Mississauga Institutional Abuse Lawyer
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Table of Contents
Institutional abuse is a serious event that can have long-lasting effects on survivors’ lives. Institutional abuse occurs when an individual is abused, mistreated, or exploited while under the care or supervision of an institution or organization. Victims might experience sexual abuse, physical abuse, verbal abuse, neglect, or other forms of maltreatment at the hands of an authority figure, or even a peer, within an institution.
Most survivors of sexual abuse in an institutional setting struggle to come forward to pursue their legal rights. Despite the fact that 1 in 10 Canadians have been sexually abused by adults before the age of 15, the majority of victims do not immediately report their maltreatment to police or child protective services. According to Statistics Canada, 93% of victims of childhood sexual abuse across the country did not report the crime to the authorities before the age of 15, and 67% of victims did not speak about their abuse to anyone, including friends or family members.
When negligent actions by an institution allow for employees or associated perpetrators to inflict harm on vulnerable individuals, the institution can be held legally responsible. Victims of institutional abuse, no matter when it happened, may be eligible to sue the institution for financial compensation. These funds are meant to compensate victims for any emotional suffering they have endured and any expenses they have incurred while attempting to heal from their trauma.
At Preszler Injury Lawyers, our institutional abuse lawyers in Mississauga help victims seek justice against the institution that allowed their abuse to take place. Whether your situation occurred recently or decades ago, we may be able to help you explore your legal options. To speak to one of our lawyers confidentially, call our team in Mississauga at 1-888-608-2111 or fill out our online case evaluation form now.
Types of Institutional Abuse We Handle in Mississauga
Institutional abuse can exist in many different forms, all of which Preszler Injury Lawyers may be able to assist with. This is primarily because the type of abuse victims experience can differ, as well as the setting in which it occurred. In Mississauga and across Ontario, individuals commonly associated with acts of institutional abuse may include:
- Teachers
- Sports coaches
- Camp counsellors
- Extracurricular activity leaders
- Scout leaders
- Religious figures
- Orderlies at psychiatric facilities
- Juvenile detention centre guards
- And more
Power imbalance tends to be a cornerstone of institutional abuse, and sexual abuse in particular. Perpetrators usually seek out employment or volunteer opportunities in fields that place them in positions of authority over children, adolescents, or members of vulnerable communities, including disabled, elderly, and incarcerated individuals.
Surviving abuse can have far-reaching impacts on a victim’s psychological and physical health, as well as their financial well-being. Although resources exist to help adult victims of childhood abuse in Mississauga, it is only by pursuing a civil claim that survivors can legally recover financial compensation.
At Preszler Injury Lawyers, our Mississauga institutional abuse lawyers may be able to help victims of institutional abuse no matter when or where their abuse took place. If you were subject to neglect or mistreatment of some kind while under the care of an organization, reach out to our legal team today to discuss your options.
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Since 1959, we’ve helped thousands of Canadians get the compensation they deserve with their institutional abuse claims. One of Canada’s oldest personal injury law firms, personal injury law is exclusively what we do. Book a free consultation today with our top-rated personal injury lawyers.
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Why Work With Our Mississauga Institutional Abuse Lawyers?
By working with our Mississauga institutional abuse lawyers, people who have been victimized may be able to recover compensation for damages they have incurred as a result of their experience. Our team is dedicated to providing safe spaces for victims to come forward and explore their legal options with the assistance of a professional.
If you decide to work with our lawyers in pursuing your institutional abuse claim, you can expect:
- Commitment to Privacy & Confidentiality: We understand that reliving traumatic experiences is difficult in any context, let alone in a legal one. That’s why our lawyers will ensure that your situation remains confidential throughout every stage. Your consultations and meetings with our team will remain completely private. In addition, if you wish to remain anonymous, we can apply to the court to use your initials only, a pseudonym, a sealing order, and more.
- Negotiation, Litigation, and Case-Building Skills: The hallmark of a successful institutional abuse claim is the strength of the evidence gathered. Our lawyers know what kinds of evidence to look for to build you a strong case, even if your abuse took place years or decades ago. Our strong negotiation skills may also allow us to work out a fair settlement for you without ever going to court. If you do decide to take your case to trial, we can represent you with professionalism and dedication.
- You Don’t Pay Unless We Win: At Preszler Injury Lawyers, our lawyers work on a contingency fee basis. This means that our clients don’t pay any money to us unless we successfully achieve a fair settlement for them. As a result, we are able to offer completely free initial consultations for all of our clients in Mississauga. We’ll also collect evidence, consult with experts, and build your claim without charging any legal fees until we are successful.
Our institutional abuse lawyers serving Mississauga are committed to helping survivors in their pursuit of justice and fair compensation. To learn about options that might be available to you, contact our Mississauga institutional abuse lawyers online, or call 1-800-JUSTICE.
Contact Our Mississauga Institutional Abuse Lawyers Today
We firmly believe that no survivor of institutional abuse should be left to deal with the consequences alone. Whether you have developed mental health issues as a result of your experience or your trauma has prevented you from pursuing the life you want, you deserve compensation to begin to overcome these hurdles.
At Preszler Injury Lawyers, our Mississauga institutional abuse lawyers serve institutional abuse survivors across the city. With experience handling claims related to the Cadets, Boy Scouts, Girl Guides, the Robert Land Academy, Children’s Aid Societies, and more, we can use our background to your advantage.
To discuss your situation with our lawyers confidentially, call our Mississauga office at 1-888-608-2111 or contact us online today. We are available 24/7 to take your call.
Do you live in Mississauga? Here’s how we can help:
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Award Winning Personal Injury Law Firm
We are proud to be one of Canada’s oldest and long-standing personal injury law firms. Since 1959, we have been providing exceptional legal services and have established ourselves as leading personal injury lawyers in the Canadian legal community. It’s not just the awards that recognize our achievements, but also the wins we’ve achieved for thousands of Canadians with their institutional abuse claims.
Case Results
institutional abuse Settlements
Please note that past results are not indicative of future results as each scenario presents itself with its unique set of circumstances. But here are some institutional abuse related wins we’ve had for our clients.
More institutional abuse Topics
Here’s more information on institutional abuse related topics that we think you might find helpful.
institutional abuse
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September 22, 2023
Consent on Campus: What Students Should Know About Sexual Assault
Many students throughout Ontario are returning to university or college classes this month. For some of the hundreds of thousands of students moving into campus…
institutional abuse
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May 16, 2023
Expanding the Historical Scope of the “Remedial Measures” Doctrine
In cases involving negligence claims against institutions in respect of historical wrongdoing – such as cases under ss. 16(1)(h)-(h.2) of the Limitations Act SO 2002…
institutional abuse
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April 11, 2023
Loss of Interdependency in Sexual Abuse Claims
Sexual abuse is an abuse of power. It is an assault of a sexual nature that violates the integrity of the perpetrator’s victim. The act…
institutional abuse FAQs
Here are some commonly asked questions for institutional abuse claims
I never submitted a police report. How can I prove this happened?
No survivor of sexual assault should worry about not having enough evidence to come forward. We routinely take on cases where our clients have never reported their assault to the police. The only evidence we need to prove a civil sexual assault claim is our client’s story of what happened.
In fact, it is rare for cases of historic abuse to hinge on hard evidence, such as witness testimonies or formal reports. Instead, sexual abuse claims are decided by weighing all of the evidence on a balance of probabilities. Your evidence and testimony count.
I’m worried I stayed quiet for too long. Is it too late?
There is no statute of limitations on sexual abuse claims in the Province of Ontario. That means that, no matter how far in the past your abuse took place, you could still be eligible to pursue a civil claim against the person who perpetrated the crime, or the organization responsible for fostering the relationship between victim and perpetrator so that the crime could occur (depending on the circumstances of the case).
We are often retained by people in their 60s, 70s, and even 80s who were assaulted as children. Even if your abuser is no longer living, you may be able to pursue civil action against their employer, the institution that introduced you to your abuser, or any other responsible party.
The law recognizes that survivors of sexual assault often do not report their assaults for years or even decades after it happened. The law recognizes that survivors of sexual assault deserve justice and fairness no matter when the assault took place.
The person at fault is still alive (and maybe even involved in the organization). Do I have to face them?
In a typical case, you will never see the defendant. Civil sexual assault lawsuits are generally handled by insurance companies and the defendant has little involvement in the process, if any.
If the perpetrator is involved in the lawsuit, you will not have direct interaction with him or her. Fortunately, most sexual abuse cases are settled during a process called Mediation. Throughout this process, an impartial mediator will conduct meetings privately with all parties involved in the claim in order to negotiate a settlement. Since these meetings are conducted privately, plaintiffs pursuing a sexual abuse claim and their lawyers will not necessarily need to interact with the person accused of committing abuse face-to-face.
What does the court process look like?
If a settlement negotiation cannot be reached during Mediation, you, the defendant or defendants, and your respective lawyers will be required to attend a pre-trial before a judge, during which the judge will act as a quasi-mediator in order to help facilitate settlement.
If the case proceeds to trial, evidence will be presented before a judge or jury. You will most likely be required to share your story on the witness stand and will be subject to cross-examination from the accused’s or institution’s legal representation. Witnesses, various experts on damages, and others may be called upon to present evidence and face cross-examination.
Once the evidence has been presented and lawyers for both sides have presented their arguments, the judge or jury will determine the case’s outcome as well as the amount of damages the defendant may be required to pay you.
How many times do I have to tell the story?
We tell all clients that they will only be asked to tell the story when they are ready to do so; there is no rush. We do not even need to know the full details of our clients’ stories before we take on their claim. We only need to know if there was sexual touching of some nature.
Talking about your experience can be emotionally challenging, but it can also be an empowering component of the healing process. Our sexual abuse lawyers appreciate how difficult it can be to talk about this painful subject matter in detail, but we provide a compassionate, safe environment in which you will feel comfortable speaking freely about the abuse to which you were subjected.
Generally, you will need to tell your story at least once before the claim settles. The insurance company will need to understand what happened in order to know how much compensation is fair. We work with clients to ensure they are ready and comfortable to tell their story beforehand.
Your lawyer may suggest that you undergo medical assessments from experts who can determine how the trauma you suffered has impacted your overall quality of life, your ability to earn income, etc. Being open and truthful about your experience during these evaluations can be therapeutic and could help strengthen your case.
Can I remain anonymous?
We can apply to the court to ask for your name to be kept anonymous in court documents. In many cases, we can also settle the claim confidentially without starting a lawsuit.
I don’t think the person who abused me has any money. How could I get compensation?
Many occurrences of sexual abuse arise as a result of the involvement of certain institutions. In many cases, the actual abuser is either deceased, cannot be located, or does not have any assets to compensate the victim. Depending on the circumstances of your case, you may be entitled to pursue compensation directly from the organization or institution that introduced you to the abuser.
Most institutions also have insurance to compensate survivors of sexual assault. If the assault happened in connection with an institution (such as a church, school, company, Boy/Girl Scouts troop, or other organization), then it does not matter if the person who assaulted our client has any assets. We might be able to seek compensation from the institution itself or their insurance policy.
How long does a civil action take?
There is no standard length of time for how long civil actions can take before settlements are determined. However, most sexual abuse claims take between 2-4 years before reaching a resolution.
Got more questions?
If you have more questions or need legal help regarding institutional abuse claims, contact our legal team for help.
We’re happy to help.
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