Fort Lee Sexual Abuse Claims Attorneys

New Laws Allow Survivors a New Opportunity for Justice

On December 1, 2019, New Jersey enacted new statutory amendments to its existing civil sexual abuse laws. These amendments significantly extended the time period in which survivors of child sexual abuse have to file civil sexual abuse claims against the perpetrators of this abuse, as well as various the institutions that harbored them.

Rather than requiring survivors to file claims within two years of turning 18 or within two years of the date on which they discovered the abuse, as was the case under the state’s old statutes, survivors are now able to file claims until the age of 55 or for a period of seven years following the date on which they discovered the injury, whichever is later.

If you or someone you love suffered sexual abuse as a child, you now have an extended period of time to file a civil lawsuit and seek justice and compensation for your damages. The new law also allows individuals who were previously unable to bring a claim because the statute of limitations had expired a one-time window to file a claim. This period began on December 1, 2019 and goes until November 30, 2021.

Do not wait—contact Horn Wright, LLP to speak to a sexual abuse attorney in Fort Lee, NJ about your legal rights and options.

Institutions That Harbor Sexual Predators Are No Longer Immune

New Jersey’s updated sexual abuse laws also lift exemptions for various institutions that employed sexual predators, many of whom were immune from liability under the state’s old statutes. Specifically, the law amends the New Jersey Charitable Immunity Act (NJSA 2A:53A-7), which limited legal liability for certain non-profit organizations and individuals in sexual abuse cases.

As a result, certain charitable, educational, hospital, and religious organizations, as well as various employees of such, can be held liable for negligence conduct (or omissions) in regards to hiring, employing, retaining, and supervising sexual abusers.

Additionally, public entities are no longer immune from liability in sexual abuse cases under the amended laws. This includes public schools, school districts, local and state governments, and other similar public agencies and institutions.

What This Means for Survivors

If you or someone you love is the survivor of sexual abuse, whether that abuse occurred in childhood or at any other time, you could be entitled to file a civil lawsuit against either your abuser or the entity that employed your abuser, or both. This is true even if you were unable to file a claim previously.

At Horn Wright, LLP, we understand that sexual abuse is never an easy topic. For many, the challenges in speaking out about abuse prevented survivors from securing the justice they were rightfully owed. New Jersey’s amended sexual abuse statutes take this reality into account and allow survivors more time to bring forth their claims.

Our Fort Lee sexual abuse claims attorneys can guide you through the entire legal process from start to finish. We handle these cases with the utmost sensitivity and care. You are our primary focus, and we will do everything we can to ensure your comfort and confidence at each stage of the legal process. Our firm offers personalized legal solutions and caring, compassionate counsel tailored to each individual’s unique needs, concerns, and goals. We are happy to answer any questions you may have and advise you of how our team can represent you and your best interests.

Contact Us for a Free, Confidential Consultation

Horn Wright, LLP is ready to represent you and fight for the justice you deserve. All attorney-client communications are entirely private and confidential; we will never share your information with outside third parties. We provide free initial consultations and contingency fees, meaning if we do not win your case, you do not pay.

Give us a call at (201) 654-0023 today to schedule your no-cost, no-obligation consultation.