Chicago Child Molestation Lawyer

A Chicago child molestation attorney can help you obtain compensation from the person who abused you or your child.

In Illinois, child molestation is a serious crime punishable by years in prison, severe fines, and lifelong registry on the sex offender list. But even when the perpetrator of this horrific offense is convicted and sentenced, victims and their families are left to deal with the aftermath on their own.

At Lane Brown, LLC, we believe that child molestation victims deserve more than just the knowledge that their molester has been imprisoned. That’s why our experienced child molestation lawyers help victims and their families recover compensation from the perpetrator in civil court.

Our Chicago-based child molestation attorneys can help you get the financial compensation you need to pay for counseling, medical bills, and quality of life impacts.

Talk to a Lawyer Today

• What Is Child Molestation?
• Legal Options for Victims of Child Molestation
• Compensation You’re Entitled To
• How Lane Brown, LLC’s Child Molestation Lawyers Prove Your Case
• How Long Do I Have to File a Child Molestation Claim?
• Child Molestation Lawyer FAQ

What Is Child Molestation?

Child molestation is a crime that is legally distinct from child sexual abuse, though you might hear the terms used interchangeably. Molestation refers to an isolated act against a young child, while child sexual abuse either implies a pattern of consistent misconduct or involves an older child. The legal definition of child molestation is reserved for sex crimes committed against small children, while sexual abuse usually refers to criminal acts directed toward adolescents.

The term “child molestation” is also not dependent on the person committing the act. Anyone, including strangers, coaches, teachers, and even parents, can be found guilty of child molestation.

In Illinois, there are a few different categories of child molestation, including:

• Covert molestation – This category includes taking secret photos and videos of a victim and otherwise stalking them to gain sexual pleasure.
• Verbal molestation – Verbal molestation involves making sexually inappropriate remarks to a child.
• Visual molestation – Acts such as exposing oneself or showing sexually explicit materials to a child are considered visual molestation.

Keep in mind that the above categories are not the only actions that constitute child molestation. Virtually any isolated instance of sexual misconduct perpetrated against a child is considered to be a form of molestation in Illinois. However, if it were a consistent pattern of sexual misconduct, or the victim was an older child, it would be considered child sexual abuse instead.

Speak to an Attorney and Learn About Your Legal Rights

Legal Options for Victims of Child Molestation

The victims of child molestation and their families can file both criminal and civil charges. These cases can be filed concurrently or at separate times, and an unsuccessful criminal case does not preclude a victim’s family from filing a civil claim.

Criminal cases focus on punishing the molester for their criminal acts. These cases are tried before a jury and carry a high burden of proof. A successful criminal child molestation case often results in jail time and fines for the accused. However, these cases are strictly punitive and provide no compensation for the victim or their family.

Civil cases are focused on helping the victims of child molestation recover financial compensation. These cases are handled by child molestation lawyers who have years of experience bringing these charges forward. If successful, the lawyer can win compensation that accounts for your damages.

At Lane Brown, LLC, we pursue civil cases to help victims of child molestation and their families. Even if you have already filed a criminal case that did not result in a conviction, we may still be able to help you by filing a civil claim.

Learn About Your Legal Options Today

Compensation You’re Entitled To

The effects of child sexual abuse can be devastating, and victims deserve compensation for the damages they’ve suffered. During your civil case, your child molestation lawyer will seek compensation for some or all of the following:

• Medical expenses – Child molestation victims and their families can fight to have any expenses related to the crime, such as hospital bills, physician bills, prescription medications, or therapy/counseling costs, included in their total compensation.
• Non-economic damages – Victims can receive compensation for the trauma and quality of life impacts they face after being molested, including pain and suffering and loss of a normal lifel
• General expenses – When a family is forced to relocate, change schools, or otherwise spend money to distance their child from a situation or location where they were molested, the costs of those actions can be added to their compensation.
• Punitive damages – In cases where an institution (non-governmental, like a, church, private school or daycare center, is found negligent for ignoring repeated reports of abusive behavior, child molestation lawyers might push for punitive damages. These damages are intended to disincentivize institutions from engaging in cover-ups.

Recover Full Financial Damages

How Lane Brown, LLC’s Child Molestation Lawyers Prove Your Case

When our child molestation lawyers take on a civil case, they have two primary goals: To assist in protecting your child and family and to push for as much compensation as possible.

Having fought these cases for decades, we know just how difficult it can be for victims and their families to pursue a civil claim. That’s why we do everything in our power to improve your chances of getting the compensation you need. We also discuss treatment options with your family including therapy and counseling.

To improve your case’s odds, our team starts gathering evidence as soon as possible. By working quickly to secure evidence, we’re able to obtain fresher statements, video, photographs, and analysis. Acting fast also minimizes evidence loss, as videos and photos get deleted over time, and people’s memories begin to fade.

Once we’ve gathered sufficient evidence to prove your case, we create a detailed list of the damages your family has suffered and attach appropriate compensation amounts to each damage. We then take this detailed list and our wealth of evidence and use it to prove your claim to a judge or jury and win compensation.

Throughout the entire process, we do our best to minimize any trauma to your family. That means only doing interviews with you when strictly necessary and endeavoring to keep you and your child out of court and away from the accused whenever possible.

Finally, our child molestation lawyers believe that no family should face financial difficulty while going through such a traumatic event. That’s why we work on contingency, so you don’t pay anything until we win your case. Even then, our fee is a percentage of your compensation and never comes out of your pocket.

Let Us Help You Build Your Case

How Long Do I Have to File a Child Molestation Claim?

If you or your child were molested years ago, you can still file a civil claim. Sexual crimes committed against minors in Illinois are not subject to a statute of limitations if the victim was born after July 24, 1983. Even if born prior to that date, there are circumstances, such as memory repression, that will allow a claim to be made. Thus, even if a significant amount of time has passed since the incident, you can still hire a child molestation attorney in Chicago to investigate and file a claim.

We Serve Clients In Chicago and Across Illinois

Reach Out to a Chicago Child Molestation Attorney

If you are a victim of child sexual abuse or are advocating on behalf of your child who has been abused, contact a qualified, experienced, and understanding lawyer at Lane Brown, LLC. Our team of dedicated attorneys will stop at nothing to obtain the compensation necessary to help you and your family heal from this trauma.

To schedule your free, no-obligation consultation with a child molestation lawyer, give us a call at (312) 332-1400 or fill out the contact form at the bottom of this page. We are available 24/7 to answer questions about potential cases, even on nights, holidays, and weekends. Your child’s comfort is our priority so if travel to our office isn’t possible, we can come to you. Fully confidential video consultations are also available.

Child Molestation Lawyer FAQ

How can I protect my child during a child molestation claim?

One of the primary reasons families choose not to file a child molestation claim is that they don’t want to re-traumatize their young child. While this is a reasonable instinct, it causes far too many families to face the financial impacts of molestation by themselves. However, with some forethought and careful planning, you can protect your child during a civil claim.

The most effective way to keep a child safe while fighting a legal battle is to expose them to it as little as possible. When going through the claim process, be very clear with your attorney about how much your child should be involved in your case. If you hire a child molestation attorney, they should be well versed in ways to minimize the involvement of young victims.

Hiring an experienced lawyer is another effective way of protecting your child. Having reliable legal counsel on your side reduces the likelihood that your child will need to appear in court. Some lawyers in this field can even help you reach out to institutions that failed to protect your child, such as schools or daycares, and find alternatives.

Finally, you can also protect your child by keeping their routine as normal as possible. Going to outings, having family dinners, and playing with your child reduces the disruption to their routine and can help stabilize their emotions during an otherwise distressing time.

Here’s a step-by-step guide that you can follow to protect your child during a molestation claim:

1. Remove your child from the place where the incident took place, if necessary.
2. Hire an experienced child molestation lawyer.
3. Speak with your attorney to outline the amount of exposure you want your child to have to the case.
4. Ask your lawyer if they have any recommendations for mental health specialists.
5. Preserve any evidence you have, such as texts, emails, or photographs, to limit the number of times your child has to recount traumatic events.
6. Ask your attorney how they plan to maintain your child’s confidentiality.
7. Set boundaries between your child and the case.
8. Continue with your usual family routines as much as possible.
9. Rely on your attorney to handle the bulk of evidence gathering and case work so you can spend time supporting your family.
10. Stay in close contact with your attorney to get regular case updates.

If your lawyer pursues a settlement, review the terms to ensure that they account for your child’s needs going forward.