Frankl Kominsky Injury Lawyers | Compassionate Advocacy. Relentless Representation.
Anger, fear, shame, confusion, and even numbness are just a few of the emotional traumas you may be living with after enduring sexual abuse. The wounds you’ve suffered are deep, and the emotional scars can last a lifetime.
The West Palm Beach sexual abuse lawyers at Frankl Kominsky Injury Lawyers truly understand how deeply painful and disorienting sexual abuse is. We also know how to turn the tables, connect you with the healing resources you need, hold the abuser accountable, and pursue maximum compensation for all your injuries and losses.
Whether the abuse occurred recently or years ago, our legal professionals can throw you a lifeline. We provide a confidential, supportive, and compassionate environment for you to share your experience and get answers to all your questions.
We’re here to help you reclaim your voice and hold everyone involved accountable, including institutions that failed to protect you. Most of all, our goal is to secure the compensation and resources that will help you face the future with hope and confidence.
The Lasting Impact of Sexual Abuse.
Sexual abuse isn’t just a physical act—it leaves invisible scars that can affect every part of a person’s life. Survivors often live with ongoing trauma, including PTSD, anxiety, depression, and feelings of isolation. Many struggle to maintain relationships, continue their education, or stay employed. For some, the emotional damage may not surface until years later.
No one should carry these burdens alone. Florida law allows victims to pursue civil claims against both abusers and negligent third parties who played a role in enabling the abuse. A legal claim cannot erase what happened, but it can offer closure, validation, and a path forward.
Civil Lawsuits for Sexual Abuse in Florida
Sexual abuse is a crime, and it also creates the basis for a civil claim. That means you can pursue justice in both criminal and civil courts. In a civil case, the goal is to hold the perpetrator and any negligent parties financially accountable for the harm they caused.
Legal grounds for a sexual abuse lawsuit
Civil claims related to sexual abuse may involve several legal theories, depending on the circumstances:
- Battery – Any unwanted sexual contact may qualify as civil battery.
- Assault – Threats or attempts of unwanted sexual contact, even without physical contact.
- Intentional infliction of emotional distress – Abuse that causes severe psychological trauma.
- False imprisonment – Situations where the victim was confined or restrained without consent.
- Negligence or gross negligence – When institutions failed to take reasonable steps to prevent abuse.
A West Palm Beach sexual abuse lawyer at Frankl Kominsky can evaluate your specific situation and determine what causes of action may apply to your case.
Third-Party Liability in Sexual Abuse Cases
While the abuser is directly responsible for your injuries, many sex abuse cases involve negligence by third parties. Schools, churches, hospitals, nursing homes, employers, and other institutions may have failed to take reasonable precautions, ignored red flags, or blatantly concealed the abuse.
Negligent hiring or supervision
If an institution failed to properly screen, train, or supervise its employees, it may be liable for harm caused by that negligence. For example:
- A school that hired a teacher without a background check
- A nursing home that ignored complaints about a staff member’s behavior
- A hospital that failed to report known misconduct to the authorities
Inadequate security
Sexual assaults often occur in places where safety measures are either missing or inadequate. Property owners and managers, including landlords, hotel operators, and nightclub owners, have a duty to keep their premises reasonably safe. A lack of surveillance, broken locks, poor lighting, or unmonitored entrances can all increase the risk of sexual violence.
If you were assaulted in a public or semi-public space in West Palm Beach due to negligent security, you may be entitled to bring a premises liability claim.
Delayed Reporting and Florida’s Statute of Limitations
It is extremely common for victims of sexual abuse to wait months, years, or even decades before telling anyone what happened. Shame, fear of not being believed, or trauma-related memory suppression are all common reasons why sexual abuse victims delay in coming forward.
Florida law acknowledges this. In most personal injury cases, there’s a two-year statute of limitations. However, in sexual abuse cases—especially those involving childhood victims—there are exceptions, such as the delayed discovery rule for childhood abuse.
The Florida Supreme Court has ruled that childhood victims may file a lawsuit within two years of “discovering” the abuse—that is, the moment they make the connection between the abuse and the emotional or psychological harm they’re experiencing. This is especially important in cases where the victim suppressed or forgot the abuse due to trauma.
Every case is unique. If you’re unsure whether it’s too late to file a claim, reach out to a West Palm Beach sexual abuse lawyer at Frankl Kominsky for a private consultation. Even if many years have passed, you may still have strong legal options.
Pursuing Compensation for the Harm You’ve Suffered
A civil sexual abuse claim may allow you to recover financial compensation, referred to as damages, for a wide range of harm. These may include:
- Pain and suffering – Both physical pain and emotional distress
- Therapy and medical expenses – Including ongoing counseling and treatment
- Loss of income – If the trauma impacted your ability to work
- Loss of enjoyment of life – When abuse limits your ability to engage in everyday activities or relationships
- Punitive damages – In cases of particularly egregious conduct, to punish the wrongdoer and deter others
Our attorneys will carefully assess your damages and work with trauma-informed experts when necessary to build a compelling claim.
Why Confidentiality and Compassion Matter
Talking about sexual abuse is incredibly difficult, and we know that trust must be earned. At Frankl Kominsky Injury Lawyers, every conversation you have with us is 100% confidential. We approach each case with empathy and discretion. Your dignity, your safety, and your right to be heard are at the core of everything we do.
You’ll never be pressured to proceed with a case. If you choose to move forward, we’ll guide you through every step from investigation to resolution with care and transparency. Our goal is to make the legal process as healing and supportive for you as possible.
How We Investigate and Prove Sexual Abuse Cases
Sexual abuse cases demand careful legal strategy, evidence collection, and a deep understanding of trauma-informed advocacy. At Frankl Kominsky Injury Lawyers, we begin every case with a thorough, respectful, and confidential intake process. We listen to your story, take time to understand your circumstances, and explain the steps ahead, without judgment or pressure.
Key elements of a civil sexual abuse investigation
- Survivor testimony: Your voice is central to the case. We’ll work with sensitivity to document your experience.
- Physical evidence: If available, we’ll help preserve or obtain relevant medical records, photographs, or forensic reports.
- Witness interviews: We may speak with individuals who can support your claim or provide background on the perpetrator or the negligent institution.
- Institutional records: In cases involving schools, nursing homes, or employers, we seek internal documents, security logs, prior complaints, and hiring records.
- Expert opinions: In many cases, psychologists or trauma professionals can provide testimony to explain the long-term emotional effects of abuse.
While building your case, we’ll also anticipate common defense strategies, such as denial, victim blaming, blame-shifting, and statute of limitations arguments, and proactively address them with facts and expert support.
Sexual Abuse in Institutional Settings
Many sexual abuse cases occur in environments where people should feel safe, especially children, elders, or those in vulnerable health. Unfortunately, institutions sometimes fail to protect the people in their care. When those institutions break trust, they can and should be held accountable.
Nursing homes and assisted living facilities
Elderly residents may suffer abuse by staff members, contractors, or even other residents. Due to cognitive impairment or fear, many victims never report what happened. Warning signs may include unexplained injuries, changes in behavior, withdrawal, or expressions of fear around certain individuals.
If your loved one has been abused in a nursing home in the West Palm Beach area, it’s critical to speak with an attorney as soon as possible. Frankl Kominsky Injury Lawyers can help investigate the facility’s hiring, supervision, and reporting practices to determine whether neglect or misconduct occurred.
Public and private schools
Sexual abuse of students by teachers, coaches, or staff is tragically more common than many realize. Schools have a duty to implement child protection policies, conduct background checks, respond to red flags, and report suspected abuse. When they fail to do so, they can be held liable.
We work with child advocates and counselors to ensure young survivors feel heard and safe during the legal process. Parents can initiate legal action on behalf of their children, and even if the abuse occurred many years ago, adults who were victimized in childhood may still have legal options under Florida’s delayed discovery rule.
Churches and faith-based institutions
Religious institutions hold a sacred place in many people’s lives, offering spiritual guidance, community, and support. However, when abuse happens within these environments, the betrayal can be especially profound. Some churches have failed to report allegations, conducted internal cover-ups, or ignored patterns of misconduct by clergy or volunteers.
These institutions can be held civilly liable if they failed to act on credible reports or did not adequately screen or supervise individuals in leadership or mentorship roles. Our attorneys approach these matters with deep respect for survivors' personal beliefs and provide a safe, confidential space to explore your legal rights.
Youth organizations and extracurricular programs
Children and teens often participate in activities that place them under the care of adult leaders—whether in sports teams, youth clubs, or nonprofit mentoring programs. These organizations must implement child safety training, vet volunteers and staff, and enforce clear boundaries. When they neglect these responsibilities, the results can be devastating.
If you or your child were harmed by a coach, camp counselor, or youth leader, our legal team can help determine whether the organization failed to take proper preventive measures. We pursue full accountability from any institution that places children at risk by putting the wrong individuals in positions of trust.
Hospitals and medical institutions
Patients may be vulnerable to abuse while under anesthesia, undergoing treatment, or confined to bed. When healthcare workers violate this trust, the consequences are devastating. We investigate not only the perpetrator’s actions but also the facility’s protocols and prior knowledge of misconduct.
What Makes Frankl Kominsky Different?
When you hire Frankl Kominsky Injury Lawyers, you’re choosing a firm that prioritizes compassion, communication, and real results. We understand that pursuing legal action after sexual abuse is deeply personal. We don’t rush the process or treat you like a case number. Your needs come first—always.
Trauma-informed legal representation
We approach every survivor with empathy and discretion. Our attorneys and legal team have experience working on highly sensitive cases and know how to avoid retraumatization during the legal process.
Proven success in complex injury claims
We’ve earned a strong reputation in West Palm Beach and across South Florida for aggressive representation and tireless advocacy. Our sexual abuse attorneys have recovered millions for clients harmed by negligence, misconduct, and institutional failures. We know how to take on large organizations and their insurance companies—and win.
Award-winning legal team
Our work has been recognized and awarded across Florida and beyond. Frankl Kominsky Injury Lawyers has received accolades from leading legal organizations and publications for our dedication to client service and legal excellence.
No cost unless we recover compensation
We handle sexual abuse cases on a contingency fee basis. You pay nothing up front, and no legal fees at all unless we secure a settlement or verdict on your behalf. Our consultations are always free and fully confidential.
What if Nobody Believes Me?
Survivors often face unfair scrutiny or disbelief. But the law is on your side. In civil cases, the burden of proof is lower than in criminal trials. You don’t need a police report to bring a civil claim, and you don’t need to convince a jury “beyond a reasonable doubt”—just that it’s more likely than not that the abuse occurred.
Take the First Step Toward Healing: Speak With a West Palm Beach Sexual Abuse Lawyer Today
If you’re ready to take the next step, we’re here to help. At Frankl Kominsky Injury Lawyers, we provide confidential, respectful legal support to sexual abuse survivors across West Palm Beach and Palm Beach County. Whether the abuse happened recently or in the past, you deserve answers—and justice.
Let us help you pursue accountability and compensation from the individuals and institutions responsible. We will handle every aspect of your case with care, determination, and professionalism. And we will never pressure you to act before you’re ready.
You’ve been through enough. Let us take it from here.
Contact Us for a Free, Private Consultation
Call our West Palm Beach office today at (561) 800-8000 or reach out online through our secure contact form to schedule a free consultation. We also serve clients in Spanish and Haitian Creole.