Child sexual abuse ranks among the most horrific of all crimes. When allegations of child sexual assault surfaced at Penn State University, many in Pennsylvania were shocked. Jerry Sandusky, a once revered assistant football coach, was charged with abusing eight boys over a 15-year time period. Sandusky denied the charges, but said he did shower with the boys.
While Sandusky is innocent until proven guilty, in general child predators who are convicted tend to receive lengthy prison sentences. For the victims, the assault may cause deep psychological trauma in addition to physical injuries. While no amount of money can truly undo the damage of a sexual assault, victims may need compensation for real financial losses. The only recourse for many victims of sexual assault is to retain a personal injury lawyer. By pursuing compensation through the civil courts, or a child sexual abuse lawsuit, victims may be able to receive compensation to cover the costs of psychiatric care or psychological care. Sadly, many victims may require a lifetime of therapy in addition to needing to address physical injuries.
Questions have been raised about the accountability of leaders at Penn State. Officials at the university may be named as defendants in lawsuits. Attorneys for the children will want to ask if the leaders and other officials at Penn State take any meaningful action to prevent the abuse from happening if they had warnings that Sandusky was suspected of harming the children.
Abuse victims may be reluctant to contact a child sexual assault attorney in Pennsylvania, but taking such a step is an important move toward protect their legal rights.
According to the website for the Pennsylvania personal injury attorneys Flager & Yockey, each year about 6 million children are affected by child abuse. More than 5 children die each day as a result of abuse, the U.S. Government Accountability Office reports.
About Flager & Yockey
Flager & Yockey is a personal injury law firm with professional offices in Trevose, New Hope, Philadelphia and New Jersey. The lawyers at the firm have decades of experience handling all types of personal injury cases. Other practice areas include auto accidents, truck accidents, workplace injuries and injuries due to dangerous products. For a free case review, call (215) 953-5200 or 1-888-470-1099. You can also reach the firm by completing the online contact form.
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