Child Sexual Abuse Lawyers In Maryland — Fighting To Help Victims Secure Justice, Even Years Later

Sexual abuse is traumatizing regardless of the underlying circumstances. When such abuse occurs at a young age, however, it can disproportionately affect a victim. This can alter a person’s formative years and potentially define who they become. Anyone victimized in this way should seek assistance from a child sexual abuse lawyer in Maryland.

At Andreozzi + Foote, our team of legal professionals is committed to securing justice for victims. There will be times when the legal system fails. Even in such cases, there are still potential avenues for holding abusers and those who enable them accountable. Contact our law firm today for a free, confidential consultation to learn more.

How Can A Maryland Sexual Abuse Attorney Help You?

Sexual abuse is devastating at any age, but it’s especially damaging to young victims who might not realize that an adult they trust is causing them irreparable harm. If you recently found out that your child was sexually abused, or if you’re an adult who suffered sexual abuse as a child, you should get legal advice from a Maryland sexual abuse attorney.

At Andreozzi + Foote, our legal team has helped numerous child victims of sexual abuse file civil lawsuits to get the compensation they’re entitled to. We realize the long-term effects that child sexual abuse can have on victims, so we’re committed to seeking justice for clients and their families. If you want to learn how a Maryland sex abuse lawyer can assist you as you struggle with the aftermath of child sexual abuse, contact us for a free consultation.

What Are the Signs of Child Sexual Abuse?

Child sex abuse can take many forms and does not have to involve physical contact, which can make it difficult to discover or prove. Some of the most common forms of sexual abuse that don’t involve physical touch include:

Showing pornographic images or videos to a child
Indecent exposure to a child
Taking pictures or videos of a naked child
Watching a child use the bathroom or get undressed
Performing sexual acts in front of a child
Engaging in sexual discussions with a child

Of course, child sexual abuse often escalates to sexual acts involving physical touch. This can include touching the child’s genitals or forcing child victims to touch someone else’s. It can also involve putting objects inside of the child’s genitals, performing or requesting oral sex with them, or forcing sexual intercourse.

Sexual assault of this kind can have lasting negative effects on child victims, so it’s essential to take action as soon as you recognize the possibility that your child has suffered sexual abuse.

You might suspect child sexual abuse after observing the following signs that child abuse victims often display:

Sudden interest in talking about sexual acts
Displaying inappropriate sexual behavior
Increased anxiety, especially about being left alone with a specific adult
Extreme concern about getting undressed to bathe or change clothes
Evidence of self-harm
Changes in behavior, such as nightmares, bedwetting, insomnia, aggression, depression, or clinginess
Inability to concentrate at school, leading to failing grades
Physical injuries to the genitals, including pain and redness
Symptoms of sexually transmitted infections

If you’re worried your child suffered sexual abuse, or if you realize you were a victim as a child, contact our Maryland law firm to learn what your rights within the legal system are. When you hire a skilled Maryland sexual abuse lawyer, you can pursue financial compensation to ensure the offender is held accountable and you can afford all necessary medical and mental treatment. Call us for a confidential consultation.

What Financial Compensation Are Victims Entitled To in a Civil Lawsuit?

While nothing can take away the devastating effects of childhood sexual abuse, pursuing a civil lawsuit is one way to take control over the situation. This is because civil cases can allow victims of sexual abuse to collect compensation from the offender and anyone who enabled them to victimize children.

So, if you or your child are victims of sexual abuse, you should hire a Maryland sex abuse lawyer who will seek justice by getting you significant financial compensation.

Sex abuse lawsuits allow you to pursue three types of compensation. They include:

Economic damages to pay for medical treatment, lost wages, therapy, and other financial losses caused by child sex abuse
Non-economic damages to compensate for emotional distress, pain and suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life
Punitive damages to ensure the offender and their enablers are held accountable

Experienced Maryland sexual assault attorneys can pursue the maximum amount of all three types of damages for sexual assault victims who go to civil court. If you’re thinking about taking legal action after childhood sexual abuse severely harmed you or your child, contact our law firm to talk to a sexual assault attorney about your civil suit.

Our legal professionals are dedicated to ensuring child abuse victims get monetary damages, so contact us for a free consultation if you’re ready to seek compensation.

Who Can You Bring a Child Sexual Abuse Case Against?

If you can identify the person who abused you or your child, your first thought may be to make sure they’re held liable for the damage they caused. This may be through criminal charges that will lead to a lengthy prison sentence and the requirement to register as a sex offender upon a criminal conviction. But there are additional ways to hold people accountable and make sexual abuse less likely to happen again, and one is through civil suits

When you bring a civil lawsuit against someone who committed sexual assault, you’re requesting monetary compensation to help make up for the devastating effects of their decision to victimize you or your child. Child sex abuse survivors deserve access to all the money they can get from the offender, because their life has been forever altered by sexual abuse. This is why Maryland sexual abuse lawyers are eager to help victims pursue compensation.

However, many legal professionals don’t stop at demanding compensation from the offenders, as they can often get more money for their clients by targeting other parties that enabled or hid child sex abuse.

These might include:

Religious institutions
School districts
Sports organizations and clubs
Hospitals and clinics

Pursuing compensation from one clergy member or teacher might not result in much money for a victim of sexual assault, but bringing a lawsuit against a larger religious organization or school district can lead to a bigger monetary reward for the victim.

It can also reduce the chances that they’ll enable or attempt to hide child sex abuse in the future, so this type of legal action could save other children from becoming victims. If you have questions about how sex abuse lawsuits typically go, call our law firm for a confidential consultation with a sex abuse attorney who is dedicated to getting you the compensation you deserve.

What Should You Do After Realizing Sexual Abuse Occurred?

If it’s been years since the child sex abuse occurred or you don’t have solid evidence that it happened, you should call our Maryland law firm to get legal advice from a sexual abuse lawyer. You might be surprised at how a skilled legal team can help you seek justice for a sexual offense against you or your child, even if it happened years ago.

For instance, we’ll make sure you’re updated on all laws that affect sex abuse cases in Maryland, including the Child Victims Act, which recently removed the statute of limitations for sex abuse claims. This means that even if child sex abuse occurred decades ago, you can still pursue a civil lawsuit against the offender and anyone who enabled them.

We can also let you know about resources that will give you the support you need after experiencing a devastating sexual assault. For instance, TurnAround, Inc. can help you find counseling for yourself and your family members after you’ve been affected by sex abuse. Heartly House, Inc. can help you identify the signs of child sexual abuse and get in touch with helpful resources, while Family Crisis Center of Baltimore County offers support for victims of sexual assault and human trafficking.

If you have questions about the Maryland Child Victims Act or need assistance finding counseling and other forms of support, contact our law offices for legal guidance. You deserve the full attention of a sexual abuse lawyer who has handled a wide range of sex abuse cases across Maryland. Call us for a free initial consultation to discuss your case.

Are You Ready To Contact Child Sexual Abuse Lawyers in Maryland?

At Andreozzi + Foote, we have an in-depth understanding of civil and criminal law when it comes to Maryland sexual abuse claims. We understand how difficult it is for sexual abuse victims to reach out for help, especially if the abuse happened years ago or there’s little solid evidence.

However, we have years of experience assisting victims of sexual assault as they pursue justice through civil court, so you can trust us to handle your case with the sensitivity it requires.

If you suffered a physical injury from unwanted sexual contact during childhood, you deserve to be able to afford medical treatment for it, along with therapy to reduce the emotional distress caused by sexual abuse. Our team is committed to helping you get the compensation you need as an abuse victim, so call us at 866-311-8640 to start your civil case.

When someone has faced childhood sexual abuse, they have a long road ahead. In some cases, this road includes seeing the offender charged and incarcerated. The justice system may fail in other situations, and the abuser could walk free. And even in cases where a specific offender is punished, those who enabled them (e.g., schools, relatives, churches) often face no serious consequences.

A child sexual abuse lawyer in Maryland can assist in these and many other situations. In addition to offering advice on moving forward and helping access vital resources, an attorney can also file a lawsuit against those responsible for the abuse.

This is true even if an offender is not convicted under the law — since the standard of evidence is lower in civil cases. But you need a legal professional on your side.

What If It’s Been Years — Even Decades — Since Abuse Occurred?

As discussed in the previous section, far too many assailants walk away from their crimes with minimal criminal penalties.

Unfortunately, the likelihood of this increases when it’s been a long time since abuse occurred. Perhaps there was a conviction, but the abuser or those who enabled them were not fully held responsible. Fortunately, justice is still possible.

That’s because Maryland recently passed a law removing the statute of limitations for sex abuse lawsuits. This means it doesn’t matter how long it’s been since you or a loved one was sexually abused. The law now recognizes that healing can be a long process.

If you or a loved one was violated as a child, there’s more time than ever to seek justice. Contact our child sexual abuse lawyers in Maryland today to learn how.

Contact Our Child Sexual Abuse Lawyers In Maryland Today

Whether it was you or a loved one who faced sexual abuse, moving forward may seem almost impossible. However, there are well-known steps for healing. Holding an abuser accountable for their actions is one such step for child sex abuse survivors. You shouldn’t have to face what’s to come on your own, and with an experienced legal professional on your side, you don’t have to.

At Andreozzi + Foote, you’ll work with a compassionate legal team that’s trauma-informed and willing to advocate tirelessly on your behalf. Sexual abusers take something away from their victims, but it’s sometimes possible to get a little of this back by making them face justice.

Contact us today by calling 866-311-8640 for a free consultation. Our child sexual abuse lawyers in Maryland are ready to help pursue justice.