Attorney for Victims of Sexual Assault at the Devereux Foundation

New stories about abuses at the Devereux Foundation have accused a group home supervisor in Pennsylvania of serious sexual abuse allegations against residents.  Previous allegations date back 25 years, raising serious questions about Devereux.  Devereux is a foundation that supplies mental health and behavioral health services to children throughout Pennsylvania and in 12 other states.  Allegations against Devereux are very troubling, as it is difficult to know how many patients were harmed by similar issues at the foundation.  If you or a loved one was sexually abused while seeking treatment at Devereux, institutional sexual abuse lawyer Andrew Shubin may be able to help you file a claim and seek justice for what happened to you. Call our law offices for a free consultation today at (814) 826-3586.

Sexual Assault and Abuse Allegations Against the Devereux Foundation

Foundations and institutions like Devereux deal with minor children in residential care situations.  These children are under the care and treatment of adults in a position of trust and power over them, and many of these kids see their future success and freedom as dependent upon these people.  In cases where residents and patients are sexually abused by these adults, the cases can be brought to light and lawsuits can be filed against the individual abusers and the Devereux Foundation as a whole.

Over the past 25 years, various sexual abuse, rape, and sexual assault allegations have come out against Devereux staff.  These allegations have resulted in requirements for the foundation to reform its behavior, but additional allegations have come out since those reforms were apparently instituted.

If you or your child was sexually abused by workers or staff at Devereux, you could be entitled to file a lawsuit against the foundation to seek damages and justice for what happened.

Filing a Lawsuit Against the Devereux Foundation for Sexual Abuse

Victims of sexual abuse are entitled to file a lawsuit against the individual abuser who harmed them as well as the institution where the abuse took place.  Most claims against Devereux have been filed in Pennsylvania, but victims of sexual abuse at Devereux Foundation locations in other states could also be entitled to sue for sexual assault and abuse.

The grounds for a lawsuit against Devereux for sexual abuse can be broad.  Victims of rape and sexual abuse can sue, as can victims of molestation or unwanted sexual touching.  Since these victims are minors in almost all cases, and because they are patients and residents at treatment facilities, state laws often give additional protections and grounds to sue.  Similarly, allegations have often involved victims with particularly low IQs and mental health issues that could make them even more vulnerable to sexual abuse.

When you sue an individual abuser at an institution like Devereux, you can also sue the institution as a whole.  Devereux has been presented with allegations over a long period and has had opportunities to reform its processes by enhancing its reporting and investigation procedures, enhancing its screening process for staff, and taking other steps to keep children safe.  The alleged failure to do so could be considered independent fault on the part of the foundation, especially if any cases involved intentional coverups.

The Devereux Foundation can also be held vicariously liable as the employer of the counselors, supervisors, or other employees accused of sexual assault if that assault occurred in the course of their job duties.  This can help victims of sexual abuse get paid by the institution instead of relying on the finances of the individual abuser to cover their damages.

Damages for Sexual Abuse Claims Against the Devereux Foundation

Victims of sexual abuse by workers at the Devereux Foundation could be entitled to any damages that resulted from the wrongs they suffered.  For many, there could be physical injuries that resulted in medical care as well as pain, discomfort, and mental suffering related to the assault.  These can result in damages and coverage for medical care, mental health care to deal with the trauma, and other damages.

If the courts find the allegations against the foundation especially problematic, the court could also order punitive damages to punish the workers and the foundation for the harm it caused.  Especially if your claim against Devereux stems from assault that continued despite Devereux’s reform efforts, you could be entitled to additional damages that punish Devereux for a pattern of harm.  However, damages are not guaranteed unless all allegations can be proven in court.

In many cases, institutions like Devereux will act to keep allegations quiet by quickly settling cases with victims instead of allowing the case to become public news and harming their reputation.  In some states, laws might prevent nondisclosure agreements and other agreements that would silence victims from going public, but settlements might still be beneficial to the victim.  Settling a case like this could help avoid the need to publicly testify about what happened, helping you to get compensation for the abuse without revisiting the trauma.

Never accept a settlement for sexual assault or sexual abuse without speaking to an attorney.  Especially if Devereux is facing multiple sexual abuse allegations, they will do what they can to settle cases cheaply instead of paying victims what they deserve.  Our attorney can fight your case in court and help maximize compensation to work to get you the justice you deserve.

Call Our Attorneys for Sexual Abuse Claims Against the Devereux Foundation

If you or your child faced sexual abuse at the Devereux Foundation, our attorney for victims of sexual assault at the Devereux Foundation may be able to help.  The Law Office of Andrew Shubin represents victims of sexual abuse, sexual assault, and institutional sexual abuse in Pennsylvania and throughout the country.  For help with your potential case, call our law offices to set up a free, confidential legal consultation where you can discuss your case in a safe environment and get the legal counsel you need to move forward with a claim.  Call us today at (814) 826-3586 to set up your free consultation.