Vernon Institutional Abuse Lawyer
Find out if you have a case today.
Contact our Vernon institutional abuse lawyers for a free consultation if you have legal questions regarding your institutional abuse claim.
Book a FREE Consultation
Tell us what happened
We’re here to help.
Do you live in Vernon? Here’s how we can help:
Table of Contents
Being sexually abused can have a significant and long-lasting impact on a person’s mental and emotional well-being. Survivors of sexual abuse may experience a wide range of symptoms, including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). They may also face issues related to their self-esteem, and have difficulty trusting others. Because of an abuser’s criminal actions, survivors of sexual abuse may have difficulty forming and maintaining healthy relationships, and struggle with issues related to personal intimacy.
Additionally, survivors of sexual abuse often struggle with eating disorders, dissociative disorders, and other self-harming behaviors, including addiction. Substance use may be a way for survivors to cope with their traumatic experiences. As a result, sexual abuse survivors are 13 times more likely to suffer from alcoholism and 26 times more likely to struggle with substance use disorders than non-victims.
The hallmark of sexual abuse often involves a deep betrayal of trust. It occurs when people in positions of trust, authority, or dependency use their positions of power to sexually exploit vulnerable individuals. Common examples of people who may use an imbalance of power to take advantage of children, teenagers, or vulnerable community members include:
- Religious figures
- Foster parents
- Teachers
- Camp counselors
- Extracurricular program administrators
- Scout leaders
- Sports coaches
- Juvenile detention centre guards
- Psychiatric hospital staff
- And more
The violation of trust and abuse of power at the heart of sexual abuse can make the emotional and psychological impacts of the traumatizing experience even more difficult to bear. To make matters worse, these heinous crimes are often overlooked or actively ignored by people in higher positions of authority. Organizations or employers can be considered contributorily negligent if they fail to take appropriate action to prevent sexual abuse from occurring within their organization. For example, if an employer fails to properly investigate allegations of sexual abuse or fails to implement appropriate measures to protect employees from sexual abuse, they may be held liable for damages.
Our Vernon sexual abuse lawyers are committed to helping survivors in the region in their pursuits of accountability and compensation. By working with our sexual abuse lawyers serving Vernon, survivors in the community may be able may be able to recover damages related to their abuse. Some of the damages that may be available to survivors of sexual abuse include compensation for medical expenses, therapy, prescriptions, psychological counseling, lost wages, failure to reach potential, reduced future earning capabilities, emotional distress, and more.
Pursuing a civil claim may also serve as a means of holding the abuser accountable for their actions to help prevent future abuse. Our Vernon sexual abuse lawyers appreciate that taking legal action can be a difficult and emotional process, but it is an important step in seeking justice and healing.
During a free initial consultation, our sexual abuse lawyers serving Vernon may be able to help you understand your legal rights and advise you of steps you might be able to take to get the compensation you deserve. To learn more about working with our Vernon sexual abuse lawyers, contact us today and set up your free initial consultation.
Call Today for a Free Initial Consultation
There is no statute of limitations on sexual abuse claims in British Columbia, meaning that it is never too late to speak out against your abuser. This means that even if your abuse occurred many years ago, you still have the right to pursue a civil claim for damages.
To discuss your case with our sexual abuse lawyers serving Vernon and receive personalized, cost-free, confidential legal advice, contact Preszler Injury Lawyers today.
Proudly Canadian
Award Winning Personal Injury Law Firm
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
|
May 7, 2026
Institutional Abuse Claims in BC: Civil Lawsuits versus Criminal Charges
Institutional abuse involves a combination of sexual or physical abuse that may occur to a vulnerable person within an institution. Certain institutions are more likely…
institutional abuse FAQs
Here are some commonly asked questions for institutional abuse claims
Can I start a civil action if criminal charges have already been laid against my perpetrator?
Yes, you can start a civil claim if charges have been laid, if the defendant was already found guilty, and even if the defendant was found not guilty in a criminal trial.
What is achieved through a civil action for sexual abuse and how does it differ from what can be achieved through a criminal trial?
A criminal trial focuses on proving that the defendant was guilty of sexual assault. If so, they may be punished through the criminal justice system. The Crown prosecutor retains full control of the entire proceeding.
A civil sexual assault case involves negotiating fair compensation for survivors. We generally also seek written letters of apology from the institution. We want our clients to be in control of the process with our guidance.
How long do I have to start a civil action against my abuser?
There is no limitation. A claim may be started anytime.
If I obtain compensation from my perpetrator – what would that amount possibly look like?
We seek compensation for the pain and suffering caused by the assault. This includes impacts on physical and mental health, sleep, ability to relate to people and have relationships in a healthy way, and all other ways that our clients’ lives have been negatively impacted.
We seek compensation for all lost income. Sexual assault almost always impacts someone’s ability to work in some way. Some survivors may find it impossible to work at all. Some may be unable to pursue job promotions, experience a loss of confidence in the workplace, or have trouble finishing school, college, vocational training, etc. For clients who were abused as children, we often look at all the income they have earned throughout their lives and compare it to what they would have earned if the assault had never happened. This can be a very large number.
We can seek compensation for all past out-of-pocket expenses, such as expenses for treatment. We seek compensation for any future treatment needs, such as counselling, housekeeping, and medication. When appropriate, we can also seek punitive damages against the institution for allowing the assault to take place, not reporting the assault, or taking steps to hide that the assault took place.
Can I sue if sexual abuse happened to a loved one of mine?
If a member of your immediate family was the victim of sexual abuse and lost their life as a result, you may be entitled to pursue a claim against the perpetrator. To learn more, schedule a free initial consultation with our sexual abuse lawyers.
I never submitted a police report. How can I prove this happened?
In our experience, it is very common for survivors of sexual assault to not report their assault to the police, especially if the assault happened when they were a child. 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.
To support our client’s case, we also do research into the relevant institution and defendant to find out if there are other survivors who have come forward with similar stories. Usually, there are. We also work with doctors when appropriate to help explain how the assault impacted our client’s life, which further supports and explains our client’s case.
No survivor of sexual assault should worry about not having enough evidence to come forward. Our firm is experienced in proving and settling sexual assault claims even when the assault happened many decades ago and all potential documents have been long destroyed.
I’m worried I stayed quiet for too long. Is it too late?
It is never too late to report or seek compensation for a sexual assault. There is no statute of limitations for a sexual assault lawsuit. For example, we are often retained by people in their 60s, 70s, and even 80s who were assaulted as children.
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?
No. 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.
The only time a survivor might see the defendant in person is at trial. It is very rare for a civil sexual assault case to go to trial. If it does, our clients have the option to settle without attending the trial.
Survivor of Institutional Abuse in Vernon?
Contact Our Lawyers For a FREE Consultation
We are available 24/7 to provide confidential support.
Find out your legal rights and options for seeking justice during a free consultation with our team.