Group Home Sexual Abuse Attorneys in Tallahassee, FL Protecting the Rights of Sexual Abuse Survivors in Leon County, Wakulla County, Jefferson County, Gadsden County, and Throughout Florida & Georgia
Vulnerable adults living in group homes should always be treated with dignity and respect, but predators may view these residents as easy prey for sexual exploitation. The Tallahassee group home sexual assault and abuse lawyers at Brooks, LeBoeuf, Foster, Gwartney, & Hobbs P.A. stand up for the abused. In Florida most of these facilities are licensed as an Intermediate Care Facility for the Developmentally Disabled (ICF-DD). By providing the assistance necessary to take legal action against a negligent ICF-DD or other group home, we help survivors secure justice, accountability, and the financial resources to support their healing journey.
Don’t wait to take action. Getting help ensures that victims of even the most heinous abuse have the support they need to address the trauma they have been through and move forward. Contact us today for a free, confidential consultation, and find out how our team of compassionate, experienced attorneys can help you hold negligent group homes accountable for enabling abuse and assault.
Sexual Abuse of Vulnerable Adults in Group Homes in Tallahassee and Throughout Florida
Both individual sexual assaults and patterns of sexual abuse are serious concerns in group homes. Victims suffer harm from mistreatment that ranges from groping and molestation to rape. These acts of sexual violence can be perpetrated by staff members, outside vendors, and even other residents. Any form of unwanted or inappropriate sexual contact or activity can cause significant harm to vulnerable adult residents, impacting them physically and emotionally.
Our firm represents all group home residents who have been subjected to sexual abuse and assault, including:
- Adults with physical disabilities that impact independence or result in increased physical vulnerability
- Patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
- Individuals with intellectual disabilities
- Adults with developmental disabilities
- Residents whose mental health challenges require additional support or supervision
- Elderly individuals who may not require skilled nursing care but still need general supervision or assistance with daily living tasks or medication management
Numerous factors can make adults living in group homes vulnerable to exploitation and mistreatment. Often, these victims may struggle to communicate what has happened. For example, a patient who is nonverbal may not be able to tell family members or staff that they have been assaulted or abused. Individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities may not fully understand what their attacker or abuser was doing, limiting their ability to report inappropriate contact.
Physical limitations, too, can make group home residents vulnerable. A resident with physical disabilities may not be able to fend off an attacker’s forcible assault or escape physical restraints used by their abuser to enable sexual exploitation. Predatory staff members and other residents may also coerce a victim with physical limitations into unwanted or inappropriate sexual contact through threats, including threats of withholding food, water, medication, or assistance with daily living activities.
Whether the sexual abuse or assault involved physical force, threats, or abuse of power, it needs to be stopped right away. Those responsible for allowing this terrible situation to occur need to face the consequences. Most importantly, the victim of abuse or sexual assault needs to know that they are safe from further harm, that they did not deserve this mistreatment, and that they have the support that can help them recover.
How Our Group Home Sexual Abuse Attorneys in Tallahassee, FL, Help Survivors
Suspicions of sexual abuse or assault can’t be ignored, particularly when the victim is in a vulnerable position, such as an adult with disabilities living in a group home. Our legal team is ready to take swift, decisive action to protect the injured, preserve their legal rights, and hold all liable parties, including negligent residential facilities, accountable.
As experienced Tallahassee group home sexual assault and abuse lawyers, we know how to conduct a thorough investigation. We gather all evidence of abuse while maintaining the privacy and dignity of survivors to the fullest extent possible. We identify all of the ways in which a facility’s failures enabled abuse to occur, and we build compelling claims against all potential defendants.
We recognize how severely sexual abuse and assault can affect survivors, and we’re committed to ensuring all consequences of abuse are addressed as fully as possible through the legal process. Our attorneys pursue maximum financial compensation for all of our clients’ damages, from the physical injuries and resulting medical expenses to the emotional trauma and the loss of quality and enjoyment of life that survivors of abuse suffer.
Nothing can undo the harm that’s been done, but compassionate guidance through the legal process and the validation and resources that come out of a successful group home negligence claim can help victims heal and approach the next chapter of their lives on the best footing possible.
Signs of Sexual Abuse in Group Homes
For family members, the occurrence of sexual abuse in group homes is a difficult reality to accept. No one wants to contemplate the possibility that someone—whether a predator on staff at the facility or a fellow resident—could be exploiting their vulnerable loved one. Although this terrible exploitation does happen, your vigilance can help protect your family member and, if abuse does occur, quickly put a stop to it.
It isn’t always easy to identify sexual abuse and assault in group homes, especially if your loved one is unable or unwilling or unable to discuss the mistreatment—whether due to their individual limitations or to fear of being harmed by their abuser or simply not being believed.
Some signs that could indicate sexual abuse is occurring include:
- Physical injuries of any kind, which could be sustained if the victim tries to fight back against a violent attack or is physically restrained
- Injuries specifically to the genitals or other private areas
- Blood on the victim’s undergarments or other clothing
- New, worsened, or unexplained difficulty sitting or walking
- Withdrawal from social interactions
- Feelings of fear, anxiety, or depression
- Acting fearful around certain staff members or residents
- Nightmares or flashbacks that could indicate a traumatic experience
Sexual abuse can have a significant impact on a victim’s health and well-being. Physically, sexually transmitted infections and potentially even an unexpected pregnancy could impact a vulnerable adult who has been sexually assaulted. Even without these specific consequences, residents who become anxious or depressed may fail to get sufficient rest, nourishment, and social interaction, affecting them mentally as well as physically.
Your family deserves comprehensive support from a legal team that understands just how devastating the consequences of sexual abuse of a vulnerable adult can be. With compassion, legal skill, and dedication to giving every client’s case our all, we’re prepared to build strong claims for compensation in matters involving Group Home facility negligence.
Steps to Take If You Suspect That a Loved One Is Being Sexually Abused in an Group Home Facility
Once you have begun to suspect that your loved one has been abused, you need to take action quickly. It’s okay if you don’t have concrete proof of sexual abuse. Gather any evidence you have and consult an experienced attorney.
Depending on the circumstances, it may make sense to report your suspicions to a supervisor, go straight to the facility’s director, contact the police, or file a complaint with the Department of Children and Family Services (DCF) and the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA)’s Complaint Administration Unit. Our team can help you assess your options based on the extent of the danger your loved one appears to be in and the extent of the facility’s knowledge of the exploitation.
How Brooks, LeBoeuf, Foster, Gwartney, & Hobbs P.A. Can Help
Our Group Home sexual abuse attorneys in Tallahassee, FL, provide comprehensive support for families impacted by the exploitation of vulnerable adults in residential facilities. With our thorough knowledge of both the legal rights of group home residents and the logistics involved in moving vulnerable adults to a safer environment, we can help you determine your next steps with your family member’s safety in mind.
We will quickly begin a thorough investigation to uncover the truth about any mistreatment that has been perpetrated against your loved one. We gather evidence through reviews of witness accounts, photographs, video surveillance information, incident reports, personnel records, group home policies and procedures, victims’ medical records, and more.
We know how important it is—to the safety and legal rights of abuse survivors as well as the safety of other residents—that we gather all available evidence, identify all liable parties, and build the strongest possible case for compensation. We’re also committed to advocating tirelessly for the abuse survivors we serve and their families, ensuring that group home facilities can’t use their resources and power to silence victims. Through the civil legal process, we secure our clients maximum compensation for their medical expenses, pain and suffering, and emotional anguish.
Why Choose Brooks, LeBoeuf, Foster, Gwartney, & Hobbs P.A. as Your Tallahassee Group Home Sexual Assault and Abuse Lawyers?
Throughout Florida and Georgia, vulnerable adults and their families choose Brooks, LeBoeuf, Foster, Gwartney, & Hobbs P.A. as their Tallahassee group home sexual assault and abuse lawyers. We’re known for our impressive history in legal practice, our commitment to the Florida community (especially among the disabled), and the effective approach our team of legal authorities takes to every claim we handle.
More Than a Century of Combined Legal Experience
For over 35 years, our firm has been dedicated to providing skilled legal representation for the injured. We have handled more than 10,000 cases, making a difference in the lives of clients when they most need assistance. Among the accomplished attorneys that make up our legal team, we have over 100 years of combined experience that speaks to our ability to overcome all kinds of challenges in the legal process.
Devotion to Serving the Injured in Florida
Our office has strong ties to the Florida community, and nearly all of the attorneys in our firm are graduates of Florida State University College of Law. Our longstanding commitment to the region means we have extensive knowledge of group home and assisted living facility responsibilities, as well as the various group homes operating throughout the state and the regulations under which Florida’s residential health care facilities operate. We know how to navigate the demands of the local court systems, and we have cultivated a strong reputation in Florida’s legal community.
A Perspective That Recognizes How Much Is at Stake
The outcome of a group home abuse lawsuit can make a significant difference in the lives of survivors. As they move forward, victims of sexual abuse need the resources to afford comprehensive care and support for their physical and mental health needs without adding stress to their families. They need the closure that comes with knowing that everyone involved in their mistreatment has been brought to justice. There’s too much at stake not to give your case our all, and that’s why we’re fully devoted to securing the outcome our clients deserve.
Contact the Tallahassee Group Home Sexual Assault and Abuse Lawyers at Brooks, LeBoeuf, Foster, Gwartney, & Hobbs P.A. Today for a Free Case Review
Recognizing how difficult it can be for survivors of sexual abuse to come forward, our legal team approaches every case with the utmost compassion, professionalism, and care. We prioritize your dignity, your privacy, and the guidance you need to feel supported throughout the legal process. We represent survivors of abuse and their families at no upfront cost, removing the risk from the legal process and ensuring nothing stands in the way of getting justice.
For help from Group Home sexual abuse attorneys in Tallahassee, FL, contact Brooks, LeBoeuf, Foster, Gwartney, & Hobbs P.A. online or call 850-605-3555 today.
