As a former prosecutor, Henry George, is passionate about justice for all crime victims. Prior to joining our firm, Mr. George worked as an Assistant District Attorney in Philadelphia, PA where he prosecuted crimes ranging from DUIs to Attempted Murder. This background gives him a unique perspective on civil liability in criminal cases that result in physical and emotional injuries. This background also made him a trial lawyer. He knows how to fight in and out of the courtroom for his clients. The experience of prosecuting cases on behalf of victims provides him with important insight and experience to manage your civil case while any criminal case is pending, in order to maximize a victim’s chance of financial recovery.

Crimes are often devastating for both the victim and their loved ones. Life may never be the same. Serious physical assaults, shootings, and sexual assault can cause long-lasting emotional and mental pain. Many victims of crime develop post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression. Some will become completely disabled by their physical and mental injuries.

Monetary Compensation for Crime Victim Injuries

However, too few victims of crime are provided with monetary compensation for the injuries they have sustained – despite the fact that crime victims often suffer severe physical, mental/emotional and financial consequences as a result of the crime. Many victims of crime need medical treatment and extensive therapy.

Other Parties are Often Liable

Under civil, tort or injury laws, crime victims are entitled to make claims for compensation against not only the criminal defendant (direct perpetrator), but any entity, business, corporation, etc. which caused or contributed to the crime and injury. Other parties may have acted indirectly, thus allowing the abuse to occur or continue.

Priest or Clergy Sex Abuse Lawsuit:

A church organization such as a diocese or church organization may bear civil liability, in addition to the actual perpetrator (priest/clergy member). A typical example involves a child or young adult who is sexually assaulted or abused by a church employee. If there is sufficient evidence that church officials knew of the abusive conduct or propensities of the perpetrator, the victim may have a valid legal claim against the church organization.

Teacher or School Employee Abuse Lawsuit: In a situation where a teacher or other school employee such as a coach, principal, etc., sexually abuses a student, the school itself may be sued in a subsequent civil lawsuit. This is in addition to the direct perpetrator, the actual school employee who carried the acts of abuse or assault.

In these cases, the basis of the school’s liability is the failure to provide proper training to school employees, thus allowing the abuse to occur and/or continue.

Alcohol Injury-Accident Lawsuit:

In cases where alcohol or drug use leads to an accident or injury, not only can the direct perpetrator be held legally responsible, but other entities may be held liable. The typical example involves a DUI car accident in which the bar or restaurant is held liable for serving alcohol to the DUI driver prior to the accident. An injured passenger or driver of another car may have a valid claim against the bar or restaurant. The same theory applies to cases in which negligence in serving alcohol leads to an assault (i.e., college hazing injuries).

Civil, tort or personal injury law may, in many instances, provide victims of crime a civil battleground, in the form of a lawsuit, where they can find justice for the wrongs done to them. There is no law that prohibits a crime victim from pursuing a civil case just because the State is prosecuting a criminal matter. This applies even if the offender was not convicted in criminal court. We can hold offenders and liable third parties responsible for your injuries and personal and financial losses. Third party responsibility may be against individuals, employers or corporations, schools, churches and other organizations or municipal entities such as the Department of Human Services or Child Protective Services.

Extortion victims:

In some cases perpetrators of crimes are not charged. In some cases perpetrators of crimes are not even identifiable and the victim may not have reported the crime to law enforcement. In some cases victims are afraid to come forward because they are embarrassed or concerned about damage to reputation or damage to marriage or other relationships or personal assets. Such cases may include persons who are victimized from involvement in dating services such as “seeking arrangements”, “sugar daddy” or “sugar mommy”. In 2013, a Florida woman was arrested by the FBI for allegedly blackmailing an older man, who she had met on the website, sugardaddyforme.com. Using civil remedies such as injunctions, emergency restraining orders and lawsuits are often times the most powerful tools in these types of situations. Most importantly, retain a lawyer, who is experienced in dealing with these situations, immediately. In such cases we will provide aggressive and discrete representation to victims. We can assist you and protect you from being threatened, harassed, extorted and blackmailed. We can protect your privacy, your relationships and your assets.

Victims of crime may be able to file lawsuits against third parties for damages relating to negligent hiring, inadequate supervision of employees and failure to supervise or screen employees and volunteers. It is not uncommon for companies, schools, hospitals, nursing homes, employers, hotels, apartment complexes, universities, daycare centers and churches, and even governmental organizations such as Department of Human Services (DHS), to be held civilly liable for your personal and financial losses. In such cases you may be entitled to collect money damages for your injury.

Survivors of childhood sexual abuse hurt every day of their lives due to the acts committed against them at a period in their lives when they were the most vulnerable. When the abuser was a member of the clergy, the spiritual and psychological impacts have significant impact on the rest of the victim’s life. Priests and other members of the clergy who claim to be men of God and then use their positions of trust and power to steal the innocence of children represent the worst kinds of evil on Earth.

Victims have every right to seek financial restitution for the crimes perpetrated against them by a religious leader. The offender and the religious institution that protected them should have to pay for the lifetime of suffering they have caused.

We provide experienced, aggressive and discrete representation for individuals who are victimized by criminal acts of others, such as;

1. Extortion & Blackmail (seeking arrangements, sugar daddy and sugar mommy dating services);
2. Nursing home abuse and neglect;
3. Daycare abuse;
4. DUI Victims, Dram Shop Act lawsuits
5. Robbery Victims
6. Sexual Assault and Rape Victims
7. Murder Victims
8. Child Sex Abuse Victims
9. Victims of abuse by clergy members
10. Victims of DHS or DHS service neglect
11. Assault Victims
12. Shooting Victims
13. Internet/Cyber Crimes
14. Premises Liability
15. Defamation and Slander

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