Our Child Abuse Victims Compensation Attorneys in Philadelphia, PA, Fight Tirelessly to Make Victims Whole and Hold Abusers Accountable
No child deserves to be abused and mistreated, yet child abuse of all kinds remains a serious problem in Philadelphia and across the country. Survivors of child abuse and their families need to know that they have a legal right to hold accountable the institutions that enabled their abuser or positioned the perpetrator to engage in abusive conduct.
The Philadelphia child abuse lawyers at Anapol Weiss are prepared to stand up to both individuals and institutions implicated in any form of child abuse. Abusers and the institutions that enable them often attempt to trick, force, threaten, or shame their young victims into silence, but we’re here to give victims a voice in the legal system. Contact us today to get started with a confidential, free consultation.
Can You Sue for Child Abuse in Philadelphia, PA?
Pennsylvania law doesn’t just punish child abusers in Philadelphia with criminal penalties. It also offers victims and their families the opportunity to pursue a civil claim or lawsuit against the abuser and any institution that enabled the abuse to occur.
Through this legal action, the abused child can recover financial compensation for the harm they have suffered. For abused children in many families, this compensation is critical for affording the physical and mental healthcare services they need to make the best possible recovery from abuse and move forward with their lives.
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215-608-9645Where Can Our Philadelphia Child Abuse Lawyers Serve You?
No neighborhood in Philly is free of the threat of child abuse. High-profile instances of child abuse have been reported in settings across Philadelphia, such as:
- Schools
- Daycares
- Universities
- Churches and other religious organizations
- Community organizations
- Hospitals and other medical facilities
- Juvenile treatment facilities
- Juvenile detention centers
- Law enforcement departments
- Reform schools
- Hotels
Abuse also occurs behind closed doors in victims’ and perpetrators’ homes, sometimes due to the negligence of a government agency that placed the child in the care of abusive houseparents.
Our child abuse victims compensation attorneys in Philadelphia, PA, advocate for survivors of abuse all over Philly, including:
- Center City
- Uptown Philadelphia
- Upper North Philadelphia
- Lower North Philadelphia
- Near Northeast Philadelphia
- Far Northeast Philadelphia
- West Philadelphia
- Southwest Philadelphia
- South Philadelphia
With our office location in Logan Square, Anapol Weiss is centrally located to serve victims of abuse and their families in every section of Philadelphia.
Types of Abuse Claims Our Philadelphia Child Abuse Lawyers Handle
Abuse can refer to any type of cruel or violent treatment that causes harm or distress. Under Pennsylvania law, abuse of a child encompasses acts of “intentionally, knowingly or recklessly” committing one of any number of actions or omissions that cause harm to the child or minor.
Child Physical Abuse
Many acts of child abuse fit into the category of physical abuse, which under Pennsylvania law encompasses actions like the following:
- Kicking a child
- Throwing a child
- Biting a child
- Cutting a child
- Stabbing a child
- Burning a child
- Unreasonably restraining a child
- Slapping, striking, or forcibly shaking an infant
Of course, this is not an exhaustive list. Actions by which the abuser otherwise causes intentional bodily injury to a child or creates a “reasonable likelihood” of such injury also constitute child abuse under Pennsylvania law, regardless of the mechanism of injury.
Victims of physical child abuse in Philadelphia often suffer injuries such as the following:
- Significant bruising
- Cuts that may leave permanent scars
- Broken bones
- Concussions and other head injuries, including traumatic brain injuries
- Eye injuries
- Abdominal injuries, including damage to internal organs like the liver, stomach, spleen, and intestines
Acts of physical abuse can progress over time, so it’s important that children report the abuse to a trusted adult and that adults take action to protect a child not only from the abuser but also from an institution that enabled, facilitated, or covered up the abuse.
Abuse Injury Practice Areas
Child Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse of a child can refer to any action or failure to act that causes or creates a likelihood of sexual exploitation of the child.
Sexual abuse of a child encompasses both physical contact and methods of exploitation that do not involve contact, such as voyeurism and exposure, for purposes of sexual stimulation or gratification of either party. Examples of actions that may constitute child sexual abuse include indecent exposure, molestation, rape, and other forms of sexual contact or conduct.
Philadelphia victims of child sexual abuse may have the right to file lawsuits against their abusers and institutions that facilitated the abuse, even if the assault did not cause serious bodily injuries that necessitated medical treatment.
Emotional and Psychological Child Abuse
Pennsylvania law recognizes as a form of child abuse any actions and failures to act that contribute to the development of a “serious mental injury.” There’s no doubt that emotional and psychological abuse can be deeply harmful to a child.
Suing for abuse that was strictly emotional, rather than physical or sexual in nature, can be challenging in Pennsylvania. You would need to demonstrate that the abuse directly caused the child to develop a psychological condition that has been diagnosed by a licensed doctor or psychologist and that significantly interferes with the child’s life. Your first step in attempting to sue for strictly emotional abuse would be to have knowledgeable child abuse attorneys review your case to determine if it’s possible to provide the evidence needed to support such a claim.
In many cases, emotional abuse accompanies physical abuse or sexual abuse. In a claim for child abuse of a physical or sexual nature, the emotional abuse the child suffered may be presented as further evidence of the abuser’s mistreatment and the institution’s role in enabling or facilitating the abuse.
The mental and psychological impacts of abuse can be considered among the compensation awarded in a child abuse lawsuit in Philadelphia.
Contact the Philadelphia Child Abuse Lawyers at Anapol Weiss Today for Your Free Case Review
The impacts of child abuse can last a lifetime, but there are steps a trusted adult can take to help an abused child heal and move forward. Listening to the child’s account of the abuse, protecting them from further contact with the abuser and the institution that enabled the abuse, and bringing in professional medical and legal assistance can put an abuse victim on the path to a better future.
Celebrated trial attorney and shareholder Kristen Gibbons Feden is leading the practice area at Anapol Weiss. For help from a child abuse injury attorney in Philadelphia, PA, contact us online or call 215-608-9645 today.