Our Pittsburgh sexual assault lawyers help survivors understand their rights under Pennsylvania law and pursue civil claims against the individuals and organizations responsible for the harm they suffered.
After a sexual assault, many survivors are left asking questions that have no easy answers. You may know who assaulted you, but you may not know whether someone else could have prevented it.
You may wonder whether an employer ignored warning signs, whether a school or organization failed to protect you, or whether a business, healthcare provider, or institution should also be held accountable. Many survivors also question whether enough evidence still exists or whether too much time has passed to explore their legal options.
At Fight For Survivors, we represent survivors in complex civil litigation involving sexual assault, abuse, and institutional negligence. Whether your case involves a workplace, healthcare facility, religious institution, school, rideshare company, or another setting, our attorneys can evaluate the circumstances, identify potentially responsible parties, and explain what pursuing a civil lawsuit may involve.
We're ready to stand by you every step of the way.
Why Choose Fight For Survivors for Your Pittsburgh Sexual Assault Case?
Choosing a sexual assault attorney is about more than finding someone who understands Pennsylvania law. You deserve an experienced Pittsburgh law firm that knows how to investigate complex cases, uncover institutional failures, and hold powerful organizations accountable when their negligence contributes to sexual assault.
Fight For Survivors is dedicated to representing survivors in high-stakes civil litigation. Our attorneys understand that every case is different, and we begin by listening to your experience, evaluating the available evidence, identifying potentially responsible parties, and developing a legal strategy tailored to your circumstances.
Our work extends far beyond filing a lawsuit. Depending on the facts of the case, we can preserve critical evidence, obtain institutional records through discovery, review internal investigations, analyze organizational policies, interview witnesses, work with qualified experts, negotiate with defendants, and, when necessary, prepare the case for trial.
Throughout the process, we strive to provide clear guidance, honest answers, and compassionate representation while aggressively pursuing accountability on behalf of our clients.
Who Might Be Involved in a Civil Sexual Assault Lawsuit?
A criminal prosecution is only one avenue for seeking justice after a sexual assault. Pennsylvania law also allows many survivors to pursue civil lawsuits against the people and organizations legally responsible for the harm they suffered.
Civil sexual assault claims arise in many different settings. They may involve assaults committed by coworkers, supervisors, healthcare professionals, rideshare drivers, educators, clergy members, youth leaders, landlords, or other trusted individuals. In some cases, lawsuits also involve schools, universities, religious organizations, businesses, nursing homes, apartment complexes, healthcare facilities, or employers whose negligence contributed to the assault.
Every case is different. Whether a civil lawsuit is available depends on the facts surrounding the assault, the available evidence, the applicable filing deadlines, and the identity of every potentially responsible party.
We Look Beyond the Individual Who Committed the Assault
Many survivors believe that only the individual who committed the assault can be held legally responsible. However, one of the most important questions in many civil cases is whether someone else had the opportunity—and the legal responsibility—to prevent the assault from occurring.
Our attorneys examine whether employers ignored previous complaints, organizations failed to investigate reports of misconduct, appropriate supervision or background screening was lacking, and businesses or institutions disregarded their own safety policies. In some cases, the evidence shows that an organization knew about warning signs long before the assault occurred but failed to take meaningful action.
Depending on what an investigation uncovers, multiple individuals or organizations may share legal responsibility.
| Potential Defendant | Examples of Possible Legal Claims |
| Individual perpetrator | Sexual assault or sexual abuse |
| Employer | Negligent hiring, supervision, or retention |
| School or university | Failure to protect students or respond to reports |
| Religious institution | Organizational negligence or failure to investigate abuse |
| Healthcare provider or hospital | Negligent supervision or patient safety failures |
| Business or property owner | Negligent security or other failures to provide reasonably safe premises |
A civil lawsuit is not limited to determining what one individual did. It also examines whether an organization failed to fulfill its responsibility to protect others from foreseeable harm.
Start your journey towards justice today by scheduling your free claim consultation
How Our Pittsburgh Sexual Assault Lawyers Build Strong Civil Cases
Building a successful civil claim requires much more than documenting what happened during the assault. Our attorneys begin by identifying the legal issues that will shape the case, evaluating applicable filing deadlines, determining every potentially responsible defendant, and preserving evidence before it is lost.
Depending on the circumstances, we may review medical records, personnel files, employment records, internal complaints, electronic communications, surveillance footage, organizational policies, licensing records, and other documentation that helps explain how the assault occurred and whether it could have been prevented.
We prepare a formal claim demand that includes all damages suffered by our clients. We’ll negotiate with insurance companies and defense counsel to settle the claim out of court, if possible. If the other side won’t offer a fair settlement amount, we will be prepared to take the case to court to protect our clients.
Throughout the process, our legal team uses the legal process to obtain records and testimony that are not ordinarily available to the public. We can question witnesses under oath, review institutional decision-making, consult qualified experts when appropriate, respond to legal motions, negotiate with defendants, and prepare each case for trial so we are ready if the time comes.
Our goal is not simply to file a claim or lawsuit—it is to build the strongest case possible based on the law and the evidence available.
How Our Experience Handling Institutional Abuse Cases Helps Our Clients
Many survivors contact us believing they may have a case only against the person who assaulted them. That is an understandable assumption, but it is not always where the legal analysis ends.
One of the most important parts of our work is determining whether an institution's actions—or inaction—also contributed to what happened. Our attorneys can obtain records that may reveal prior complaints involving the same individual, internal investigations, disciplinary histories, hiring decisions, safety policies, or communications showing how an organization responded to warning signs.
Survivors often lack access to this information before filing a lawsuit. In many cases, the fuller picture only begins to emerge after our lawyers use the legal process to require organizations to produce records and answer questions under oath.
That is why we encourage survivors not to assume they must identify every responsible party before speaking with a lawyer. Determining who may share legal responsibility is an important part of the work our attorneys provide.
Adult and Childhood Sexual Assault Cases Involve Different Legal Considerations
We work with survivors of all ages. However, adult sexual assault cases and childhood sexual abuse cases often present different legal issues, different evidence, and different questions about institutional responsibility.
Adult Sexual Assault Claims
Adult sexual assault claims frequently involve assaults committed by coworkers, supervisors, healthcare professionals, rideshare drivers, landlords, acquaintances, or other individuals who abused positions of trust or authority.
Our Pittsburgh adult sexual assault lawyers can review your experience and explain who may be held liable and how long you have to file a civil lawsuit for your losses. In general, Pennsylvania’s statute of limitations for these types of claims is only two years from the date of the assault.
Childhood Sexual Abuse Claims
Cases involving childhood sexual abuse often require a broader examination of institutional knowledge, supervision, reporting obligations, and organizational failures. Our Pittsburgh child sexual abuse lawyers file claims against schools, youth organizations, religious institutions, athletic programs, healthcare providers, and other organizations, depending on the circumstances.
Pennsylvania’s childhood sexual abuse laws have been extended to allow survivors more time to process what happened and take legal action against those responsible for their harm. While you may have many years to file a lawsuit, it’s best to understand your legal rights now so you can make the best decisions under your circumstances.
Because these deadlines vary significantly from one case to another, it is important not to assume that you have lost your right to pursue a civil claim without first obtaining legal advice. Our attorneys can evaluate your situation, explain which laws may apply, and determine whether a lawsuit can still be filed during a free, confidential consultation.
What Evidence May Help Support a Civil Lawsuit?
Many survivors worry they don’t have enough evidence because the assault occurred in private or because significant time has passed. While every case presents different challenges, civil lawsuits frequently rely on much more than eyewitness testimony.
Helpful evidence may include medical records, police reports, employment documents, electronic communications, photographs, surveillance footage, witness testimony, institutional records, personnel files, prior complaints, and expert analysis. In many cases, attorneys also obtain evidence through the discovery process that survivors would be unable to access on their own before litigation begins.
Part of our role is identifying any remaining evidence, preserving important information, and using the legal process to build the strongest possible case on your behalf.
What Compensation May Be Available in a Pittsburgh Sexual Assault Lawsuit?
A civil lawsuit cannot change what happened, but it can help address the lasting consequences that sexual assault often has on nearly every aspect of a survivor's life. Pennsylvania law allows survivors to seek financial compensation for losses that can be linked to the abuse and the harm it caused.
Depending on the facts of the case, compensation may include the cost of medical care, counseling and other mental health treatment, lost wages, reduced future earning capacity, emotional distress, pain and suffering, and other damages supported by the evidence. Because every survivor's experience is different, the types and amount of compensation available vary from case to case.
Civil litigation can also accomplish something many survivors consider equally important: holding responsible individuals and institutions accountable for their actions. Through the legal process, lawsuits may uncover information that was previously unavailable, expose organizational failures, and encourage safer policies and practices that help prevent similar harm from happening to others.
What If You Never Reported the Assault to Law Enforcement?
Many survivors worry that they cannot pursue a civil lawsuit because they never reported the assault to the police. Others delayed reporting because of trauma, fear of retaliation, concerns about being believed, or uncertainty about what happened.
While every case is different, the absence of a criminal report does not automatically prevent a survivor from pursuing a civil claim. Civil lawsuits are evaluated under different legal standards than criminal prosecutions, and attorneys may rely on many forms of evidence beyond a police investigation.
If you are unsure whether your circumstances could support a lawsuit, speak with our attorneys to help you better understand your legal options.
We're ready to stand by you every step of the way.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I file a lawsuit if the person who assaulted me was never arrested?
Yes. A civil lawsuit is separate from a criminal prosecution. In many situations, survivors pursue civil claims even when no criminal charges were filed or no conviction was obtained.
What if I do not know whether an organization was responsible?
That is a common concern. One of our responsibilities is to investigate whether an employer, school, healthcare provider, religious institution, business, or other organization may share legal responsibility for the assault.
Will my case have to go to trial?
Many civil sexual assault lawsuits are resolved through negotiated settlements, but some proceed to trial. We prepare every case for trial so we are ready to advocate for our clients, whether resolution occurs during negotiations or in the courtroom.
Can I file a claim if the assault happened years ago?
The answer depends on the facts of your case and the laws that apply. Because Pennsylvania's filing deadlines vary based on several factors, it is important to speak with our attorneys before assuming you no longer have legal options.
I am not sure I have enough evidence. Should I still contact a lawyer?
Yes. Many survivors contact us before they know what evidence exists. Evaluating available evidence, preserving important information, and identifying additional sources of proof are all important parts of our civil sexual assault investigation.
Contact Our Pittsburgh Sexual Assault Lawyers Today to Learn More
You do not have to have all the answers before speaking with our team. Many survivors come to us with questions about who may be responsible, what evidence exists, or whether they can still file a lawsuit. Evaluating those questions is part of what we do.
At Fight For Survivors, we represent survivors in complex civil sexual assault litigation and work to hold both individuals and institutions accountable when their negligence contributes to abuse. Whether your case involves a workplace, healthcare facility, school, religious institution, business, or another setting, our legal team can explain your rights and discuss the legal options available to you.
Call Fight For Survivors today at (833) 55-FIGHT or contact us online to speak confidentially with one of our Pittsburgh sexual assault lawyers. Our trial attorneys have extensive experience handling high-stakes litigation against individuals, corporations, and institutions, and we are prepared to pursue the accountability and justice you deserve.