Understanding the legal options for survivors of sexual abuse in Nevada can help you decide how to proceed with your case. You may be able to hold the abuser accountable through a criminal case while pursuing a civil case against the abuser and any institution or organization that failed to protect you from the abuse.
In this article, our Nevada sexual abuse attorneys answer many of the most frequently asked questions (FAQs) we hear from abuse survivors. We can also discuss the specific details of your case with you during a free initial consultation with our team.
How Can I Hold My Abuser Legally Responsible in Nevada?
There are several ways a sexual abuse survivor can get justice. If the evidence is strong enough, a successful criminal case against the abuser may be possible. A civil case could hold the abuser responsible but is often more effective when filed against an organization or institution that allowed the abuse to occur.
Our sexual assault lawyers can review your legal options with you, ensuring you understand the possibilities and how our team can help you. Your options could include:
Criminal Sex Abuse Cases
You may be able to pursue criminal charges against the perpetrator or perpetrators of your abuse. When possible, this is often the most effective way to hold the abuser responsible and ensure they cannot hurt anyone else in the future.
The criminal justice system charges them with sexual assault or another related crime, and possibly other crimes if they were a minor when the abuse occurred. They could enter a guilty plea, agree to a plea deal, or be found guilty in court, ensuring they face consequences for the abuse, pain, and suffering they caused you.
Civil Abuse Cases
Our attorneys empower sexual abuse survivors by pursuing civil cases against their abusers or others who participated in the abuse. While individuals do not usually have the money necessary to pay compensation in these cases, we can often recover a fair payout from the organization or institution that failed to protect our client from abuse.
Schools, hospitals, churches, clubs, and sports leagues have a duty to protect participants—especially minors—from injuries and abuse. Unfortunately, it is often within these organizations that abuse occurs. The organization could have lax rules that allow it, ignore reports, or even actively cover up for the abuser.
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How does Nevada Law Define Sexual Abuse?
Nevada has sexual assault laws and recognizes related crimes that could include a wide range of activities committed by abusers. Under Nevada Revised Statutes 200.366, sexual assault occurs in Nevada if:
- Forced penetration without the party’s consent
- Penetration against the party’s will using threat of force
- Penetration when the is aware or should be aware that the victim is mentally or physically incapable of consent
- Any sexual penetration involving a child under the age of 14
Other crimes that could occur during sexual abuse could include lewdness, incest,
sadomasochistic abuse, or luring a child by using a computer, system, or network.
In a criminal case, the evidence must show that one or more of these crimes occurred. In a civil case, the details are important, but there is no need to show exactly what happened. Instead, we pursue lawsuits based on the physical and emotional injuries the victims suffered because of the abuse they endured.
How Long do I Have to File a Sexual Abuse Lawsuit in Nevada?
Nevada lawmakers recently made changes that make it easier to get justice for sexual assault survivors. As of 2023, there are no time limits for filing civil sex abuse lawsuits in Nevada. The Governor signed Senate Bill 129 (SB129) into law in June 2023. This abolished the statute of limitations for adults to sue for sexual abuse.
There was already no deadline for filing a lawsuit for those who endured abuse as children. This new law also applies retroactively, meaning if you previously ran out of time to sue, you may be able to now.
Previously, adults who survived sexual abuse had just two years to begin a civil case against their abuser and other liable parties. This limited many survivors from taking civil action.
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How Can a Sex Abuse Lawyer Help With My Nevada Case?
Working with a Nevada personal injury attorney can make it easier to determine your legal options, navigate them, and get justice in your case. When you hire a lawyer, they will have the knowledge, experience, reputation, and resources to handle your lawsuit and hold the liable parties accountable. You can count on your attorney to:
- Manage all communication about the case
- Protect your right to fair compensation
- Ensure you meet any applicable deadlines
- Investigate what occurred
- Document your damages and value them
- Demand fair compensation and negotiate with the liable parties
- Prepare and file a lawsuit when necessary
- Represent you throughout the legal process
- Fight for fair compensation based on the case facts
Not only will they investigate and build a compelling case for justice, but they will also support you and your best interests as they navigate the process. This could include requesting your identity be kept anonymous, allowing you to give a survivor statement but not testify, or taking other steps to ensure you are comfortable with how the case proceeds.
Our team can answer your questions and ensure you understand your legal options based on the case details you provide.
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Discuss Your Nevada Sexual Abuse Legal Options With Our Team
Van Law fights for justice for sexual abuse survivors in Las Vegas and across Nevada.
Our Nevada attorneys understand how the state’s sexual assault laws work and how to determine the legal options for our clients. As you can see from our client testimonials, our clients trust our compassionate team to handle their cases, and we often successfully recover fair compensation for them.
We work based on a contingency fee, so you won’t have to pay us anything unless we win your case. Contact us now to get started with your confidential, free initial consultation, and let us work with you to ensure you receive justice, and a fair compensation, for your case.
No obligation consultations are always free.
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