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Sexual Assault & Abuse Lawyer

Sexual assault is a deeply traumatic experience that can affect every part of a survivor’s life. If you or someone you love has been harmed, you deserve compassion, safety, and knowledgeable legal guidance. Sexual assault is never the victim’s fault, and you are not alone.

The Joel Bieber Firm represents survivors of sexual assault and abuse in civil cases seeking accountability and financial recovery. We understand how difficult it can be to come forward, and our team approaches every case with sensitivity, discretion, and respect.

A Dedicated Legal Team for Survivors

Sexual assault cases require a uniquely compassionate, trauma-informed approach. For this reason, these cases are handled by our specialized survivor advocacy team led by attorney Melissa Hague.

If you are looking for survivor-focused guidance, education, or support resources, we invite you to visit our dedicated survivor advocacy website.

What Is Sexual Assault?

Sexual assault occurs when any sexual act or contact takes place without a person’s consent. It can happen to individuals of any age, gender, or background and may be committed by strangers, acquaintances, partners, authority figures, or institutions.

Sexual assault can include both physical and non-physical conduct and often involves coercion, manipulation, or abuse of power.

Learn more about what legally qualifies as sexual assault

Forms of Sexual Assault and Abuse

Sexual assault can take many forms. Some examples include:

  • Rape or attempted rape
  • Unwanted sexual touching or groping
  • Forced penetration or sodomy
  • Sexual coercion or manipulation
  • Child sexual abuse
  • Incest
  • Marital rape
  • Drug-facilitated sexual assault
  • Assault involving multiple perpetrators
  • Institutional abuse

Non-physical forms of sexual misconduct may include:

  • Stalking
  • Sexual harassment
  • Indecent exposure
  • Distribution or display of explicit material without consent
  • Voyeurism

Even when physical force is not used, these actions can cause profound emotional, psychological, and physical harm.

Understanding Consent

Consent means freely agreeing to participate in sexual activity. It must be informed, voluntary, and can be withdrawn at any time.

Consent is not present when a person is:

  • Threatened or intimidated
  • Coerced or manipulated
  • Intoxicated or drugged
  • Unconscious or incapacitated
  • Subject to force or violence
  • Deceived through fraud

Age, disability, and vulnerability also affect the legal ability to consent. A minor cannot legally consent to sexual activity under most state laws.

Read a detailed explanation of consent in sexual assault cases

The Impact on Survivors

The effects of sexual assault are often severe and long-lasting. Survivors may experience:

  • Anxiety, depression, or PTSD
  • Difficulty trusting others
  • Sleep disturbances
  • Social withdrawal
  • Changes in relationships
  • Physical health complications

Sexual assault can affect anyone, including:

Family members may pursue legal action on behalf of vulnerable victims who cannot advocate for themselves.

Financial and Emotional Costs

Survivors frequently face substantial financial burdens while trying to heal. These may include:

  • Medical treatment
  • Therapy and counseling
  • Prescription medications
  • Lost wages
  • Pregnancy-related expenses
  • Long-term health complications

Civil claims can help survivors recover compensation for these losses while holding responsible parties accountable.

Civil Lawsuits After Sexual Assault

A criminal prosecution focuses on punishing the offender. A civil lawsuit focuses on helping survivors recover compensation and pursue justice on their own terms.

A civil case may be possible even if:

  • No criminal charges were filed
  • The perpetrator was not convicted
  • The assault occurred years ago (depending on statutes of limitation)

An experienced sexual assault attorney can evaluate your situation and explain available options.

Learn more about survivors’ legal rights 

Who May Be Held Responsible?

In many cases, liability extends beyond the perpetrator. Businesses, institutions, and organizations may be responsible if negligence allowed the assault to occur.

Sexual assault commonly occurs in places such as:

  • Colleges and universities
  • Hospitals or medical offices
  • Assisted living facilities
  • Workplaces
  • Military settings
  • Correctional facilities
  • Childcare centers
  • Religious institutions
  • Sports organizations
  • Rideshare services
  • Hotels or public venues

When inadequate security, supervision, or policies contribute to an assault, those entities may be held financially accountable.

Survivor Support & Resources

If you or someone you love has experienced sexual assault, immediate support is available. Confidential help is offered 24 hours a day through national and local organizations.

Our survivor advocacy team maintains a comprehensive list of crisis services, counseling resources, and support networks.

View Survivor Resources & Support Options

If you are in immediate danger, call 911.

Compassionate Legal Guidance

We understand that contacting a lawyer after sexual assault can feel overwhelming. Survivors often worry about being believed, retraumatized, or forced to relive painful experiences.

Melissa Hague and her team use a trauma-informed approach designed to prioritize safety, dignity, and control. You decide what to share and when.

What to Expect When Speaking with a Sexual Assault Lawyer for the First Time

Contact a Sexual Assault Attorney

The Joel Bieber Firm is committed to helping survivors pursue justice with compassion and respect. Consultations are confidential, and there is no obligation to proceed.

Contact us through our specialized website or give us a call at 804-315-3559.

You deserve to be heard, believed, and supported.

Hire Personal Injury Lawyer for Sexual Assault Near You

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Sexual Abuse

Frequently Asked Questions

Victims of sexual assault can file civil lawsuits against institutions that were negligent in protecting them. This can include sports organizations, religious institutions, universities, ride-sharing companies like Uber or Lyft, and more. The aim is to hold these entities accountable for their role in the abuse by demonstrating their failure to implement adequate safety measures or respond appropriately to reports of misconduct.
Compensation in a sexual assault civil lawsuit can include medical expenses, therapy costs, lost wages, and non-economic damages like pain and suffering and emotional distress. In some cases, punitive damages may also be awarded to punish the negligent institution and deter future misconduct.
Proving negligence involves showing that the institution had a duty to protect you, breached that duty by failing to take reasonable precautions, and that this breach directly resulted in your harm. Evidence can include internal documents, witness testimonies, and expert opinions demonstrating the institution's failure to act appropriately.
The statute of limitations for filing a civil lawsuit for sexual assault varies by state and can depend on factors such as the victim’s age at the time of the assault. Some states have extended or eliminated statutes of limitations for sexual assault cases. It’s crucial to act promptly and consult with a lawyer to understand the specific deadlines applicable to your case. This can be challenging for many survivors of sexual assault. Our trauma-informed team is prepared to handle these unique cases with empathy, respect, and professionalism to ensure that seeking justice does not inhibit the survivor's recovery.
Important evidence includes any reports of the assault made to the institution, internal communications, witness statements, security footage, and any documentation of the institution’s policies and responses to previous incidents. Medical records and personal testimonies can also be crucial. Our trauma-informed team can help survivors assess evidence while ensuring the survivors well-being is preserved.
Sexual assault is a special kind of injury affecting the survivor physically, emptionally and psychologically. The impact can last a lifetime. A personal injury lawyer holds individuals and institutions accountable in the civil court system and can help calculate and pursue fair compensation for the survivor’s damages. We can investigate your case, identify liable parties, gather evidence, handle legal filings and deadlines, and fight to achieve a fair resolution for you, all while you focus on your recovery.
In some cases, victims of sexual assault can remain anonymous during the legal process to protect their privacy. This can be requested through a court order. It’s important to discuss this option with your lawyer to understand how it might impact your case.
It is not always necessary to go to court for a sexual abuse case. Many cases are resolved through settlements outside of court, where the parties involved negotiate an agreement that compensates the victim without a trial. This can be beneficial for victims who want to avoid the emotional stress of a court trial. Engaging a personal injury lawyer can help navigate the legal process and work towards a resolution that best meets the victim’s needs, whether through settlement or trial. For personalized advice and representation, contact The Joel Bieber Firm for a free case evaluation.
Yes, multiple victims can join together in a class action lawsuit against an institution if they have similar claims of negligence and harm. This can strengthen the case and increase the chances of holding the institution accountable.
A criminal case is prosecuted by the state to punish the perpetrator, while a civil lawsuit is filed by the victim to seek compensation for damages caused by the assault. A civil lawsuit can be filed regardless of the outcome of a criminal case.

Frequently Asked Questions

Victims of sexual assault may have many fears about filing a lawsuit, including repercussions in the workplace, concerns that disclosing the assault and harassment may “make waves” in a friend group or family, and even the cost of hiring a sexual assault claim lawyer.
Many personal injury lawyers specializing in sexual assault cases, like those at the Joel Bieber Firm, work on a contingency basis. This means we assess our lawyer fees as a percentage of the final award after winning your case. If we don’t win, you don’t pay.
Sexual assault lawsuits are civil cases, not criminal ones, and while your abuser may face criminal charges, those won’t be handled in civil court. Civil court handles the lawsuit your lawyer files to seek compensation for damages you suffered from the person who abused you.
Lawyers deduct their fees and the costs of pursuing the case, like expert witness fees, from your final settlement.

Finding the right lawyer to protect you if you’re being stalked can be overwhelming.

Your state’s bar association website is a good place to start to find a lawyer who understands stalking laws in your state and can help you get the protection you need. The website contains a directory of lawyers, which you can sort by specialty and location so that you can find a sexual assault claim lawyer in your area.

A local sexual abuse survivors group may also be able to help you. Many of these organizations work with attorneys who represent victims and may refer you to a lawyer who understands the complexity of stalker laws and how to prove stalking.

Another option to find a good lawyer for sexual abuse is to check The National Trial Lawyers site, which provides brief bios of trial lawyers. Your case may go to trial, and in that case, look for a lawyer who has experience litigating on behalf of stalking victims.

Sexual assault lawsuits are a specific area of law and are often handled by personal injury lawyers. However, personal injury law is a broad area of law, and not every personal injury lawyer specializes in sexual assault suits.
These are often delicate matters; in many cases, the facts can fall into a gray area. And many cases also involve criminal charges. The police and prosecutor will take care of pursuing the criminal side of the case while your personal injury lawyer will offer thoughtful legal advice to help you recover the damages you’re entitled to.
No amount of money can make up for the frightening and traumatizing experience you suffered. But the compensation you receive may help you make a meaningful recovery and give you the financial cushion you may need to make changes in your life.
Sexual assault lawyers are personal injury attorneys experienced in civil tort law. A civil tort is a wrong that caused emotional or economic harm to someone and for which the at-fault party has legal liability.

Personal injury lawyers deal with sexual assault lawsuits. A personal injury lawyer is an attorney who advocates for victims who have been injured and wronged due to the reckless, negligent, or malicious acts of another party.
These are civil lawyers, not criminal lawyers, so the justice they seek on your behalf doesn’t involve the defendant (your assailant) going to jail or paying a punitive fine. Instead, personal injury and sexual assault lawyers seek financial justice on behalf of victims.
Sexual assault lawyers are a specialized subset in the personal injury law field. These cases often involve highly charged emotions and victims who need extra care and compassion.
Furthermore, many sexual assaults occur at a location that wasn’t properly secured to protect visitors or employees. Often, your lawyer isn’t litigating only against the abuser but also against the party responsible for ensuring the location was secure (this includes ensuring that sexual predators are not hired or allowed near potential victims.)
Lawsuits with multiple defendants are more complex and take more time and resources; therefore, not all personal injury lawyers specialize in sexual assault claims.

Assault involves the intent to cause physical harm to someone else. It can be physical, such as hitting, punching, kicking, or biting. Assault can also occur with a weapon — anything from a stick to a gun — or even by throwing an object at someone.
Assault can also involve the direct threat to cause physical harm to someone, such as raising a fist with a threat to strike or verbally stating the intention to harm someone.
When an assault involves sexual contact, it’s considered sexual assault. Sexual assault can range from unwanted contact with a sexual body part to rape or forcible penetration. There are several degrees of sexual assault, including coercion to participate in sexual activity.
The exact definition of sexual assault can vary by state — each state has different statutes that encompass sexual assault, and an action that is considered sexual assault in one state may be classified as something else in another. Regardless, any non-consensual sexual act can be considered assault and is never the victim’s fault.

Sexual assault personal injury lawyers typically work on a contingency basis. This means that their attorney’s fees are assessed as a percentage of the final award.
Victims may not have the immediate wherewithal to take on a powerful assailant or a powerful organization, such as a company that should have been expected to keep its workplaces safe.
For example, a victim may have been assaulted in the workplace. Therefore, the defendants include the employer and the attacker. Proving that the organization shared liability may involve significant expenses, which your lawyer will take care of.
Any associated fees for expert witnesses or an exam to determine the extent of your injuries from the sexual assault will be deducted from the final settlement. At the Joel Bieber firm, we structure our fees on contingency and will discuss your case fees at our initial consultation. If we don’t win your case, you don’t pay!

Depending on the facts of your case, a sexual assault civil suit can take anywhere from 18 months to several years to reach a conclusion.
In some cases, your assailant may be facing criminal charges in addition to the suit your sexual assault lawyer filed. Many times, your lawyer may take their time with your civil suit pending the outcome of the criminal trial. If your assailant is convicted, then it can significantly strengthen the civil suit.
Other times, such as in cases involving an individual and another party like a school or employer, the case can be more complex and take longer to conclude.
Civil cases often start with a demand letter from your lawyer to the other party. Then, if that isn’t successful, the parties go through mediation. If no compromise is possible in mediation, then the case proceeds to trial.
Trials can easily take over a year from start to finish. Your sexual assault lawyer will give you an approximate timeline for your case but bear in mind that once you file, there is no guarantee that the process will be concluded quickly.

You’ll be working with your attorney for months or even years, so they should be someone you feel comfortable with and trust. Here are some of the questions you should ask when looking for a lawyer:
What kind of experience do you have in cases like mine? Some personal injury lawyers may have little experience representing sexual assault victims. Look for a lawyer who specializes in sexual assault lawsuits.
How often have you gone to trial for a sexual assault suit? Although many cases settle out of court, there is always the possibility of a trial. An experienced litigator may be a better advocate for you.
Will I have to testify? Understandably, you don’t want to have to relive your trauma. However, your lawyer should be able to help you feel more comfortable disclosing what happened to you.
What kinds of difficulties do you see with my case? Your lawyer should give you realistic expectations of some of the challenges in your circumstances and how they plan to overcome them with you.

Many sexual assault victims may fear retribution or harm after filing a suit. Unfortunately, the cases where a victim can file a suit anonymously are limited. Under Rule 10 of the Federal Rules for Civil Procedure, all parties in a civil suit must be named. That includes you, the victim.
However, there are some limited cases where the victim may file under a pseudonym. These limited circumstances include:
You are suing a government agency
You would have to reveal information considered of “the utmost intimacy”
You would have to admit to an intention to commit a crime, which would expose you to criminal prosecution
Your sexual assault lawyer will not have to prove all three of these conditions exist. Furthermore, a judge may grant anonymity in other cases, often if a minor child is a victim.
The judge may respect the desire of a victim to preserve their privacy and the personal details of a sexual assault, as well as the plaintiff’s right to access the justice system without intimidation.

If you’re able to, immediately after the assault, go to the nearest hospital and disclose that you’ve been sexually assaulted. Emergency department personnel have special training to compassionately treat your injuries while gathering valuable evidence from your assault.
Then, call the police or file a police report. It’s important to do this as soon as possible, while the evidence and your recollections are fresh.
Write down everything that you remember about the incident. Many times, sexual assault victims may feel like they’re to blame for the assault — this is not true! If you were coerced into sexual activity, it’s still non-consensual, and therefore, a crime.
It’s important to talk to a sexual assault claim lawyer as soon as you’re able to. You have only a limited time to file a case. The statute of limitations can range from one year to six, depending on your state. Civil statutes of limitations are separate from criminal ones, and a personal injury case usually has a shorter deadline than criminal charges for sexual assault.