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Fairfield County Childhood Sexual Abuse Attorney
If you're a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, first: what happened to you was not your fault, and there is no "right" amount of time that's supposed to pass before you're ready to consider legal action, if you decide to at all. This page exists for the moment you're ready to learn what your options are, with no pressure and no obligation to move forward with anything.
Connecticut Has Extended the Time Survivors Have to Come Forward
Connecticut has significantly expanded the amount of time survivors of childhood sexual abuse have to bring a civil claim, recognizing what research and lived experience have long shown: it often takes survivors many years, sometimes decades, to be in a position to come forward. The exact filing deadlines have changed more than once through recent legislative reform, and they can depend on when the abuse occurred and other specific facts, which is exactly why this is worth a confidential conversation with an attorney rather than trying to figure out on your own whether you still have time. In many cases, survivors have far more time than they assume.
Claims Can Extend Beyond the Individual Who Caused Harm
Civil claims in these cases are often about more than the individual who caused the harm. When abuse happens within a school, church, youth organization, camp, or other institution, that institution can sometimes be held civilly responsible if it knew or should have known about the risk and failed to act. An experienced attorney can help evaluate whether that applies to your situation.
A Civil Claim Is Separate From a Criminal Case
A civil claim is yours to bring, and it does not depend on whether anyone was ever criminally charged, convicted, or even reported. The two processes have different deadlines, different standards of proof, and different people in control of them. Survivors are sometimes told that because nothing happened criminally there is nothing to be done, and that is not accurate.
Areas We Serve in Fairfield County
Fairfield Legal Connection connects survivors throughout Fairfield County (including Stamford, Norwalk, Greenwich, Darien, and New Canaan) with attorneys who handle these cases with the discretion, patience, and trauma-informed care they require. These are never treated as routine files.
Start On Your Own Timeline
If and when you're ready, a confidential, no-obligation conversation is available, on your timeline, not anyone else's.
Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. This page is general information about Connecticut law, not legal advice about your situation.
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Faqs
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to talk to a lawyer?
Nothing. The call is free, and the attorneys we connect you with work on contingency, which means you pay no attorney's fee unless they recover money for you. If there is no recovery, there is no fee.
How long do I have to file a claim in Connecticut?
For most personal injury claims, Connecticut gives you two years from the date of the injury. Some situations carry much shorter deadlines, including claims against a city or the state, which can require written notice within months. The exceptions are what catch people out, so it is worth confirming your deadline early rather than assuming.
What if I was partly at fault?
You may still be able to recover. Connecticut uses modified comparative negligence: your recovery is reduced by your share of the fault, and you are barred only if you are found more than 50 percent responsible. Insurers know this, which is why they push early for a recorded statement that sounds like an admission.
Will I have to go to court?
Most claims settle without a trial. Filing a lawsuit is sometimes necessary to move an insurer off a low offer, but that is not the same as ending up in front of a jury. The large majority of cases resolve well before that point.
What happens after I reach out?
You tell us what happened. We match you with an attorney whose experience fits your case, and they review it with you directly. There is no obligation to hire anyone, and the conversation costs you nothing.