • Throat injuries (from strangulation or forced oral sex)
  • Urinary tract infections

 This is not a complete list of possible injuries arising from a sexual assault. Every individual is different.

Who Can Be Held Responsible for Sexual Assaults in Dallas, Texas?

Depending on the circumstances of your claim, your lawyer might seek compensation from one or more of the following parties:

  • The perpetrator (person who committed the assault).
  • The perpetrator’s employer, if the perpetrator committed the assault during work-related activities.
  • The owner of the premises upon which the assault took place, if the owner’s security measures were inadequate. The owner might be an individual or an institution such as a university.
  • An organization, if the assault occurred during an event or activity that the organization sponsored or managed.
  • A government department, if the assault occurred on government property and security measures were inadequate.

Perpetrators often lack money to pay personal injury claims, and most insurance policies do not cover intentional acts like sexual assaults. This generates the need to find a second defendant who can afford to pay your claim. 

How Do I Prove Negligence After a Sexual Assault in Texas?

The perpetrator of your sexual assault acted intentionally, not negligently. Nevertheless, a second defendant might have allowed the assault due to negligence. To prove negligence on the part of a second defendant, you need to prove:

  • The defendant owed you a duty of care. For example, the owner of a commercial establishment owes an elevated duty of care (including the duty to provide adequate security) to invited guests such as customers.
  • The defendant failed to comply with the demands of their duty of care (by failing to provide adequate security, for example).
  • You suffered harm (in the form of a sexual assault).
  • The defendant’s breach of duty was the cause of the harm you suffered.
  • The harm you suffered was a foreseeable consequence of the defendant’s breach of duty. 

You must prove all of these facts, on a “preponderance of the evidence” basis, to win. 

How Long Do I Have To File a Lawsuit After a Sexual Assault in Texas?

In most cases, Texas allows you five years from the date of the assault to file a sexual assault lawsuit. Under certain circumstances, the deadline might be extended. If you miss the deadline, however, your claim will be worthless.

Determining the statute of limitations deadline for sexual assault cases is often complex. Contact us as soon as you can to preserve your right to file a lawsuit. 

Contact Our Dallas Sexual Assault Lawyers for a Free Case Consultation

You may have the legal right to file a civil lawsuit and recover compensation if you were sexually assaulted in Dallas, TX. Anderson Injury Lawyers is here to help you through this difficult time to the best of our ability.

Contact us today to schedule a free consultation with a trusted Dallas sexual assault attorney.

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