If you or a loved one has experienced sexual abuse, you deserve compassionate legal representation from sexual abuse lawyers in Roseland who understand the trauma survivors face. Brach Eichler Injury Lawyers Injury Lawyers, headquartered in Roseland, provides experienced counsel to sexual abuse survivors throughout New Jersey. Our team handles cases involving institutional abuse, workplace assault, premises liability, and personal abuse with sensitivity and determination. With over 50 years of experience and a track record of recovering millions for survivors, we stand ready to fight for your rights and help you seek justice. Call us today at (973) 364-8300 to schedule a free consultation.
Why Roseland Residents Choose Brach Eichler Injury Lawyers for Sexual Abuse Cases
Located at 101 Eisenhower Parkway in Roseland, Brach Eichler Injury Lawyers Injury Lawyers serves as a trusted resource for sexual abuse survivors across Essex County and throughout New Jersey. Our commitment to survivors extends beyond legal representation—we provide trauma-informed counsel that respects the courage it takes to come forward.
Our team includes Edward P. Capozzi, who has been recognized as a Super Lawyer since 2013. Edward serves as Chair of Brach Eichler Injury Lawyers‘s Personal Injury Department and holds lifetime membership in the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, reflecting his success in securing substantial recoveries for clients. Alex S. Capozzi, our partner, earned Super Lawyers Rising Star recognition and achieved a top 20 New Jersey verdict in 2024 valued at $2.75 million. Both attorneys hold certification as Civil Trial Attorneys from the New Jersey Supreme Court, demonstrating their expertise in complex litigation.
Since Brach Eichler Injury Lawyers‘s founding in 1967, the firm has recovered over $535 million for injured clients across all practice areas. Our experienced team of attorneys has consistently earned outstanding client feedback, demonstrating our commitment to client satisfaction and strong results. We work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you. This approach removes financial barriers for survivors and ensures our interests align completely with yours.
Understanding Sexual Abuse and Your Legal Rights in New Jersey
Before exploring your legal rights, it’s important to understand how New Jersey law defines sexual abuse in civil cases.
What Constitutes Sexual Abuse Under New Jersey Law
Sexual abuse in the civil context differs from criminal prosecution. While criminal cases require proof “beyond a reasonable doubt,” civil cases use a lower standard called “preponderance of the evidence,” meaning the evidence must show it’s more likely than not that abuse occurred. This distinction matters significantly for survivors, as civil claims provide a more achievable path to justice and compensation.
Civil sexual abuse encompasses various forms of misconduct, including unwanted sexual contact, sexual assault, sexual harassment that escalates to abuse, and exploitation of vulnerable individuals. The abuse may occur in institutional settings, workplaces, on premises where inadequate security existed, or through personal relationships involving breach of trust or duty. Survivors of workplace sexual assault have specific legal protections under New Jersey employment law.
Survivors can pursue civil claims even if criminal prosecution never occurred, resulted in an acquittal, or concluded years ago. The civil system focuses on organizational responsibility and negligence rather than criminal intent, allowing recovery for damages caused by abuse regardless of criminal outcomes.
The Extended Statute of Limitations—Your Window to Sue
A significant legal reform effective December 1, 2019, dramatically extended the statute of limitations for sexual abuse survivors in New Jersey. This change provides hope to many survivors who believed their opportunity for justice had passed.
Under the new law, victims abused as minors can file civil lawsuits until age 55. Additionally, all victims—regardless of age when abused—can sue within 7 years of discovering the injury caused by the abuse. This extended timeline recognizes that survivors often need time to process trauma, seek therapy, and gather courage to pursue legal action. Our Roseland personal injury lawyers understand these critical deadlines and work quickly to protect your rights.
The significance of this reform cannot be overstated. Survivors who thought they had missed filing deadlines now have a genuine opportunity to seek justice and compensation. If you’ve experienced sexual abuse and wondered whether you could still pursue a claim, the answer is likely yes. The statute of limitations clock may be running, making it critical to contact an attorney promptly to protect your rights.
Types of Sexual Abuse Cases We Handle
Survivors may pursue civil claims arising from various circumstances, including those involving:
Institutional Sexual Abuse
Institutional settings have, unfortunately, become locations where sexual abuse occurs with alarming frequency. Organizations, including churches and religious institutions, schools and educational facilities, youth organizations like the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, medical facilities and healthcare providers, and nursing homes and assisted living facilities, have all faced sexual abuse claims.
In institutional abuse cases, organizations bear responsibility not only for direct abuse by employees but also for negligent hiring, inadequate supervision, failure to investigate complaints, and systemic coverups. Many institutions carry insurance coverage for these claims, and survivors have the right to pursue compensation from the organization itself, not just individual perpetrators. If you’ve experienced abuse in a nursing home or assisted living facility, our nursing home abuse lawyers in Roseland can help you pursue accountability and recover damages for your suffering.
Premises Liability Sexual Assault
Sexual assault also occurs in commercial and hospitality settings where property owners and managers fail to provide adequate security. Hotels and hospitality venues have a duty to protect guests from foreseeable criminal acts. Rideshare services like Uber and Lyft must implement safety measures to protect passengers. Workplaces must maintain secure environments and respond appropriately to harassment and assault. Property owners who fail to install adequate lighting, security cameras, locks, or personnel may face liability when assault occurs on their premises.
These cases focus on the property owner’s or manager’s negligence in providing reasonable security measures. If an assault was foreseeable based on prior incidents or known risks, the property owner’s failure to take preventive action can result in liability. Our premises liability attorneys in Roseland understand how to establish negligent security claims and hold property owners accountable. We also handle slip and fall cases and other premises-related injuries where inadequate security or maintenance contributed to harm.
How Brach Eichler Injury Lawyers Pursues Sexual Abuse Claims
Our approach to sexual abuse litigation combines aggressive advocacy with sensitivity to survivors’ needs. We employ multiple legal theories to hold responsible parties accountable.
Respondeat Superior holds employers liable for employee actions committed within the scope of employment. This doctrine recognizes that organizations benefit from employee work and should bear responsibility when employees abuse their positions of trust.
Premises Liability focuses on property owners’ and managers’ duty to maintain reasonably safe premises and protect against foreseeable criminal acts. When inadequate security enables abuse, the property owner bears responsibility.
Negligent Hiring and Supervision addresses organizations’ failure to properly vet employees, conduct background checks, or monitor conduct. Organizations that hire individuals with known abuse histories or fail to supervise employees adequately bear liability for resulting abuse.
Negligent Security examines whether property owners implemented reasonable security measures. Inadequate lighting, broken locks, absent security personnel, or a lack of surveillance systems may constitute negligent security.
Our investigation process begins immediately upon engagement. We gather evidence and documentation, coordinate with medical and psychological experts, identify all potentially liable parties, analyze organizational policies and procedures, review prior complaints or incidents, and preserve critical evidence and records. Our team has successfully recovered millions in personal injury settlements for clients across New Jersey.
We hold organizations accountable for systemic failures that enabled abuse. Our litigation pressure seeks compensation reflecting the full scope of damages while working to prevent future abuse through accountability.
Frequently Asked Questions About Sexual Abuse Cases in Roseland
What is the statute of limitations for sexual abuse in New Jersey?
Under the law effective December 1, 2019, victims can file civil lawsuits until age 55 (if abused as a minor) or within 7 years of discovering the injury caused by the abuse. This extended timeline provides significantly more opportunity for survivors to seek justice compared to the previous law. If you’re unsure whether your case falls within the statute of limitations, contact us for a free consultation—we can evaluate your specific situation. Our Essex County personal injury lawyers are familiar with all applicable deadlines.
How much does it cost to hire a sexual abuse attorney?
Brach Eichler Injury Lawyers works on a contingency fee basis for sexual abuse cases. This means you pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you. We advance all costs and expenses associated with your case, and you owe us nothing if we don’t win. This arrangement removes financial barriers for survivors seeking justice and ensures our interests align completely with yours—we succeed only when you succeed. Learn more about how personal injury settlements are paid out.
Can I sue an organization for sexual abuse by an employee?
Yes. Under the legal doctrine of respondeat superior, organizations can be held liable for sexual abuse committed by their employees if the abuse occurred within the scope of employment or the organization failed in its duty to protect. Additionally, organizations may face liability for negligent hiring, negligent supervision, or negligent security if they failed to exercise reasonable care in preventing foreseeable abuse. We investigate all potential defendants and pursue claims against every responsible party. Our wrongful death attorneys also handle cases where sexual abuse resulted in fatal outcomes.
What damages can I recover in a sexual abuse case?
Survivors may recover compensation for medical expenses and therapy costs, lost wages and lost earning capacity, pain and suffering, emotional distress and psychological trauma, loss of enjoyment of life, and punitive damages in cases involving gross negligence or intentional misconduct. We work to ensure your recovery reflects the full scope of your damages, including both economic losses and non-economic harm. Understanding loss of earning capacity is critical in calculating fair compensation.
Is my case confidential?
Yes. We handle all sexual abuse cases with complete confidentiality and sensitivity. We understand the privacy concerns survivors face and the stigma that may accompany coming forward. Many jurisdictions permit anonymous filing options to protect your identity during litigation. We discuss confidentiality and privacy protections during your free consultation and work to shield your identity to the maximum extent possible.
How long does a sexual abuse case take?
Timeline varies significantly based on case complexity, number of defendants, defendant cooperation, settlement negotiations, and whether trial becomes necessary. Some cases settle within months; others may take several years if litigation is required. We provide a realistic timeline during your free consultation based on the specific facts of your case. Throughout the process, we keep you informed and involved in all major decisions. Our experience with personal injury mediation helps us resolve cases efficiently.
Contact Brach Eichler Injury Lawyers for Your Free Consultation
You don’t have to face this alone. Brach Eichler Injury Lawyers Injury Lawyers provides free, confidential consultations to sexual abuse survivors. Our compassionate sexual abuse attorneys in New Jersey listen without judgment and explain your legal options clearly.
Your voice matters. The abuse you experienced was not your fault. Let Brach Eichler Injury Lawyers Injury Lawyers help you seek justice and recovery. Contact us today at (973) 364-8300 to schedule your free consultation.
Written by: Brach Eichler Injury Lawyers Last Updated : October 29, 2025We are the trial attorneys with the experience and knowledge to get you the results you deserve. At Brach Eichler Injury Lawyers, we take time to get to know you, as well as your case. We are committed to excellence. It is important for our team to understand your fears, concerns and expectations. We are always available to answer any questions, and are willing to come to you if you are unable to come to us.
Contact Your New Jersey Personal Injury Attorneys
