Sexual assault and sexual abuse of a child are horrific crimes, which is why a recent Florida law gives the criminal justice community an unlimited amount of time to pursue charges. However, victims also have civil remedies for the mistreatment they suffered. Instead of jail time, the point of a civil lawsuit is to compensate the victim for their physical, emotional, and financial losses. In these cases, the deadline is different. The basic Florida statute of limitations for personal injury cases is four years, subject to some exceptions. If you do not file suit within this timeframe, you are barred from recovering damages.
Two key exceptions apply when the wrongdoing is intentional abuse, and the victim is a minor, both of which could be factors in child sexual abuse cases. The nature of the misconduct is criminal and extreme, so victims have additional time on their side to file a lawsuit. A Miami crime victims attorney will guide you through the litigation process, and some information about the different statutes of limitations is useful.
Deadlines for Child Sexual Abuse Civil Cases