Thunder Bay Institutional Abuse Lawyer
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Contact our Thunder Bay institutional abuse lawyers for a free consultation if you have legal questions regarding your institutional abuse claim.
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When abuse occurs within an organization or institution, it can cause deep, long-lasting harm to victims. This is especially true when the perpetrator of the abuse is someone in a position of trust. Survivors might feel isolated, powerless, or unsure of how to move forward. At Preszler Injury Lawyers, we help people in Thunder Bay who have been subject to abuse pursue justice through civil claims against both perpetrators and the institutions that failed to stop them.
Institutional abuse can show up in many different ways, including:
- Sexual abuse
- Physical abuse and violence
- Verbal abuse
- Emotional manipulation
- Neglect or improper supervision
- And more
These incidents commonly occur in places where vulnerable groups must rely on the organization for safety or care. Some examples of institutions frequently involved in abuse claims include schools, religious organizations, foster homes, correctional centres, medical and psychiatric facilities, and more. If you were harmed in this type of environment, either recently or years ago, you may have legal options available to you. Our Thunder Bay institutional abuse lawyers are here to help.
If you would like to discuss your situation with our trauma-informed legal team, you can schedule a free consultation today. To get in touch with our Thunder Bay office, you can call 1-888-608-2111 or fill out our secure online case evaluation form.
The Impact of Institutional Abuse on Survivors
Although it can happen to anyone, institutional abuse disproportionately affects individuals who are already vulnerable or reliant on authority figures. This may include children, teenagers, the elderly, people with disabilities, foster children, incarcerated individuals, and more.
If you undergo mistreatment or neglect while under the care or supervision of an institution or organization, you can be left with lasting effects. Studies have shown that trauma caused by institutional abuse, especially during childhood, can result in:
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Personality disorders
- Mental health conditions
- Trouble maintaining employment or education
- Substance use disorders
- Medical and therapy costs
- Ongoing psychological and physiological harm
- And more
These types of effects can result in serious emotional, physical, and financial consequences for survivors. Stress can lead to physical disorders, like heart conditions or chronic pain, that require medical intervention. Psychiatric care, medication, or counselling can also be expensive, especially if it is needed long-term. If your mental health prevents you from pursuing educational or vocational opportunities, your earning capacity will also be negatively impacted.
A civil lawsuit may provide you with financial compensation for these losses and help you restore some of the control that was taken from you. To discuss the damages that you may be entitled to pursue, schedule a free, confidential consultation with our Thunder Bay institutional abuse lawyers now.
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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.
Our team is available 24/7 to speak with you.
Steps to Filing an Institutional Abuse Claim in Thunder Bay
In Ontario, survivors of sexual abuse–and in many cases, abuse involving minors–are not limited by a statute of limitations. This means that you can bring a civil claim against a perpetrator or negligent institution years or even decades after the abuse took place.
If you decide to pursue an institutional abuse claim with the help of Preszler Injury Lawyers, the legal process will typically involve:
- Private, Free Consultation: You’ll meet with a member of our team for a free, confidential consultation. We’ll assess your situation, explain your legal rights to you, and outline what kind of civil lawsuit you might be eligible to pursue. Our firm operates on a contingency fee basis, so our clients don’t pay any money unless we successfully recover compensation for them.
- Evidence Collection: It’s important to know that you do not need an official police report from the time of the incident(s) to move forward with your claim. Our lawyers can gather other types of evidence, like medical records, therapy notes, internal institutional documents, witness statements, or reports from other victims to support your claim.
- Filing the Claim: We can allege that the institution where your abuse took place was negligent, committed a breach of duty, or had vicarious liability. Our team will handle all of the paperwork, communication, and court filings on your behalf.
- Settlement Negotiations or Trial: When it comes to institutional abuse claims, many cases settle out of court. This is because organizations often prefer to avoid public proceedings. If our lawyers are unable to negotiate a fair settlement for you out of court, we’ll take your case to trial and present the evidence we’ve collected before a judge. We can also look into options for protecting your privacy, such as using initials, a pseudonym, or requesting a publication ban. Compensation may cover damages like:
- Pain and suffering
- Therapy and medical expenses
- Loss of income
- Loss of earning potential
- Future care needs
- And more
Our lawyers understand how challenging it is to come forward about abuse, especially if it has had a significant impact on your life. We are committed to helping survivors speak out and hold their abusers accountable. We’ll handle every aspect of your case with care to reduce the amount of distress for you while ensuring you receive the financial compensation you deserve.
Talk to Our Thunder Bay Institutional Abuse Lawyers Today
If negligence on the part of an institution allowed your abuse to occur or continue, you deserve restitution. You have a legal right to pursue compensation, and our Thunder Bay institutional abuse lawyers are ready to stand by your side every step of the legal process.
Call 1-888-608-2111 or complete our secure online form to speak with a member of our team in Thunder Bay today. Our lawyers are available 24/7 to offer support and explain your legal options.
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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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