Boston Injury Lawyer Blog
The Massachusetts House has passed a measure that would extend the statute of limitations for when a victim of child sex abuse can file a civil lawsuit in the state. Currently, victims have until age 21 to file an actions against their alleged assailants or the institutions that should have prevented/stopped the abuse. This bill gives victims until they turn 53 to sue for damages.
The proposed measure would also increase how much time a victim has after recovering repressed memories of Massachusetts childhood sex abuse to file a case. Currently, abuse victims have three years from when they remember. The bill extends that time period to seven years. The legislation now heads to the state senate.
Child sex abuse can lead to lasting scars. Often, children are too scared and confused to understand or even report what has happened to them. It may be years before they remember or want to speak out.
Unfortunately, not only do incidents of child sex abuse continue to happen, but often the assailants are people the victims know. Family members, family friends, teachers, counselors, coaches, priests and other adults who given access and authority over them because of their “trusted” positions have been known to abuse this privilege.
If you were the victim of child sex abuse, you still may have grounds to pursue a Boston child sex abuse lawsuit even if the incident happened years ago. Depending on what happened, you could have a case not only against your assailant but also against any institution that failed to protect you. This is the reason schools and churches and other institutions are named as defendants.
In other Massachusetts child sex abuse news, the Walpole Times is reporting that the Home for Little Wanderers, a residence for at-risk youth, continues to either wait too long to report serious campus crimes (including incidents of sexual abuse) or not report the incidents at all. By law, the residence’s employees are supposed to notify the authorities about any child sex abuse incidents right away. The home, however, disputes the way the paper and local polices have been reporting and “labeling” what allegedly transpired there.
If you think that you or your child could have grounds for a civil sex abuse case, please contact our Boston personal injury lawyers today. Altman & Altman, LLP represents children and adult survivors.
Bill Would Grant More Time for Sex Abuse Lawsuits, Boston.com, June 18, 2014
Walpole police: Rape in Longview Farm dorm went unreported, Wicked Local, May 21, 2014
Home For Little Wanderers Disputes Walpole Police Over Alleged Sex Assault, CBS Boston, May 21, 2014
More Blog Posts:
Former Student Files Massachusetts Sex Abuse Case, Says Teacher Gave Him Pain Pills For Favors, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, May 7, 2014
Clergy Sex Abuse: Pope Benedict Defrocked Almost 400 Priests in Two Years, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, January 18, 2014
Research Shows Link Between Heartburn Medication and Bone Breaks, Drug Injury Lawyers Blog, June 18, 2014
