Illinois Boarding School Sexual Abuse

Compensation for Victims of Boarding School Abuse in Illinois

In Illinois, there are many public and private boarding schools where students reside during the academic year. Unfortunately, sexual abuse claims have become more common in these institutions. If you are the victim of misconduct, you could pursue compensation via Illinois boarding school sexual abuse lawsuits. 

Injury Lawyer Team is here to support your claim and increase your chances of securing fair compensation. Our team of attorneys has decades of experience helping sexual abuse survivors hold their abusers accountable. We also know what it takes to establish negligence against institutions that fail to protect students. 

Our boarding school sexual abuse lawyers will investigate your claim and build a strong case for compensation to cover your legal damages. 

Illinois Boarding Schools Where Sexual Abuse Might Occur

Boarding school sexual abuse could be a concern for multiple reasons. 

First, these schools sometimes lack oversight of students, especially outside the classroom. If proper hiring practices are not followed, employees with a background of sexual misconduct could be hired without a proper background check. 

Other causes of sexual abuse in boarding schools include inappropriate one-on-one teaching sessions, improper security, unresponsive school administrators, abusive staff members, and institutional cover-ups. 

Boarding schools are unique locations because underage students are isolated from their parents. This creates an atmosphere where abuse allegations may be easier to cover up. The right law firm can make all the difference if you need evidence of forced sexual acts being covered up by a boarding school. 

Below is a list of boarding schools in Illinois, though their inclusion here does not imply that sexual abuse has occurred. 

• Lake Forest Academy
• Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart
• Brehm Preparatory School
• Marian Catholic High School
• Wayland Academy
• Saint Bede Academy
• Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy

What Laws Govern Illinois Boarding School Child Sexual Abuse Cases?

Multiple laws may influence a sex abuse lawsuit involving a boarding school in Illinois. 

The Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act (325 ILCS 5/) lays out several standards for reporting any sexual misconduct and other forms of abuse against minors. Under this act, educational personnel are designated as mandated reporters, requiring them to report suspected abuse of a boarding school student. 

Illinois School Code (105 ILCS 5/) establishes regulations for all educational institutions in the state. One statute in this law that addresses children who have been sexually abused or assaulted is 105 ILCS 5/22-85. 

Under this standard, children who are victims of sexual abuse must not be subject to multiple interviews regarding an incident, as this can be traumatizing. Instead, a child advocacy organization should play a role in developmentally appropriate responses.

105 ILCS 5/22-85.5 states that staff members must maintain a professional relationship with their students, and all forms of sexual misconduct could risk the student’s safety. 

How Long Do Victims Have to File a Sexual Abuse Lawsuit in Illinois?

Under 735 ILCS 5/13-202.2, the former statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse was 20 years after the abuse occurred or 20 years after the abuse was discovered. However, recent legislation has abolished the statute of limitationsfor child sexual abuse entirely. This means there is no time limit for filing a claim against the boarding school or individual abuser. 

There are some exceptions to the statute of limitations on child sex abuse in Illinois. The law was abolished in 2014, so abuse or assault that affected a minor before this date would still fall under the 20-year rule. 

Understanding how a statute of limitations works is crucial for your case. Injury Lawyer Team will help you understand these laws and how they may influence your ability to pursue compensation. 

What Damages Can Be Recovered Through a Civil Lawsuit?

If you are the victim of child sexual abuse in an Illinois boarding school, a claim allows you to hold the perpetrator accountable while seeking legal damages. These losses can be physical, emotional, or financial in nature. Our expert attorneys will work to accurately assess your damages and seek the maximum settlement.

Let’s examine the most common legal damages in child sexual abuse cases.

Economic Damages

These losses are easier to assess because they are tied to specific amounts. The financial impact of your abuse is most often addressed with these legal damages. 

• Lost income – If the victim is at a legal working age and cannot work due to the abuse they suffered, they could recover compensation for lost wages
• Diminished earning capacity – Victims of boarding school abuse may be severely impacted by the trauma, making it difficult to find or maintain employment in the future
• Medical expenses – If boarding school sexual abuse leads to physical injuries or emotional trauma, treatment costs can be covered, including emergency care, medication, rehabilitation, and therapy

Non-Economic Damages

Sexual abuse victims often suffer long-term consequences because of their abusers. Non-economic damages frequently address the impact of being sexually assaulted in a lawsuit.

• Emotional distress – A victim of sexual assault may suffer significant psychological harm from the incident, leading to mental health challenges like Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, self-harm, anxiety, depression, and suicide ideation
• Pain and suffering – Violent sexual misconduct can leave the victim with physical injuries, resulting in ongoing pain and suffering
• Loss of enjoyment of life – Some victims of child abuse never emotionally heal from their experiences, which can make it difficult to enjoy normal life activities in the future

Punitive Damages 

In some cases involving child molestation, abuse, or assault, a judge may award punitive damages to the victim. This type of loss is reserved for claims that involve gross negligence, intentional misconduct, or institutional cover-ups. 

For example, if you reported inappropriate touching by a fellow student or a teacher to the boarding school and they silenced your attempts to speak out, this could result in punitive damages against the school following a successful claim. 

How Our Illinois Boarding School Abuse Lawyers Can Help

Pursuing a boarding school abuse lawsuit can be an immense legal challenge. You may be contending with a lack of evidence, institutional cover-ups, stubborn defendants, shady tactics from insurance companies, and people who question your credibility as a victim. 

At Injury Lawyer Team, we provide a compassionate approach to the legal process when representing survivors, so you have the space to share your story. Perpetrators of forced sexual acts, sexual assault, and other forms of misconduct must be brought to justice, and our team can help you accomplish this.

Our legal services during Illinois sexual abuse lawsuits include:

• Investigating the incident – We will examine your allegations of abuse with a thorough investigation to uncover all evidence
• Assessing damages – We will look at the economic and non-economic impact of the abuse on your life to maximize financial compensation
• Gathering evidence – We know how to acquire specialized evidence from boarding school officials, including complaint reports, surveillance footage, witness statements, and institutional documents
• Negotiating with insurance companies – Insurers often undermine claims from victims who have been sexually assaulted, but we will fight hard to ensure you receive the settlement you deserve
• Litigating in civil court if necessary – If a settlement cannot be reached outside of court, we will fight for your rights and seek justice in an Illinois circuit court and beyond

Consult Our Law Firm

Seeking financial compensation after suffering from child sexual abuse in a boarding school can be an overwhelming process. You are dealing with a severely traumatic event, all while attempting to understand complex laws and boarding school politics. 

Injury Lawyer Team can make all the difference as you seek justice against your abuser and the negligent parties who failed to protect you. Our lawyers have recovered millions for past survivors who have experienced sexual abuse, and we maintain a 98% success rate with our cases. 

Whether you suffered due to a lack of adequate supervision or poor vetting practices during the hiring process for educators, our experienced attorneys will help you establish liability and prove damages. 

Our team of sexual abuse attorneys works on a contingency fee basis, which means you owe nothing unless we win. We also offer a free consultation, allowing you to ask questions about claims involving private schools and boarding institutions. 

Contact us today at 866-757-6452 to request your free consultation.