Therapy makes patients emotionally and mentally vulnerable to their therapists, so when they endure therapist abuse, the damages can be severe and lifelong. If you, your child, or another loved one is a survivor of sexual abuse by a mental health therapist in Mobile, AL, you may qualify to file a sexual abuse claim or lawsuit and potentially receive compensation.
Our attorneys at Jenner Law have spent years fighting on behalf of our clients, and we want to do the same for you. You can hire a Mobile, AL therapist sexual abuse lawyer from our firm to advocate for you throughout your legal journey. We’re not afraid to stand up to health institutions and use our skills to challenge their defense. You can tell us about your case in a free consultation, and we’ll take care of the rest.
Therapists Have a Responsibility to Keep Their Patients Safe Under Their Care
A phenomenon called “transference” commonly occurs between patients and their therapists. Because patients have to direct their emotions toward their therapists when expressing themselves and processing past events, they may end up developing romantic or familial feelings for their therapists because they are seeking advice and guidance.
While therapists can use transference to help clients resolve trauma or other issues, some therapists respond to this transference with countertransference. This means the therapist may have emotions or past trauma and feel compelled to make that a part of the therapy session. Therapists may exploit transference and abuse their patients, grooming them to partake in a romantic relationship.
Therapists hold a powerful position over their patients, which is why they are held to a high standard of care. Committing abuse is a severe form of malpractice in the mental health field, as patients might not have the cognitive ability to understand they’re being abused at the time (e.g., minors might not recognize boundary violations), or they might suffer an even larger sense of betrayal because of the trust they had with the therapist.
All Sexual Acts During Therapy Can Fall Under Abuse
Examples of therapist sexual abuse may include:
- Sexual touching
- Sexually explicit conversations
- Any form of sexual contact
For a free legal consultation with a therapist sexual abuse lawyer call,
(888) 585-2188
Survivors of Therapist Sexual Abuse Can Seek Compensation for Damages
Sexual abuse falls under personal injury law in civil court. This type of tort law allows people who have been injured to demand compensation for their damages from a liable party. In your case, if you were sexually abused by a mental health professional, then you may have grounds to demand compensation from that individual, the facility that employs them, or another liable party involved in your care.
What Kind of Damages Qualify Me for Compensation?
Each sexual abuse case is unique to the individual filing it, so there are various damages you might demand compensation for in your lawsuit. However, some general damages that many plaintiffs claim include:
- Costs for their psychological treatment, both for past sessions and future sessions with a new mental health therapist
- Related medical costs
- Emotional distress, which refers to the emotional consequences of your trauma, such as depression, anxiety, and stress-related insomnia
- Pain and suffering, which can refer to both physical and emotional pain
- Reduced quality of life
It can take time to calculate how much compensation to go for in your case, but we aim to discuss your case thoroughly so that we pursue a reward that is fair to you.
A Therapist Sexual Abuse Lawyer from Our Team Can Help You in Mobile, AL
When you work with a sexual abuse attorney from Jenner Law, you can leave the burden of building your case in our hands. We take the reins when managing our clients’ cases so that they don’t have to stress over legal deadlines, collecting evidence, and talking with inquiring (and potentially invasive) parties.
By working with our legal team, we can provide you with several legal services, like:
- Investigating your case
- Retrieving evidence to support your claims, from medical records to expert witness testimony
- Handling legal paperwork for you and submitting them within their deadlines
- Communicating with other parties on your behalf, which can help protect your case
- Presenting your case arguments in front of a judge and jury if necessary
- Providing legal counsel whenever you have to make decisions about your case
Our team knows how to approach therapist abuse cases. You decide how involved you want to be in your case, as we understand reliving this kind of trauma can be overwhelming. We never make decisions without your approval, and we provide support throughout your case while we represent you.
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Do You Know How Much Time You Have Left to File Your Sexual Abuse Case?
If you do not submit your case within its filing period, a judge could dismiss your case. This means the defendant would be absolved of liability and that you might lose your opportunity to receive compensation for any damages you suffered.
How long you have to take action depends on how long ago the abuse happened and how old you were when the abuse occurred.
If you work with our team, we will check your case’s statutory deadline and file appropriate paperwork so that your case remains valid.
Complete a Free Case Evaluation form now
Call Our Law Firm Today to Get a Free Case Evaluation
At Jenner Law, we advocate for sexual abuse survivors in Mobile, AL, because we believe negligent therapists should be held accountable. If you or a loved one was abused by a therapist, whether as a child or an adult, we want to help you fight for compensation. While money cannot erase the past, holding a negligent party liable for damages may give you the safety net you need to move forward and can also prevent other patients from being harmed.
Speak with a member of our team today. We’ll discuss our services and what options you might have to take legal action. Don’t hesitate to inquire about what rights you might have. Start your legal journey today with a free consultation.
Call or text (888) 585-2188 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form