Tampa Day Care Sexual Abuse Attorneys

Learning that a child you love has been sexually abused at a day care is a betrayal unlike any other. It’s a violation of the trust you placed in an institution and the people you believed were keeping your child safe. 

The pain, anger, and confusion can be unbearable, and it’s natural to feel lost and unsure of what to do next. If this has happened to your family in the Tampa area, the legal team at Horowitz Law understands the immense courage it takes to confront this trauma. We are here to help you hold the responsible parties accountable for their failures.

Our Tampa day care sexual abuse attorneys are dedicated to standing with survivors and their families. The goal of a civil lawsuit is not just to secure financial compensation, but to empower you by giving you a voice and a pathway toward accountability and healing. 

While no amount of money can erase what happened, it can provide resources for your child's long-term care, therapy, and support. We can guide you through this difficult process with the compassion and fierce legal advocacy you deserve.

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Key Takeaways for Tampa Day Care Sexual Abuse Attorneys

• A civil lawsuit holds a day care and its employees accountable, focusing on institutional failures and negligence.
• The statute of limitations for child sexual abuse in Florida varies, making it essential to contact an attorney to understand what deadlines your case falls under.
• Legal action can help you pursue compensation for medical expenses and emotional distress, providing resources for your family’s healing.
• Your attorney works to build your case, seeking justice without requiring you to carry the legal burden alone.
• A confidential consultation is a risk-free first step to learn about your legal rights and options.

Why Choose Horowitz Law for Your Child’s Daycare Sexual Abuse Case?

Choosing a law firm after a traumatic event is a deeply personal decision. You need a legal team with a proven track record that doesn’t just confront the legal matters head-on but understands the sensitive nature of these cases and handles them with the utmost care and respect. 

Horowitz Law focuses exclusively on representing survivors of sexual abuse, providing a level of experience and dedication other firms cannot match. Our team is committed to creating a safe space for you and your family as we fight for justice.

• A Compassionate, Client-Centered Approach: From your first confidential call, our team prioritizes a supportive, genuinely caring, and non-judgmental environment. We know that coming forward takes immense strength and we handle every detail with the dignity and respect you deserve.
• A History of Results in High-Stakes Cases: Attorney Adam Horowitz and his team have spent decades holding wrongdoers accountable. We have experience confronting powerful institutions like child day cares, schools, and youth organizations. This dedication has led to significant results, including a jury verdict of more than $70 million for a sexual assault survivor.
• No Fees Unless We Win: We believe everyone should have access to excellent legal representation. We represent clients on a contingency fee basis, so there are no upfront costs or hourly fees. We only get paid if we secure a financial recovery for you.
• We Believe You: For many survivors, a core fear is not being believed. Our firm is founded on the unwavering belief that your voice deserves to be heard and your story matters. We know this is not your fault, and we work tirelessly to hold the alleged perpetrator and negligent institution accountable.

What Makes a Tampa Day Care Legally Responsible?

A day care may be held legally responsible for sexual abuse that occurred on its property. When you file a claim against a day care in Florida, it is often based on institutional negligence. This means the organization failed to take reasonable steps to protect the children in its care. 

Day care facilities have a duty to keep children safe, and when they fail, it can be a devastating breach of trust. A civil lawsuit can help expose these failures and prevent similar tragedies from happening to other families.

Common Signs of Day Care Sexual Abuse

Recognizing the signs of abuse can be incredibly difficult, especially since many children do not have the words to describe what happened. Survivors often carry shame or fear, which can prevent them from speaking out. However, a sudden or dramatic change in a child’s behavior can be a sign that something is wrong.

A trained professional, such as a pediatrician or child psychologist, can help you recognize and understand your child’s behavior. Some indicators that may signal abuse include:

• Unexplained fear of a specific adult or of going to day care
• Changes in eating or sleeping patterns, or an increase in nightmares
• Regressive behaviors like bedwetting, thumb-sucking, or clinging to a parent
• Sudden, inappropriate sexual knowledge or behavior for their age
• Unexplained injuries to the genitals or anus, or pain when going to the bathroom

If you notice any of these signs, trust your instincts. The sooner you seek help, the sooner your family can begin the recovery process. While a civil lawsuit can’t erase the emotional or physical pain, it may help provide the resources for therapy and support to aid in your child’s long-term healing.

Civil Lawsuits Versus Criminal Cases in Tampa Sexual Abuse Cases

A civil lawsuit and a criminal case have two different goals. A criminal case, brought by the state, aims to punish the individual who committed the abuse. A civil lawsuit, on the other hand, is about seeking financial compensation and holding the institution or individual financially accountable.

Civil lawsuits are brought by the survivor and their family. A civil case can be successful even if a criminal case is not, because the burden of proof in civil claims is lower.

What Damages May You Pursue in a Tampa Day Care Abuse Claim?

Financial recovery is not the primary goal of a lawsuit, but it is an important step toward healing. Compensation may help pay for vital services and support your family's needs. The compensation in a sexual abuse claim is known as damages, and it is meant to compensate for the wide range of losses caused by the abuse.

The types of compensation a Tampa daycare abuse lawyer might pursue include:

• Emotional and psychological damages: This may include compensation for pain and suffering, emotional distress, anxiety, and long-term psychological trauma.
• Medical and therapeutic costs: You can pursue compensation to cover expenses for therapy, counseling, medical treatment, and any future care your child may need.
• Lost income: If a parent had to miss work to care for the child or attend court dates, you may pursue compensation for lost wages.
• Punitive damages: In some cases, courts may award punitive damages to punish the day care for particularly egregious or malicious conduct.

We pursue full and fair compensation for your family’s losses, which can help provide a stable foundation for your child's recovery and future well-being. A civil claim can help you obtain the resources you need to get the proper care and support for your child.

Florida Law and Day Care Negligence

Florida law imposes a duty of care on day care centers and other organizations that work with children. This means these institutions must conduct proper background checks, train their staff to recognize and report signs of abuse, and maintain a safe environment. When a day care fails in these duties, and that failure leads to a child’s injury, the facility may be held accountable for its negligence.

Horowitz Law is experienced in holding negligent institutions accountable in our home state of Florida and across the United States. We understand the specifics of Florida’s mandatory reporting laws. Our legal team investigates the history of the day care and its employees, looking for a pattern of misconduct or prior complaints that the facility may have ignored.

Is There a Deadline for Filing a Day Care Abuse Claim in Tampa?

Yes, a time limit exists for filing a civil lawsuit in Florida. This is known as the statute of limitations for child abuse. The time you have to file a claim for child sexual abuse varies, and Florida's laws have changed recently to extend the time frame for survivors to come forward.

Determining the exact deadline is one of the first and most important things your attorney can help you with. The law can be complex, and certain circumstances may extend the statute of limitations. Contacting a Tampa child abuse attorney early protects your legal rights and ensures you do not miss any critical deadlines.

The Scope of Child Sexual Abuse

The true prevalence of child sexual abuse is difficult to determine because it is often not reported. Experts agree that actual abuse is far greater than the known incidents authorities report.

In one recent year, Child Protective Services agencies received reports of child abuse from 47 states, encompassing about 7,530,000 children. Of those, 10.6% of the children were sexually abused or assaulted, according to a recent report by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration on Children, Youth and Families.

Other research from the Crimes Against Children Research Center found that one in five girls and one in 20 boys is a victim of child sexual abuse.

In the vast majority of cases where a child has been sexually abused or assaulted, the perpetrator is not a stranger but someone they know well, such as a family member, teacher, or other authority figure. 

FAQs for Tampa Day Care Sexual Abuse Attorneys

Protect Your Child’s Future. Contact a Tampa Daycare Abuse Lawyer Today

Speaking with a day care sexual abuse attorney in Tampa, FL, is a powerful first step toward justice and healing. We understand the courage it takes for your family to confront this trauma, and we are ready to stand by your side from start to finish. Our goal is to position you for the best possible outcome in the least burdensome way to you and your child.

None of this is your fault, and you should not be left to deal with the consequences alone. We’re here to help. To learn more about your legal options, contact  Horowitz Law for a free, completely confidential consultation. Call us at (954)641-2100 or reach out to us online. 

Schedule a Free Confidential Consultation