A church or place of worship should be a safe haven for everyone.
It is difficult to think about children and even adults being sexually assaulted in a place of worship, but it happens all too often. Many times there are not strict safety measures in place for hiring clergy, part-time staff workers, volunteers and child caregivers. Oftentimes, religious organizations failed to properly address sex offenders, allowing them to victimize members of their church or other religious institution for years.
Our attorneys represent survivors of childhood sexual abuse at the hands of priests, clergymembers and church workers of all denominations.
Survivors of clergy sexual abuse experience physical trauma as well as profound emotional, psychological and spiritual wounds that can impact their lives for years to come. When a child is sexually assaulted, the abuse can go on for a long period of time. Clergy abuse survivors often have suffered in silence fearing no one will believe them and unable to confront abusers who were charged with helping them grow in their faith.
Traumatic memories of abuse can be suppressed for years. Many survivors who have stepped forward to tell their stories in recent years recount abuse that occurred decades ago. Survivors may not want to go through the trauma of reliving their abuse, long after the statue of limitations for seeking justice in the courts has expired.
Now, however, the tide is turning, and clergy sexual abuse survivors and support organizations are leading the fight for legislation to hold church leaders, religious organizations and individuals accountable.
Trammell Piazza will provide compassionate counsel and personal attention to help you navigate pursuing a claim to seek justice, closure and accountability from religious leaders who have failed to protect their most vulnerable members.
If you are the victim of priest sex abuse, it’s not too late to receive justice.
Sexual abuse has long-lasting, often devastating effects on victims, as well as on families, loved ones and the church community.
There are many reasons clergy abuse survivors seek legal action. Many want to find closure for the trauma they experienced. Others want to see justice is done and abusers and those who failed to protect them will be held accountable. And nearly all want to prevent other church members from being victimized by clergy abuse.
Today, states have begun to enact legislation to make it easier to take civil and criminal legal action against abusers. A growing number of states have begun enacting laws to allow prosecutors to file criminal charges for abuse that occurred years ago and survivors to take civil action against abusers and those who ignored or enabled ongoing abuse.
Survivors can be compensated for costs inflicted by the abuse, including the pain and suffering from the abuse and its aftermath and expenses for ongoing mental health counseling to continue recovery. In some cases, statutory or punative damages may be appled. Injunctive relief requiring religious organizations to take steps to prevent future abuse also may be achieved through civil legal action.
Victims of clergy sexual abuse deserve dedicated, honest and straightforward legal representation to allow them to make the best decision about how to proceed, and what recourse to seek.
How Trammell Piazza can help.
The attorneys at Trammell Piazza are committed to helping you put your life back together and on the path to a happier future. If you have questions about your options for seeking legal remedies related to sexual abuse by clergy, Trammell Piazza can guide you down the best path to pursue justice and compensation.
Your first meeting with a Trammell Piazza attorney is strictly confidential, free-of-charge and obligation free. We will discuss your case confidentially to gain a full understanding of everything you’ve been through and explore potential legal remedies for your experience based on your personal goals, motivations and needs. We will provide guidance on the kinds of relief you might pursue; the type of time, effort and potential roadblocks you may face; and a range of damages that might be possible based on your personal experience and evidence presented. Once you have met with our attorney, the decision to move forward with a claim is the client’s decision alone.
It’s not too late to pursue the justice and closure you deserve. Contact us today for a free, no-obligation consultation with an experienced clergy abuse attorney.