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If you or someone you love has survived sexual assault in Louisiana, you deserve both compassionate support and strong legal advocacy. At Brandt & Sherman, our Lafayette sexual abuse lawyers stand with survivors. We help you pursue justice, hold perpetrators and negligent institutions accountable, and seek the compensation you need to move forward.
With more than 50 years of combined experience fighting legal “Goliaths,” we’ve recovered millions for Louisiana families. Unlike billboard firms, we work directly with you—offering personal guidance and relentless advocacy.
We proudly serve survivors across Louisiana, from Lafayette to Baton Rouge, New Orleans, and throughout Acadiana.
Under Louisiana law, sexual assault includes a wide range of non-consensual acts, such as rape, sexual battery, and molestation. These are criminal offenses, but survivors also have the right to bring a civil sexual assault lawsuit in Louisiana for justice and financial recovery.
Sexual assault can happen in many environments, including:
Civil lawsuits serve two purposes: they provide survivors with compensation and help stop institutions from ignoring or enabling abuse.
Survivors have the right to file civil lawsuits and doing so can be an important step in reclaiming your voice and holding abusers accountable. These claims may be brought not only against the perpetrator but also against schools, employers, churches, or other organizations that failed to act or knowingly concealed abuse. Civil lawsuits are not just about financial recovery. They are also about justice, accountability, and ensuring what happened to you does not happen to someone else.
Survivors may be entitled to compensation for both economic and non-economic losses. This often includes medical expenses such as hospital bills, counseling, and therapy, as well as lost wages if trauma affects your ability to work.
Many survivors also pursue recovery for pain and suffering, including the emotional trauma, PTSD, and loss of quality of life that often follows abuse. In some cases, damages may extend to relocation or security costs when safety concerns require major changes. Survivors who need ongoing care—such as long-term therapy, medication, or rehabilitation—may also recover those expenses.
Punitive damages may be awarded in rare circumstances, particularly when perpetrators acted with extreme recklessness or institutions knowingly enabled abuse. While no amount of compensation can undo the harm, financial recovery can provide stability and resources for healing.
At Brandt & Sherman, we fight to recover every dollar you’re entitled to so you can focus on your healing and recovery.
Louisiana law treats child and adult survivors differently when it comes to filing deadlines. For child sexual abuse survivors, there is no statute of limitations. A 2021 law permanently removed time limits and even created a lookback window for older cases.
For adult survivors, the deadline is usually one year from the date of the assault, although exceptions may apply depending on the circumstances. Because missing the deadline can mean losing the right to file a claim, it is important to speak with an attorney as soon as possible to protect your rights.
No. A police report is not required to bring a civil lawsuit. However, reporting to law enforcement can strengthen your case by creating an official record. Whether or not you involve the police, you still have the right to pursue civil justice.
Many sexual assault cases involve not just individuals but also institutions that ignored warning signs or actively covered up abuse. This negligence makes them legally responsible. Examples include:
Holding these organizations responsible protects not only survivors but also future generations.
The damages you may be entitled to in a Louisiana sexual abuse claim can vary but often include:
An experienced sexual assault attorney will work with you to calculate the appropriate damages for your case.
No, you are not required to file a police report in order to pursue a civil lawsuit in Louisiana. However, reporting the abuse to law enforcement may help strengthen your civil case, as it creates a record of the incident. Whether or not you report the assault to the police, a civil claim can still be filed to seek compensation for the harm you’ve suffered.
In Louisiana, victims of child sexual abuse have no time limit to file a civil claim. This law changed in 2021, removing the statute of limitations for child sexual abuse claims and providing a lookback window for older cases.
For adult victims, the timeframe to file a civil claim is generally one year from the date of the incident. However, there are some exceptions to this rule depending on the specific circumstances of your case, which is why it’s important to consult with an attorney as soon as possible.
Yes, organizations such as schools, churches, or employers can be held liable for sexual abuse if they failed to prevent or knowingly covered up the misconduct. Many institutions have been found negligent in addressing sexual abuse, making them accountable for the trauma inflicted on victims. These cases often involve complex legal challenges, which is why working with an experienced sexual abuse attorney is critical.
The value of a sexual abuse lawsuit depends on multiple factors, including the severity of the abuse, the long-term impact on your health and well-being, and the parties involved. While no amount of money can undo the damage, financial compensation can provide the support you need for recovery.
At Brandt & Sherman, our sexual assault lawyers are skilled at calculating both the economic and non-economic damages related to your case. We will fight to ensure you receive the compensation you are entitled to for your medical bills, emotional distress, lost income, and more.
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