Sexual Assualt Settlement
I have represented victims of assault before, but our recent settlement was a real vindication for our client and a strong message that hotels have to protect innocent people from criminal acts. We represent a woman who was sexual assaulted by the night manager of a hotel. Our client felt abandoned by our criminal justice system and mistreated by the defendants.
My client returned late at night to a hotel and was escorted into a different room by the perpetrator. After she was assaulted, she went to the hospital the next day and complained about what happened. But the police and prosecutor did not feel they would be successful in the prosecution for various reasons. But my client did not give up. She retained a few different lawyers and eventually came to me.
We filed suit and aggressively pursued the case. I deposed the managers who hired and retained this employee - and won the case. The hotel did not do background checks on employees and let a sexual predator attack their guest. They did a shoddy investigation and tried to cover the incident up. At mediation, I did a detailed presentation with video clips of the managers proving how strong our case was. (I always video defendants’ depositions).
We took the case from a nothing offer for a long time to a $675,000 settlement. This will enable my client to have the financial security to accomplish a lot of things in life that were on hold while this case was progressing. It is gratifying to know our civil justice system worked in this case.
In addition and more importantly, my client used this incident to transform her life and better herself. She worked on herself for her and her family. She turned herself from victim to fighter.
Victims of sexual assault often feel powerless, that they have no control and experience a trauma that never goes away. I got more from my client than she got from me in this case. Working with her enabled me to sit hear and understand my client’s damages.
New Sexual Assault Web Page
At BurgerLaw.com we have a new webpage with information and resources for victims of sexual assault - and how to pursue a claim. You can see that by clicking here.
We have clients who contact us directly about these types of claims.
We also have lawyers who refer these cases to us with whom we co-counsel. We want to make sure their clients have a great team to get the best possible result.
From our site:
"We have extensive experience in working with survivors of sexual assault in order to help them to navigate through the difficult, emotional experience. We have attorneys who are specifically trained in a victim-centered approach to litigation. We work to ensure that the legal process is not re-victimizing and that survivors are empowered throughout the process."