Mental health practitioners must set appropriate boundaries with their patients. This can involve maintaining no contact besides a handshake or a nonsexual hug and keeping personal information out of the conversation. When a therapist makes advances toward a patient in a romantic or sexual context, this is a violation of the standard level of care.
If you or a loved one was sexually abused by a mental health professional in Manhattan, you do not have to suffer in silence. Jenner Law helps clients fight for compensation for the pain and suffering you endured during therapy. A Manhattan therapist abuse lawyer from our team can represent you and have your story told.
Mental Health Practitioners Must Abide by New York’s Standards of Care
Because patients express their emotions and perceptions to their therapists during a vulnerable state, this phenomenon is referred to as “transference.” By directing your feelings toward a person you regard as an authoritative figure, you develop trust and respect for that individual, which then puts them in a position of power. It’s similar to how a child would look up to a parent for advice. A therapist serves as a guiding figure for many patients.
This then places a huge responsibility on the therapist to abide by industry standards of care, which generally mandate that therapists must keep boundaries between themselves and their patients. As such, any form of therapist abuse—sexual or otherwise—is not tolerated and can lead to severe consequences, such as losing the license to practice.
For a free legal consultation with a therapist sexual abuse lawyer call,
(888) 585-2188
Sexual Acts that Fall Under Sexual Abuse in New York
The following acts may be considered sexual abuse:
- Engaging in explicit touching or sex, whether consensual or not
- Bodily exposure, such as flashing, masturbation, or posing sexually
- Sexually explicit conversation or sexting
This conduct can occur in the therapist’s office after the appointment ended or being misled into believing sexual acts were part of their therapeutic process.
Sexual Abuse Causes Several Damages that May Qualify You for Compensation
If you decide to move forward with your sexual abuse case, you may qualify to receive compensation for the following types of damages:
- Psychological treatment expenses
- Medical expenses
- Income loss, both past and upcoming
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Psychological trauma, including damages related to developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Loss of joy in former hobbies and activities
You may qualify for other damages not listed here, depending on what you suffered while being abused or recovering from the event(s). Our team will discuss your potential damages with you as we develop your case.
We aim to be transparent about our methods and fight for fair compensation. You can learn more about this process in future consultations.
Click to contact our Therapist Sexual Abuse Lawyers today
Scared of Taking Legal Action? Let One of Our Attorneys Help You
We understand that many sexual abuse survivors dread the idea of bringing their cases forward because litigation is intimidating. Having to relive traumatic events is mentally taxing, and facing a health institution or an abuser is difficult enough. You don’t have to go through it on your own.
That’s why we let our clients know from the beginning: we’re on your side and we’re not going to let you go through this battle alone.
Our Legal Services
When you hire a Manhattan therapist sexual abuse attorney from Jenner Law, we manage your case from start to finish. This means we provide several legal services to build your case, such as:
- Private investigation: We’ll go over key information that pertains to your case, such as medical records, previous complaints about your therapist, and police records you might have filed against your therapist. Additionally, we’ll do the work to collect evidence that supports your claims, like video footage, testimonies from eyewitnesses, and expert witness analysis.
- Communication services: To protect your case, we offer to handle all communications from outside parties. This includes the defendant, their legal team, insurance companies, law enforcement officers, and any other inquiring parties. We’ll relay the messages you receive and advise you accordingly. Additionally, we’ll update you on general messages about your case, such as court hearing dates and settlement offers.
- Administration services: We have to do a lot of research on each case we take on. We can inform you about which state laws apply to your case, such as the statute of limitations on sexual abuse cases. This will help you better understand the legal process, but we’ll still do the heavy lifting by filling out paperwork and submitting documents by their respective deadlines.
- Legal representation and counsel: Not all cases go to trial. If there is an opportunity to meet outside of court with the defendant and reach a settlement deal, your lawyer will work toward one. They will advise you on settlement offers you receive, such as whether the compensation is fair. Should your case go to trial, your sexual abuse attorney will present your case in front of a Manhattan judge and jury.
At any point in your case, if you have questions or concerns, our team will be available to educate you and provide relief when possible. You can learn more about our services in your first consultation.
Complete a Free Case Evaluation form now
New York Sets Time Limits on Sexual Abuse Cases Involving Medical Malpractice
New York’s statute of limitations for sexual abuse cases sets a legal deadline that you must abide by in order for your lawsuit to be heard in court. However, depending on what factors your case involves, the statutory deadline for your case may differ. For example, the following statutes may apply to your case:
- NY Bill S2440: According to the New York Child Victims Act, civil sexual abuse claims must be filed before the minor reaches 55 years of age. In addition to this, it grants trial preference to these civil actions.
- CPLR 215(8): According to this statute, adult victims of therapist sexual abuse in New York will have one year for the conclusion of any criminal case to file a civil claim.
Our legal team will confirm your case’s filing deadline and submit your case accordingly. This is to ensure you do not lose your opportunity to pursue compensation—because if you miss the deadline, a judge may dismiss your case. So, it’s important to take legal action now rather than later.
Get a Free Case Review by Calling Jenner Law Today
Coping with the trauma of being abused by a therapist can be overwhelming. We understand that facing a mental health institution or your abuser can be emotionally and mentally difficult, but you do not have to go through litigation on your own.
If you or a loved one is a survivor of sexual abuse and would like to take legal action, a Manhattan therapist sexual abuse lawyer from Jenner Law can stand by your side and represent you. Call now, and you’ll be able to speak with one of our team members about what you’ve gone through and how you might be able to seek compensation. The first consultation is free, so don’t hesitate to reach out today.
Call or text (888) 585-2188 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form