Derek Smith Law Group / Child Sexual Abuse Attorney / Child Sexual Abuse Attorney In New Jersey

Child Sexual Abuse Attorney In New Jersey

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Child sexual abuse in New Jersey is an ongoing epidemic that seems to only be getting worse.

However, under the new bill signed into law in February 2019, as of December of 2019, any adult who was a victim of child sexual abuse has an expanded statute of limitations.

More importantly, starting December 2019, if you were told your statute of limitations ran out to file a claim for child sexual abuse, you have 2 years to file a claim, no matter how long ago the abuse occurred or your current age.

For the past 25 years, the experienced attorneys at the Derek Smith Law Group have helped child sexual abuse victims get the compensation and justice they deserve.

What is Child Sexual Abuse in New Jersey?

Child sexual abuse in New Jersey occurs when a minor between the ages of 0 and 17 is sexually engaged, whether through physical acts, communications, or exploitive measures, by a person age 18 or older. Some examples of child sexual abuse include the following acts involving a minor:

Vaginal or anal penetration with a penis, finger, or other objects
Oral sex
Sexual exploitation
Flashing
Voyeurism
Possession of Child pornography
Taking nude photos or videos of children
Enabling or forcing a child to perform sexual acts
Showing a child pornographic material
Public display of explicit images
Touching genitals, breasts or other intimate areas
Sexting
Sexually explicit emails
Talking about sexually

What are the Effects of Child Sexual Abuse in New Jersey?

Victims of child sexual abuse can carry the pain of their ordeal for the rest of their lives. The effects of child sexual abuse can be physical, emotional, and psychological. Many of these victims never knew what many know as a normal childhood and are working to learn a new normal that helps them move forward in their lives and find a way to be a survivor. Effects of child sexual abuse can be, but are not limited to:

Shame that they caused the abuse in some way (they did not)
Shame that something is wrong with them
Low self-esteemNightmares
Night terrors
Fear of people
Lack of trust
Anxiety
Post-traumatic stress disorder
Severe depression
Substance AbuseBruising
Permanent injury to genitals or reproductive organs
PregnancyAbortion
Schizophrenia

Who are the Victims of Child Sexual Abuse in New Jersey?

Victims of child sexual abuse in New Jersey are any minor child between the ages of 0 and 17. The individuals are of every gender, race, national origin, color, religion, socioeconomic status, and more. In other words, child sexual abuse does not discriminate against anyone and the person on your left and right could both be victims of child sexual abuse.

As a matter of fact, the New Jersey YMCA Alliance says that there are over 42 million adult survivors of child sexual abuse. As a matter of fact, of all of the sexual assault reported to the authorities, over 70% of the victims are children.

What Rights Do Child Sexual Abuse Victims Have in New Jersey?

Under New Jersey’s new law, beginning December 2019, a victim of child sexual assault can file a claim in civil court up until his or her 55th birthday or within 7 years of realizing there was damage suffered as a result of the child sexual assault. Additionally, any person who previously attempted to file a lawsuit for child sexual assault and was denied because of the statute of limitations has 2 years to file that claim, regardless of age.

Who are the Most Common Perpetrators of Child Sexual Abuse in New Jersey?

Most child sexual abuse perpetrators are trusted adults to their child victims. As a matter of fact, over 90% of victims of child sexual abuse know the abuser. These abusers get to know the child and groom him or her because the abuser is a trusted adult.

Some of the most common adult influences in a child’s life to perpetrate child sexual abuse are, but not limited to:

Teachers
Coaches
Scout leaders
Religious leaders
Priests and clergy
Family members, such as parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings
Family friends
Babysitters
Daycare providers and employees
Healthcare providers, such as doctors, nurses, dentists, etc.
Societal influencers, such as celebrities, athletes, business leaders, government officials, etc.

Who are the Accomplices that Contribute to the Culture of Child Sexual Abuse in New Jersey?

Child sexual abuse may occur at the hands of one person, but fault can lie within the entire village. Many times, other adults who are meant to protect children fail at their job, allowing the children to be more vulnerable or allowing child sexual abusers to move from victim to victim. These people are accomplices in the crimes and should be included in any civil lawsuit.

Some of these types of people may be:

Property owners who refuse to obtain requested security measures
Therapists that do not report signs of child sexual abuse or signs of a perpetrator
School administrators who do not report signs of child sexual abuse
An agency or government agency that ignores reports of suspected abuse
An adult that should be supervising a child around other adults
An accomplice that is aiding the abuser

Testimonials

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During the time that I really needed a good counselor and I was approaching different attorneys unfortunately before they heard the problem they were demanding a retainer fee. A friend of mine introduced me to the Derek Smith Law Group and I was very fortunate to be answered by Matt Finkleberg who was very polite and understanding and gave me a lot of confidence without asking for any fees in f... Read Full Testimonial

Sambiz Amini

Matt Finkleberg is by far the best attorney I’ve ever hired!

Tanya Scheer

Matt Finkelberg is an outstanding attorney. It was a pleasure to have him represent me for my employment case. He was very easy to talk to. He was very supportive and knowledgeable throughout the whole process. He explained the entire process to me and kept me informed every step of the way. Matt fought diligently throughout my case to make sure my case was represented best. I am very gratef... Read Full Testimonial

Phyllis Parker

Matt Finkelberg is a top notch lawyer. He is very easy to talk to and truly cared about me as his client. He definitely earned my trust and confidence in his capabilities to represent me in the most professional respects. I give Matt and his firm the Derek Smith Law Group my highest recommendation to anyone who is seeking legal help for employee/employer related matters.

Wally Peczon

Matt Finkelberg is a life saver. During this whole process not only did I have a great lawyer but I also made a great friend. Matt was very attentive to my case, and mental health. Matt helped me during probably the darkest time of my life and for that I am forever grateful to have came across the Derek Smith law group. As a past client, I 100% recommend Matt Finkleberg. Matt provides a safe sp... Read Full Testimonial

Tali Loya

It was a pleasure to have Casey represent and help me for my employment case. It was my first time needing an attorney, so I was a bit apprehensive at first – Casey took the time to answer all of my questions and fully explain everything to me, which really put me at ease. He was very attentive, supportive, and knowledgeable throughout the whole process – Casey would ask questions to ensure... Read Full Testimonial

Corey Kientz

matt is an excellent attorney. he handled my case with the utmost care and highly exceeded all expectations. i could not recommend derek smith and esp. matt finkelberg enough

Seedie Whiser

Corey Kientz

You will be in great hands at this firm! Alyssa the managing paralegal is an absolute professional who excels at what she does. You can tell she truly cares about providing the best service possible, and is passionate about helping her clients. With Alyssa at the helm, this firm is a top-notch choice for anyone seeking assistance. Highly recommend!

Marissa Shander

Matt Finkelberg is Amazing and Devotional! It was a pleasure to have Matt represent me for my employment case. He was very attentive, supportive, and knowledgable throughout the whole process. Whenever I reached out he responded promptly which I greatly appreciated. Matt fought diligently and hard throughout my case to make sure my case was represented best. Thank you again Matt for everything.... Read Full Testimonial

jessica gonzalez

Olivia is absolutely outstanding! She understands the emotional side of your case while being able to find the legal aspects of holding the employer accountable for breaking the law! Made a really terrible situation a little easier by explaining everything and helping me get everything in order and in the right hands. I would not use anyone else! Call them for any sexual harassment case... You ... Read Full Testimonialwon't be disappointed! 10/10

Rae Millstone

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What Type of Justice in Criminal Court is Typically available to Victims of Child Sexual Abuse in New Jersey?

In New Jersey criminal courts, a person committing child sexual abuse against a victim under the age of 13 or between the ages of 13 and 16 and you have some type of control over them, like a family member, is committing aggravated sexual assault. The sentence is up to 20 years in prison.

If the victim is ages 13 to 17, or between 16 and 18 and a family member, you are committing sexual assault, which carries a sentence of up to 10 years in prison. All convicted offenders of child sexual assault must register with the National sex offender registry.

What Remedies Are Available in Civil Court for Victims of Child Sexual Abuse in New Jersey?

In civil court, victims of child sexual assault are entitled to monetary remedies that can be used to help them cover expenses and move on with their lives.

Some of the available remedies include:

Reimbursement of medical bills
Reimbursement of therapy and counseling payments
Attorney’s fees
Loss of income
Reimbursement for stolen or damaged property
Pain and suffering
Emotional distress
Punitive damages

What Resources are Available for Victims of Child Sexual Abuse in New Jersey?

It truly takes a village to help a child or an adult who was the victim of child sexual abuse recover and move on to a better life. Below are some resources available to help you move past the trauma and become a survivor.

Lauren’s Kids. Lauren’s Kids provides education and guidance to help victims of child sexual abuse
Kristi House. Kristi House provides numerous resources to victims of child sexual abuse and their families.
RAINN. The Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network helps children who are or were victims of sexual abuse find the resources needed to help move on and make a better life, such as therapists, attorneys, and even a hotline that can help when you are having a hard day.
Darkness to Light. This national organization that helps children and their families find the organizations, therapists, and other resources to help the child regain their lives after experiencing sexual abuse.
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network. This is a network that provides evaluations and necessary therapies for child sexual abuse victims.
Stop It Now. Stop It Now helps adult survivors of child sexual abuse find the organizations with the resources to help them move on from their abuse experience.

Verdicts & Settlements

Our results speak for themselves

$4.9 Million Settlement

Case Handled by The Derek Smith Law Group Attorney Catherine Lowry Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania The Derek Smith Law Group secured a $4.9 million settlement on behalf of multiple employees of Schuylkill County who came forward with allegations of sexual harassment,…

$1.5 Million Settlement

Case Handled by The Derek Smith Law Group Attorney Derek Smith Supreme Court of the State of New York, County…

$2.78 Million Jury Verdict

Case Handled by The Derek Smith Law Group Attorney Zachary Holzberg United States District Court, Eastern District of New York…

$4.050 Million Jury Verdict

Case Handled by The Derek Smith Law Group Attorney Derek Smith Supreme Court of the State of New York, County…

$1.6 Million Jury Verdict

Case Handled by The Derek Smith Law Group Attorney Derek Smith Supreme Court of the State of New York, Appellate…

Contact Our Experienced New Jersey Child Sexual Abuse Attorneys for a Free Consultation

No child should ever have to lose their childhood because a monster decided to take their innocence in the form of child sexual abuse.

If you or a loved one has been the victim of child sexual abuse, the experienced attorneys at the Derek Smith Law Group in New Jersey can help.

Our Attorneys

Are You Sexually Harassed? Take Legal Action Right Now.

If you experience any form of sexual harassment, our expert legal team is here to help you fight back immediately with strength. Please call us at 8800.807.2209 or email derek@dereksmithlaw.com.

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