Civil claims give survivors something the criminal system doesn’t: control. You decide whether to bring the claim, the standard of proof is lower, and accountability can reach beyond the abuser to the institutions — schools, churches, teams, facilities — whose negligence enabled the harm. Every consultation is confidential, survivor-paced, and free.
What Survivors Should Know About Civil Claims
- Institutions can be defendants. Negligent hiring, supervision, and ignored reports make organizations liable — often the path to both accountability and meaningful compensation.
- Deadlines have changed. Pennsylvania extended civil deadlines for survivors of childhood sexual abuse substantially — claims many survivors believed long-expired may be viable. The rules are specific and evolving; a confidential conversation answers your timeline.
- Criminal outcomes don’t control. A civil claim can proceed regardless of whether charges were filed or how they resolved — the standards differ.
- Privacy protections exist. Pseudonymous filings and confidentiality measures are available and used; pursuing justice doesn’t require publicity.
Support resources exist alongside any legal path — RAINN operates the national hotline, and healing needn’t wait for litigation. When facility abuse involves elders or dependent adults, our elder neglect and nursing home practices coordinate.
Frequently Asked Questions
It happened many years ago. Can anything still be done?
Possibly — Pennsylvania’s reformed deadlines for childhood sexual abuse claims reach much further back than most survivors assume, and the analysis is specific to your dates and circumstances. One confidential conversation answers it definitively, with no obligation.
Will I have to face the abuser or testify publicly?
Most civil cases resolve without trial, protective measures exist throughout, and every strategic choice runs through your comfort and consent. Control is the point of the civil path — including control over pace.
What if I only want acknowledgment, not a lawsuit?
Then that shapes the approach — some matters resolve through demand and negotiation without filing. Tell us what justice looks like to you; the legal strategy serves it, not the reverse.
Is the consultation really confidential?
Completely — whether or not you proceed, whether or not you’ve told anyone else. You set the pace; we hold the confidence.
What does hiring you cost?
No attorney’s fee unless we recover for you; the contingency percentage and case-cost handling are in the written fee agreement you review before signing. Consultations are free.
Ready to talk about your case? Call (215) 464-4600 or contact us online for a free, confidential consultation — contingency fee, no attorney’s fee unless we recover, costs explained in the written fee agreement.