What Kind of Compensation Can I Get for Abuse?
Individuals who experience foster care abuse may be entitled to a wide range of compensation. Compensation in a lawsuit is meant to address harm that a victim has experienced and may include reimbursement for past or future medical expenses, money for ongoing therapy or counseling, and compensation for the overall impact of the pain and suffering a victim experienced and the impact their abuse has had on their lives.
Can I File a Lawsuit if My Abuser Was Another Child?
Yes. If you were abused by another child in a foster home setting, you may still have a right to sue for the harm and suffering that you experienced. Foster care agencies or placement organizations have a responsibility to protect foster care children from foreseeable harm and an obligation to respond to reports of abuse or neglect. Where they fail to meet these responsibilities, a lawsuit may be possible.
How Can A Foster Care Abuse Attorney Help Me?
If you have experienced foster care abuse, you should not have to process your experience alone. Our Washington foster care abuse attorneys can help you make sense of the abuse and harm that you experienced, assist you in evaluating potential options for bringing awareness to your abuse or seeking compensation for your harm, and guide you through the legal process.
What If I Have Been Out of Foster Care for Many Years?
It is not uncommon for it to take many years for an adult who has been a victim of foster care abuse to fully understand and appreciate what they have experienced. Foster care abuse can be challenging to fully grasp, and many children do not feel safe enough to explore or disclose their experiences until they have been out of the foster care system for many years.
In fact, Washington state law specifically recognizes that childhood victims of sexual abuse “may repress the memory of the abuse or be unable to connect the abuse to any injury [and] may be unable to understand [the] emotional harm or damage until many years after the abuse occurs.”
This means that it is normal and expected that many victims of foster care sexual abuse will be many years removed from foster care before they come forward with their legal claims. You are still entitled to seek legal remedies for the harm that you experienced, even if some time has passed.
What Types of Evidence Can I Use in a Foster Care Abuse Lawsuit?
An attorney can help you gather many types of evidence to support your case. This can include documentation such as police reports, any records you have with Washington agencies or private placement agencies, records kept by your social worker or counselor, and any medical records related to your abuse. You can also gather evidence in the form of testimony – both your testimony and the testimony of witnesses near you, such as siblings, friends, family members, neighbors, or others who may have seen your abuse or the harm you experienced as a result of abuse.
How Long Does a Foster Abuse Case Last?
How long a foster abuse case lasts will depend on the type of lawsuit you might choose to bring and the complexity of the facts of your case. There is no one timeline that fits all cases. Where a case is more complex or involves more parties, additional investigation may be required, which can take time. And while some cases go to trial, other parties may decide to settle, which will shorten the timeline for your case. Your Washington foster care abuse attorney can help keep you informed about deadlines and what a timeframe might look like for you.