Sexual Assault and Abuse Attorneys in Chicago

By Dean Caras

At Caras Law Group, we stand by victims who bravely come forward to bring their stories of injustices to light. We recognize how difficult it is for victims to seek justice. Mr. Caras stands besides and represents victims of sexual assault and abuse that may take place in a number of different settings, such as mental health institutions, schools, churches, and public businesses. Mr. Caras has a tremendous amount of experience in these cases, using statutory law to the advantage of his clients. He believes in thoroughly investigating these cases to uncover the true cause of the abuse and bring justice to the victims.

A rape or sexual assault is one of the most horrifying ordeals a person may ever experience. The criminal justice system exists to punish the perpetrators of sexual misconduct, with the hope that the police will be able to obtain a conviction and an appropriate sentence against the offender. For victims of sexual assault, however, oftentimes this is not enough. Sexual abuse victims may experience injuries, including lasting mental trauma as a result of their attack, along with overwhelming hospital bills. In these cases, Illinois law allows victims of sexual misconduct to take legal action to obtain monetary compensation against their abusers as well as businesses and organizations who contributed to the abuse.

Types of Sexual Abuse and Assault Lawsuits

Sexual abuse and sexual assault is a broad term that can be used to describe a large number of criminal charges such as rape, molestation, aggravated sexual assault, and criminal sexual conduct among others. In general, sexual assault is defined as using real or threatened violence as a way to unwillingly force an individual to engage in sexual acts. This type of incident occurs frequently, though not only, in:

Ridesharing or taxi services such as Uber and Lyft
Nursing homes
Hospitals
Hotels
Music festivals
Bars
Apartment buildings
Schools
Buses and trains
Fitness centers
Hotels

Who Can Be Held Liable for a Sexual Assault?

Parties other than the person who actually committed the crime may also be liable in a civil sexual assault suit. Taking action against an actor that was negligent is often a smart decision. In addition to potentially increasing the compensation a victim may receive, this also holds the negligent organization accountable for the role that they played. These parties can include:

An employer of the criminal if the sexual misconduct occurred on the job
Any person or entity that aided or encouraged the attack
The person or entity responsible for the premises where the attack occurred (for example the owner of a building that failed to maintain adequate security precautions)
Any person or entity with a duty to protect against the attack (for instance, a hospital that allows an attack against its patient)

Damages from Sexual Assault

Regardless of the nature of the assault and regardless of whether criminal charges were brought, sexual assault can leave victims temporarily and permanently scarred. No amount of money can repair the psychological and physical damage that sexual assault often causes, but seeking compensation for damages can help with the healing process as well as provide for medical treatment related to the assault. Caras Law Group has years of experience in handling sexual assault cases in Chicago, and our team of lawyers will fight to help you secure compensation for your injuries.

If you believe yourself or a loved one has been a victim of sexual abuse or sexual assault, please contact Caras Law Group immediately for a free consultation and case evaluation from a Chicago sexual assault attorney. Do not let your case go unheard. Attorney Dean Caras and his associates will work to seek justice. Sexual abuse and sexual assault should never go unpunished.

Verdicts Obtained by Caras Law Group:

Rape at Mental Health Ward: $1 million settlement for a female patient that was raped by another patient in a mental health ward. We showed that the hospital violated its own regulations by failing to provide a hall monitor to prevent patients from entering each other’s rooms, allowing the female patient to be raped.

Sexual Molestation: $800,000 recovery for a woman who was molested by another patient at a Chicago area hospital. Attorney Dean Caras was able to prove that the hospital did not provide adequate security, nor did they comply with their own guidelines regarding patient interaction.

Rape at Mental Health Ward: 22-year-old mental health patient was raped in the mental health ward of a Chicago hospital by an inmate that was transferred to the mental health ward from the county jail. The security of the hospital failed to recognize that the inmate had a past history of sexual abuse convictions, yet was put into the co-ed mental health ward and remained unmonitored. Two hours after being admitted into the co-ed ward, the inmate raped our client while she was asleep in her room.

Rape at Drug Treatment Facility: 15-year-old mental health patient was in a drug treatment facility and raped by a male patient who was also a resident of the same treatment facility. We uncovered the fact that the security that was meant to keep the male and female patients separate allowed the male patient to go into the woman’s bathroom, where our minor client was raped. We recovered $500,000 for our client.

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