Brampton Institutional Abuse Lawyer
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Institutional abuse refers to the abuse, exploitation, neglect, or maltreatment of an individual by an authority figure or peer under the supervision of an institution or organization. The effects of institutional abuse on survivors can be wide-reaching and long-lasting. This is particularly true because vulnerable populations are often more susceptible to this type of abuse, including children, adolescents, inmates, the elderly, and people with disabilities. Survivors may be left to deal with mental health issues and financial losses, such as:
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Suicidal thoughts
- Increased susceptibility to repeated abuse in the future
- Loss of income
- Loss of future earning capacity
- And more
If you are in distress, contact the Canada Suicide Crisis Helpline by calling 988.
When you suffer tangible (or intangible) damages as a result of the abuse you’ve survived, you may have legal options to pursue compensation. If the institution where your abuse occurred acted negligently when it came to addressing or preventing the situation, they can be held legally responsible through an institutional abuse lawsuit.
At Preszler Injury Lawyers, our institutional abuse lawyers in Brampton help individuals pursue justice for the exploitation they’ve faced in the past. Whether you experienced physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, neglect, or another form of mistreatment in an institutional setting, we can help. To discuss your situation confidentially with one of our lawyers, you can schedule a free consultation at our Brampton location today. Call 1-888-608-2111 or fill out our online contact form to learn more.
How Do Institutional Abuse Lawsuits Work in Brampton?
When survivors are left with financial, emotional, or physical consequences as a result of the abuse they’ve suffered, they can hold the institution where it occurred legally accountable. They may do so through an institutional abuse lawsuit, which aims to prove institutional liability due to negligence or failure to take appropriate action.
You may hold many different types of institutions accountable for abuse that happened to you while under their care or supervision. Common organizations involved in Ontario institutional abuse cases include:
- Psychiatric hospitals
- Nursing homes or long-term care facilities
- Juvenile detention centres or criminal penitentiaries
- Schools (e.g., public and Catholic school boards)
- Religious organizations
- Children’s Aid Societies
- Sports leagues
- Residential schools
- Camps or extracurricular programs (e.g., Boy Scouts & Girl Guides, Cadets, Big Brothers Big Sisters)
- And more
A Brampton institutional abuse lawyer will be able to help you collect evidence of the abuse that took place. In Ontario, the Limitations Act does not apply to cases that involve sexual abuse (or exploitation of minors, in some cases). As a result, you may file an institutional abuse lawsuit against the institution where your abuse occurred years or decades later.
Documentation you can assemble in support of your claim includes medical reports, institutional reports, witness testimony, claims from additional survivors, and more. You can still file a lawsuit if no official police reports were filed at the time of the abuse. Your lawyer will bring your claim before the Ontario civil claims court and pursue a fair amount of compensation for the damages you’ve sustained. They may be able to negotiate a fair settlement with the institution out of court, or bring your case to trial to be heard and decided upon by a judge.
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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.
What Makes Our Brampton Institutional Abuse Lawyers Different?
At Preszler Injury Lawyers, our institutional abuse lawyers in Brampton believe that survivors deserve to be compensated. Although no amount of money can make up for the trauma you’ve been through, financial compensation can help you address the consequences you’ve been left to deal with. We also believe in the importance of holding perpetrators and institutions accountable for their negligence so that victims can work towards some closure.
When you work with our Brampton institutional abuse lawyers, you’ll gain the advantage of our:
- Experience With Institutional Abuse Cases: Our lawyers in Ontario have dealt with institutional abuse cases involving the Robert Land Academy, Boy Scouts, Girl Guides, Children’s Aid Societies, Catholic school boards, and more. As a result, we understand how the legal process works and what evidence we should gather to build you the strongest case possible. We’ll put our experience to work for you to pursue the highest level of compensation you’re entitled to. In addition, we can explore options for keeping your identity concealed throughout the process, such as using your initials, a pseudonym, or publication bans.
- Survivor Centred Approach: We know that reliving trauma or abuse during the legal process can be difficult. That’s why our lawyers approach all institutional abuse cases with sensitivity, empathy, and a trauma-informed attitude. While we handle your claim, we’ll make sure you feel safe, comfortable, and empowered when making decisions.
- Understanding of Local Brampton Institutions and Legal Systems: Our lawyers have been operating across Ontario for over 60 years. As a result, we are able to guide clients in Brampton through the local legal process with precision. If you bring your claim to us in Brampton, we’ll know which court is appropriate to file through, where to seek support from experts for evidence collection, and more.
In addition, we offer completely free initial consultations to our clients in Brampton. When you meet with our team, you won’t pay any legal fees, and everything you discuss will be kept confidential. Because our firm operates on a contingency fee basis, our clients don’t pay any money unless we successfully recover compensation for them at the end of their claim. This is so we can offer compassionate legal support to all survivors, regardless of their financial situation.
Contact Our Brampton Institutional Abuse Lawyers For a Free, Confidential Consultation
If you have experienced abuse in an institutional or organizational setting, we can help you hold the institution accountable. You may be eligible for financial compensation for the emotional, physical, or financial trauma you’ve incurred. We’ll discuss your case with you confidentially so we can advise you about your legal options, the amount of compensation you might be able to claim, and the length of time your case may take.
If you feel ready to explore your rights, schedule a free consultation with our Brampton institutional lawyers today. You can call our Brampton office at 1-888-608-2111 or fill out our online case evaluation form. Our team will contact you within 24 hours to book your appointment.
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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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