Victims of sexual abuse or sexual assault have the right to file civil lawsuits and get financial compensation. Recent changes in the law are now making it easier for abuse victims to seek justice in the civil courts. This post will look at the process of filing sex abuse lawsuits in Pennsylvania and review the applicable laws related to sex abuse civil suits. We will also discuss the average settlement compensation and jury payouts of Pennsylvania sex abuse cases and look at recent verdicts and settlements.
The Definition of Sexual Abuse in Pennsylvania
Under Pennsylvania law, sexual assault or battery is defined as any non-consensual touching of a person’s intimate parts intentionally done for sexual gratification or arousal. Under this broad definition, anything from groping breasts at an office happy hour to forcible rape falls under the definition of sexual assault or abuse.