Physical or Sexual Abuse and Your Rights to Personal Injury Compensation

As a victim of an assault, battery or abuse you may have substantial rights to compensation from the individual who hurt you or others who could have prevented your injury.

Studies show that two out of nine Canadian children will experience some form of sexual abuse while growing up. In most cases that abuse is perpetrated by a known or trusted friend of the child or of his/her parents.

Scenarios
Joey’s mom was a single mother and a successful business woman. Her job required her to spend long hours working overtime. When she had to stay late at the office, she felt secure that Joey was safe and spending quality time with a great male role model. Matt from next door was a retired army sergeant who thought the world of her son, and was always eager to help out however possible. What mom did not know was that Matt had been playing sexual games with her son from the age of 3 to 12 years of age. At age 12 Joey started taking drugs to help ease his anxiety and depression. At age 15 he committed suicide.

Mr. W. was a respected coach at the local high school. His workouts and drills were creative and had the football team winning most of the games they played. Upon making the team, the boys were invited to take part in his “secret boys club” where he took group photos of the boys nude and in suggestive positions. He had been keeping hundreds of these photos archived over his 15 years as a high school coach. Some of the boys “knew” this was wrong, but they had been sworn to secrecy and threatened with being kicked off the team. Besides their parents seemed to like Mr. W. and were proud of the football wins. In spite of their football successes, over the years, the boys on these teams had a high rate of low self esteem, substance abuse and failed relationships.

Jessica was 7 when she first began private modeling lessons at the academy. She was familiar with being photographed in various outfits or nothing. She was familiar with being put into different positions by the couple who owned the modeling agency and with being accidentally bumped around her breasts and genitals. Over time the agency started taking more photos of Jessica where her private body parts were completely exposed.

Sexual Child Abuse
Sexual child abuse may involve any form of penetration. It can also include any of the following with or without penetration: fondling of genitals or breasts, exhibitionism, intention to use the child for the purposes of prostitution or pornography. Serious psychological damage can result causing lost future income and significant health care costs.

As a victim of an assault, battery or abuse you may have substantial rights to compensation from the individual who hurt you or others who could have prevented your injury.

Serious Psychological Damage
Serious psychological damage can result causing lost future income and significant health care costs. Chronic child abuse and sexual assault highly increase the chances that the victim will suffer the following problems throughout their lifetime:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Personality disorders
• Emotional disturbances
• Post traumatic stress disorders
• Hepatitis
• Neurological impairment
• Anger
• Low self esteem
• Lack of confidence
• Sense of unworthiness
• Pervasive sense of shame
• Unable to trust
• Sense of not trusting own instincts
• Difficulty in maintaining relationships
• Homelessness
• Drug abuse
• Alcohol abuse
• Suicidal tendencies
• Tendency to domestic violence
• Tendency to repeat victimization
• Lowered immune system
• Increased risk for serious health problems

These issues can have serious consequences not just for the individual, but for society as a whole. There is an increased need for emergency shelter, health services , child protection services, psychological services, police intervention, correctional services, foster care and drop in centres. The ongoing debilitating effects of emotional and psychological damage suffered has far reaching consequences to the individual the family and the economy. In 2002 Canadian statistics indicated a cost of 51 billion dollars for health care and loss of productivity caused by mental illness and shouldered by our economy. In Ontario during 2003 stats revealed a cost of 34 billion added to our economical burden by the health care and loss of productivity caused by mental illness.

Rights to Compensation

For someone shouldering these cost on their own the financial burden, added to ongoing psychological and physical problems can be overwhelming. Victims of battery and assault may pursue compensation in our civil courts in addition to any criminal sanctions pursued through prosecution by the Crown. As a victim of an assault or battery you may have substantial rights to compensation from the individual who hurt you or others who could have prevented your injury.

If you have been injured by the intentional actions of another, you may be entitled to compensation including compensation for your loss of wages, pain and suffering, out of pocket expenses and costs for future care.

For more information regarding our firm and your rights, contact us at one of our offices in Toronto, Barrie or North Bay for a free consultation with one of our personal injury lawyers. Toll Free: 1.866.739.7702