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Cross Border Sexual Abuse
The personal
injury lawyers at Brett & Coats represent
victims of sexual abuse who seek prompt, fair
and just compensation for their injuries.
We practice throughout Washington state and can
meet with clients in:
Bellingham or Vancouver, British Columbia,
Mount Vernon, Anacortes, or Friday Harbor,
Seattle, Tacoma, or Eastern Washington.
Sexual crimes and child sexual abuse cause
severe physical, emotional, and psychological
trauma with long-term effects. If you or a
family member has been sexually abused, your
rights have been violated and a crime has been
committed. It is important to discuss your
situation with a qualified sexual assault
attorney and with an experienced counselor.
The attorneys at Brett & Coats represent
victims of sexual abuse throughout Washington
state. Our firm has effectively represented many
adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse and
parents or guardians who file claims on behalf
of their children. See case
results. We have the sensitivity and
experience to create an environment where abuse
survivors can exercise their rights and feel
secure. We work in a team with your sexual abuse
counselor. We can develop legal strategies and
preserve the evidence required to prove the
physical, emotional and psychological harms
caused by a sexual abuser. Our attorneys will
take the important steps necessary to protect
your interests and privacy. Please contact
the attorneys at Brett & Coats today.
WHAT IS SEXUAL ABUSE
Sexual abuse is non-consensual sexual behavior.
An estimated 60 million survivors of childhood
sexual abuse live in America today. The Justice
Department estimates that one in six victims of
sexual assault is under the age of 12. The law
presumes that a person under the prescribed age
of consent (16 years in Washington state) is
incapable of giving consent to any sexual
activity, making any individual who engages in
sex with a person below the age of consent a
criminal. The State of Washington also deems
some vulnerable adults incapable of giving
consent including those:
- Who are
obviously intoxicated or incapacited by
drugs or alcohol,
- Who are
compelled by threat of force, force or
deception,
- Who cannot
consent or resist because of a mental or
physical condition, and
- Who are
coerced by supervisory or disciplinary
authority, such as in a school environment.
Children, the
frail, elderly, men and women can all be victims
of sexual abuse. In a successful claim,
compensation resulting from abuse may include
cost of past and future therapy, loss of
childhood, failure to fulfill potential, and
long-term emotional trauma.
WHAT WE CAN DO FOR YOU
If you have been sexually abused, it is time to
get help and fight back. Brett & Coats can
help to support you through this difficult
process and ensure that you receive prompt, fair
and just compensation for your suffering.
Washington State's statute of limitations for
filing child sexual abuse is within 3 years of
the abuse, within 3 years of age 18, or within 3
years after discovery of the abuse, which ever
is later. Cases of adult discovery of childhood
abuse are often difficult to prove since
evidence of the incidents and damages have faded
over time. Only an experienced attorney who
understands the law regarding adult survivors of
Childhood Sexual Abuse can help to obtain
justice and accountability.
Since abusers and their insurance companies know
our firm's determination to litigate cases when
a settlement offer is inadequate, we are usually
able to resolve sexual abuse claims through
negotiation. If you or a loved one has been a
victim of sexual abuse, contact
the attorneys at Brett & Coats PLLC today
at 360-714-0900 or 1-800-925-1875, or contact us
via our online form.
Click
here for frequently asked questions about
Sexual Abuse.
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