Washington, DC Lawyers Who Hold Property Owners Responsible for Sexual Abuse
Holding property owners liable for negligent security attacks in the District of Columbia
Property owners in Washington, DC, generally have a duty to exercise reasonable care to protect lawful visitors from foreseeable harm. This duty, which applies to motels, hotels, apartment complexes, clubs, bars, and many other venues, requires that the owners take reasonable steps to ensure the safety of the people who use or visit their premises.
Residents and others who have the right to be on the property can file a negligent security claim against the owner if they suffer sexual assaults or sexual abuse due to the property owner’s negligence. At Nace Law Group Accident & Injury Lawyers, we work with security professionals who can help show why a property owner is liable for sexual abuse and with psychologists and other medical professionals to show the full scope and severity of your physical and emotional trauma.
Call us today to assert your right to compensation.
How can we help?
- What is sexual abuse?
- Which property owners in Washington, DC, may be liable for sexual abuse?
- What types of injuries does sexual abuse cause?
- When can property owners be held liable for sexual abuse on their property?
- What preventive steps should property owners take in Washington, DC, to prevent sexual abuse?
- How do you fight for victims of sexual abuse on the property of others?
- What compensation can victims of sexual abuse on the property of another recover?
- FAQs
- Do you have a Washington, DC lawyer who handles sexual abuse claims against property owners?
What is sexual abuse?
Sexual abuse includes any nonconsensual sexual acts or conduct. In claims against property owners, the perpetrators (the people who commit the abuse) may include the owners, the management staff, employees of the property owner, tenants, visitors, and anyone with access to the property. The victims may include adults, seniors, and minors.
Which property owners in Washington, DC, may be liable for sexual abuse?
Property owners may be liable when unsafe conditions or inadequate security measures allow criminal acts, including sexual abuse, to occur on their premises. Some of the property owners in Washington, DC, who may be liable for sexual abuse include:
- Hotels and motels
- Apartment complexes
- Entertainment venues
- Sightseeing venues
- Parking lots and parking garages
- Taverns and restaurants
- Office workplaces
- Retail stores
- College dormitories
The owners may be public entities or private owners.
What types of injuries does sexual abuse cause?
Physical injuries may include:
- Rape
- Sexual assault
- An unwanted pregnancy
- Sexually transmitted infections
- Erythema (a red discoloration of the skin).
- Cuts, bruises, and lacerations
- Sexual dysfunction
Emotional injuries may include:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Self-harm
- Difficulty making and maintaining healthy relationships
When can property owners be held liable for sexual abuse on their property?
At Nace Law Group Accident & Injury Lawyers, we file personal injury claims against property owners if:
- The property owner owes you a duty of care. Generally, property owners in DC owe a duty of care to anyone they invite or grant permission to use their property to protect that person from known dangers or reasonably known dangers.
- The owner breaches the duty of care, such as by failing to investigate and respond to complaints of sexual abuse on the property, including taking steps to prevent access to someone with a record of sexual abuse or to terminate their employment.
- The breach of the duty of care causes the visitor to suffer sexual abuse while on the property.
What preventive steps should property owners take in Washington, DC, to prevent sexual abuse?
Property owners should consider implementing the following measures to protect anyone who has permission to spend time at their premises, including spending time overnight.
- Reviewing when, how, and where sexual abuse is likely to occur. A common example is that hotels should understand that the rooms they provide give abusers the opportunity to commit sexual abuse behind closed doors on beds, sofas, and other furniture where sexual activity often takes place.
- Encouraging tenants, guests, and others to report sexual abuse.
- Installing cameras around the facility to monitor the people and conduct that may result in sexual abuse.
- Limiting access to rooms and other parts of the facility to authorized users and personnel.
- Hiring security personnel
- Conducting background checks on employees
- Educating the staff about the dangers of sexual abuse
How do you fight for victims of sexual abuse on the property of others?
We file sexual abuse claims against the following:
- The attacker
- The owner of the property
- Landlords and tenants
- Security staff
- Other people and businesses that had a duty to keep the property safe
We help show that a property owner or other responsible parties failed to protect you by:
- Hiring investigators who examine the property where the sexual abuse occurred and the security measures at the property
- Examining security footage
- Examining the lighting, access features, and other security features at the property
- Reviewing any prior records of sexual abuse or criminal activity
- Speaking with witnesses
- Formally questioning the defendants in writing and in person
- Reviewing any inspections and/or maintenance reports
What compensation can victims of sexual abuse on the property of another recover?
When property owners fail their duty to protect you, we seek compensation for all of your economic and personal damages. These damages include the following:
- All your medical bills, including bills to treat any physical injuries, and bills to treat all your emotional injuries and mental health disorders
- Compensation for your daily pain and suffering
- The loss of wages, business income, and benefits for as long as you can’t work
- The loss of life’s pleasures
- The inability to keep and maintain healthy relationships
In negligent security cases, compensation may also reflect how a property owner’s failure to provide reasonable safety measures (such as proper lighting, surveillance, or access controls) contributed to the conditions that allowed the abuse to occur. We coordinate your civil case with any criminal actions. Our team may also seek punitive damages if the property owner’s conduct was malicious and intentional.
FAQs
What is the timeline for filing a sexual abuse claim against a property owner in Washington, DC?
Don’t wait. Please contact us as soon as you can to protect your legal rights, review your medical care (including psychological care), and to help ensure that other property visitors are safe.
Generally, in the District of Columbia, the statute of limitations for civil claims arising from sexual abuse is five years from the date of the incident or five years from the date the abuse was discovered.
In Washington, DC, according to the Council for the District of Columbia, if the victim was under the age of 35 at the time of the abuse, D.C. law allows a claim to be filed until the victim’s 40th birthday, or within five years of when the abuse was reasonably discovered, whichever is later.
We’ll explain the specific statute of limitations that applies to your claim.
If the property owner is the District of Columbia or a governmental agency, you must file a formal Notice of Claim with the Mayor within six months of the incident to preserve your legal rights.
What resources can sexual abuse and assault victims use in Washington, DC?
A few Washington, DC resources for victims of sexual abuse, assault, or rape at hotels, apartments, and other properties include the following:
- Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia. This link includes departmental resources, liaison units, national resources (such as RAINN), local resources (such as the DC Child and Family Services Agency), financial assistance resources, deaf and hard-of-hearing sexual assault resources, and other resources.
- DC Coalition to End Sexual Violence. This link includes a DC victims’ hotline, frequently asked questions, and other resources.
- The DC Rape Crisis Center.
- DC Forensic Nurse Examiners.
Do you have a Washington, DC lawyer who handles sexual abuse claims against property owners?
Yes, we do. Our main office, which is just a 2-minute walk from The Washington Harbour in Georgetown, is located at 1025 Thomas Jefferson St NW #810, Washington, D.C. 20007. We also discuss cases by phone and through online video. When necessary, we can make alternative arrangements to meet with you and your child.
We’ll guide you and/or your child step-by-step through the claims process.
Get help from our Washington, DC, lawyers who hold property owners accountable for sexual abuse on their property
Nace Law Group Accident & Injury Lawyers has 40+ years of experience and a network of professional relationships to hold property owners accountable when their negligent security causes sexual assaults and sexual abuse.
Please call us or use our contact form to schedule a free consultation. Our Washington, DC sexual assault lawyers are ready to fight for your dignity and your future.