Seeking Compensation for Rape or Sexual Assault

Every two minutes, someone in the United States is sexually assaulted, according to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN). New York saw 2,771 rapes in 2010 and it is estimated there are 750,000 New York women who have been raped at some time in their lives. Surviving a sexual assault is one of the most emotionally devastating and traumatic experiences a person can live through. According to the U.S. Bureau of Justice, nearly 90,000 people are sexually assaulted every year. Of those reported, nearly 27 percent of sexual assaults occur in the victim’s own home.
People expect to feel safe in their own homes, especially when they have taken proper precautions to ensure their own safety. Many lock their doors at night or rely on security measures in their apartment building. However when these safety measures fail and result in a sexual assault, a third party may be held liable. If you or a loved one was a victim of sexual assault because of someone else’s negligence or defective safety equipment, such as a door lock, you may have a case.
The physical scars of surviving a sexual assault can take months to heal but victims are left with a lifetime of emotional hardship to overcome. A victim of this crime may choose to file a civil lawsuit for a variety of reasons including to cover medical bills, counseling costs, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Filing a civil lawsuit may also be a means for a victim to seek further justice in their case.
The experienced New York personal injury attorneys with the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm have a lengthy record of helping victims of sexual assault. Our attorneys obtained a $2,500,000 settlement after an 11-year-old girl was raped in the elevator of her Bronx apartment building because the offenders had an elevator pass key. The offenders were able to make a copy of the key, which led to the sexual assault. We argued that the building manager in this case should have had better oversight and key control. We also obtained $800,000 for a woman who was raped because of a faulty door lock. Our attorneys put pressure on the defense until a settlement was reached before having to involve any witnesses or the victim in tesifying.
If you or a loved one is a victim of sexual assault in New York, please call our offices at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). We can also help with personal injury cases in New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
Other phone numbers for us are:
1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, OR 1-800-LAS-LEYES
Please visit our website: www.work4youlaw.com
Sources: CBS, RAINN, National Violence against Women Prevention Research Center