Civil Lawsuits for Victims of Crimes: Oregon and Washington
Civil Lawsuits for Sexual Assault and Other Violent Crimes
The criminal justice system is far from perfect. One of its major flaws is that victims of sexual assault or violent crimes rarely experience closure or a sense of justice, even after a guilty verdict for their attacker.
The civil justice system is also far from perfect; money does not heal all wounds.
Nonetheless, victims of sexual assault or violent crimes may bring civil lawsuits against their attackers in an attempt to win money damages for their physical — and sometimes emotional — injuries. Such a lawsuit may be appropriate for the victim of a sexual assault or violent crime, a person injured in a bar fight or a vehicular assault, or the surviving family of a person killed in a vehicular homicide or an assault and battery that resulted in death.
Experienced Personal Injury Law Firm Handling Intentional Injury Cases
The Harlan Law Firm, located in Vancouver, Washington, has a record of success winning civil lawsuits on behalf of victims of violent crimes such as sexual assault and the families of homicide victims.
Our lead attorney, Beau Harlan, is a successful trial lawyer who knows how to tell a client's story to a jury effectively and persuasively. Our confidence and comfort in a courtroom makes us more effective negotiators for our clients — our adversaries understand that we will not accept an unfavorable settlement offer simply to avoid a trial.
Important Information About Intentional Injury Lawsuits
We invite you to contact our offices to schedule a free consultation if you have questions about whether you should file a civil lawsuit in the aftermath of a violent crime. In the meantime, we invite you to consider the following:
- A police report is an important record that can become a crucial piece of evidence in a later civil lawsuit. Make sure to be as careful and detailed as possible when you talk to the police.
- Document your injuries with medical records and photographs and video if appropriate. Also keep a journal about your recovery process — both physical and emotional.
- A guilty verdict is not absolutely necessary for a civil lawsuit to succeed — although it helps. In a criminal case, the prosecutor must prove "beyond a reasonable doubt" that the defendant committed the crime. In a civil lawsuit, we must prove "by a preponderance of the evidence" that the attack occurred. This is an easier evidentiary standard to meet.
- One difficulty with civil lawsuits for sexual assault and other violent crimes is the question of whether the defendant will be able to pay any eventual settlement or judgment. Your attorney will want to conduct an immediate investigation into your attacker's financial resources — including insurance, real estate, and other financial assets.
Get Legal Advice About a Civil Lawsuit After a Violent Crime
The Harlan Law Firm handles personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis. This means that our clients pay no legal fees unless and until we recover for them the compensation they deserve.
If you are seeking legal advice after surviving a sexual assault or other violent crime, contact our office today to schedule an initial consultation. Call 360.735.8200 or send us an e-mail.
