Are you or a loved one a victim of sexual assault in St. Louis, MO? The attacker and third parties may owe you compensation for your injuries. An experienced St. Louis sexual assault lawyer at Roach Law Car Accident Lawyers will help you fight for the maximum financial award possible.
Our attorneys have over 30 years of combined experience in personal injury law. We’ve used our skills to recover hundreds of millions of dollars on behalf of injured clients and their families. Now, we’re prepared to help you fight for justice.
We know you’ve been through an extremely traumatizing ordeal. We’re here to help in any way we can. Contact our law offices in St. Louis, Missouri at (636) 519-0085 to schedule your free consultation today.
How Can Roach Law Car Accident Lawyers Help Me Recover Compensation If I Was Sexually Assaulted in St. Louis, MO?
Most victims of sexual assault don’t realize there’s anything that can be done after the attacker has been convicted. Even if the state is able to secure a conviction, that doesn’t compensate for your losses. That’s why Missouri personal injury laws allow attack victims to seek financial compensation.
The best way to prove your case and get the compensation you need is to hire an experienced St. Louis personal injury lawyer.
When you hire Roach Law Car Accident Lawyers, you get a team that will:
- Investigate and collect evidence to build your case
- Identify all parties who share financial responsibility for your damages
- Help you prove the nature and value of your losses
- Work with leading experts who can provide strong evidence
- Negotiate with the other side for a full settlement
Our St. Louis personal injury attorneys know how to deal with insurance companies and defendants. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help.
How Common is Sexual Assault?
If you are a victim of sexual assault, you should know that you’re not alone. It’s estimated that one in five women are victims of rape or attempted rape. Approximately 25% of all men experience some type of sexual assault in their lifetimes.
According to the Missouri Department of Health, 3,262 sexual assaults were reported across the state of Missouri in 2021 alone.
Sexual Assault and Missouri Personal Injury Laws: An Overview
You may not even be thinking about fighting for financial compensation if you are a victim of sexual assault. Most people associate personal injury cases with things like car accidents and slips and falls.
Sexual assault is a serious crime. The attacker, if caught and prosecuted, could face serious prison time and other criminal penalties.
Sexual assault is also an intentional tort. When someone intentionally harms another person, the victim has the right to seek compensation like any accident victim.
Who Can Be Liable for My Damages After an Attack in St. Louis?
Your attacker can be held liable for the harm they have caused. They could be held liable in civil court even if they’re acquitted of the crime. The standard of proof in civil cases is lower than the “beyond a reasonable doubt” standard that applies in criminal cases.
Of course, your attacker may not have the funds to cover your damages, or they may not have been caught.
It’s also possible that a third party could be responsible for your damages. If the attack occurred on someone else’s premises, the property owner could be liable for negligent security.
For example, responsible parties might include:
- Parking garage operators
- Colleges and universities
- Schools
- Entertainment venues
- Nursing homes
- Hospitals
- Hotels
- Rental apartment complexes
- Government authorities responsible for maintaining public spaces
- Bars, restaurants, and other business owners
- Shopping centers
Our lawyers will carefully investigate to determine who may be financially responsible for your losses.
Our Attorneys in St. Louis Handle All Types of Sexual Assault Injury Cases
At Roach Law Car Accident Lawyers, we have the skills to help you fight for full compensation regardless of the nature of your attack.
We help clients who have been victims of:
- Rape
- Statutory rape
- Date rape
- Dating violence
- Sexual assault
- Child abuse
- Sexual harassment
- Unwanted touching of a sexual nature
- Sexual assault and abuse in nursing homes
- Domestic violence
You’re probably suffering both physically and mentally right now. Our lawyers are prepared to help you fight for the compensation you need to move on with your life. Give us a call today to learn more about your legal options.
What is My St. Louis Sexual Assault Case Worth?
The value of any personal injury claim depends heavily on the nature and severity of the victim’s losses.
When we’re evaluating your case value, we’ll examine many different factors, including:
- The severity of the physical injuries you’ve suffered
- Your financial expenses, including the cost of medical treatment, rehabilitation, and mental health therapy
- Damage to your quality of life and personal relationships
- The mental trauma you have experienced and how it has impacted your life
- The value of any income you have lost due to your physical and mental injuries
- Anticipated future impacts, including lost opportunities and loss of earning capacity
- The nature of the at-fault party’s action
It’s important to have a skilled attorney review your case. Our lawyers will help you identify and document your losses. We may even retain experts to help establish the value of your hard-to-value non-financial losses and suffering.
What Types of Damages Are Available to Victims of Sexual Assault in St. Louis?
Like any personal injury victim, you can pursue compensation for economic and non-economic damages.
Those damages will depend on the losses you have suffered, and may include:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Mental health counseling
- In-home assistance
- Rehabilitation
- Lost wages
- Lost productivity and lost future earning potential
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional trauma
- Anxiety
- Depression
- PTSD and fear
- Diminished quality of life
- Loss of fertility
- Damage to personal relationships
- Disfigurement or scarring
For some victims, recovering financial compensation is the only way to get justice. Count on our lawyers to examine all of the ways the attack has changed your life–and fight for every penny you deserve.
How Much Does it Cost to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer?
Roach Law Car Accident Lawyers is a contingency-fee-based law firm. When you hire us, you don’t have to worry about paying at the outset. Instead, you pay once we’ve recovered compensation for you. You’ll pay a fixed percentage of your settlement or verdict, so you’ll never have to worry about your ability to afford an experienced attorney.
Our St. Louis Sexual Assault Attorneys Will Fight to Recover Compensation for All of Your Injuries
Sexual assault victims suffer a wide range of injuries, including:
- Severe bruising
- Unwanted pregnancy
- Sexually transmitted diseases
- Broken bones
- Concussions
- Crushing injuries
- Chest injuries
- Soft tissue damage
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Head and neck injuries
- Genital injuries
- Internal bleeding
- Organ damage
- Paralysis
- Catastrophic injuries
- Wrongful death of a loved one
Depending on the nature of the attack, victims can potentially suffer life-changing injuries. The mental trauma of the experience alone can be debilitating. Our lawyers understand what you’re going through and will do everything we can to help.
What Do I Have to Prove to Recover Compensation if I Am a Victim of Sexual Assault in St. Louis?
To recover compensation from your attacker, you’ll have to prove that they attacked you by a “preponderance of the evidence” standard. That means you’ll have to show that it’s more likely than not true.
Third-party property owners can be held responsible under Missouri premises liability laws.
To recover damages, you’ll have to show:
- You were legally on the premises, so you weren’t trespassing
- The threat of violence was reasonably foreseeable
- The property owner failed to provide adequate security
- That failure to provide adequate security allowed the attack to occur
- You suffered damages
What counts as “adequate security” will vary from case to case. For example, if there was a history of violent crime in the neighborhood, the owner might be held to a higher standard when it comes to determining whether they took reasonable steps to prevent attacks on visitors, guests, and customers. The type of establishment involved will also be relevant.
How Long Do I Have to File a Sexual Assault Injury Lawsuit in Missouri?
Most personal injury victims in Missouri are subject to a five-year statute of limitations (with some exceptions). After five years have passed, you’ll generally lose your right to damages.
It’s possible that you could have more or less time to take legal action. It’s always best to contact a lawyer sooner rather than later, so give us a call when you’re ready.
Contact a Trusted St. Louis Sexual Assault Lawyer for a Free Case Review
You’ve been through an unimaginable trauma. Our St. Louis sexual assault attorneys are ready to help you fight for just compensation. Call Roach Law Car Accident Lawyers to schedule a free consultation today.
