When a crime leaves you or a loved one injured, seeing the person responsible prosecuted may not be enough. A criminal case can punish an offender, but it may not fully address the harm you and your family suffered. Fortunately, Pennsylvania crime victims may also have the right to pursue a civil injury claim against a person or other party responsible for the harm.
When a crime leaves you or a loved one injured, seeing the person responsible prosecuted may not be enough. A criminal case can punish an offender, but it may not fully address the harm you and your family suffered. Fortunately, Pennsylvania crime victims may also have the right to pursue a civil injury claim against a person or other party responsible for the harm.If a crime injured you, the fight for accountability doesn’t have to end with the criminal case. Reach out to HGSK Injury Lawyers. We can investigate what happened, identify potential claims, preserve important evidence, and pursue compensation for the harm you suffered. Our victims’ rights lawyers in Pennsylvania can take on the civil side of your case and fight to hold those responsible accountable.
Support for Crime Victims in Pennsylvania
After a crime, much of the attention can shift to the person accused of committing it. You may be left dealing with injuries, unanswered questions, and the consequences of what happened. That does not mean your fight is over. Our Pennsylvania victims’ rights attorneys help crime victims take an active role in pursuing accountability for the harm they suffered. They can examine the circumstances, gather evidence, identify parties who may be legally responsible, and build a civil case focused on your best interests.
Our firm’s approach is grounded in the idea that a criminal prosecution isn’t always the end of the story for a victim. When the facts support a civil claim, we can continue to investigate the conduct and pursue recovery available under Pennsylvania law.
Types of Crime Victims We Help in Pennsylvania
Crime-related injuries can take many forms. HGSK represents victims throughout Philadelphia, Allentown, Lancaster, Reading, York County, and Bucks County in several types of cases.
Assault and Battery
An assault or physical attack can lead to a civil claim when you suffer an injury because of the defendant’s conduct. The case may require evidence showing what happened, who committed the act, and how the act caused your injury. Medical records, photographs, witness statements, police reports, and other evidence may help establish your claim.
Driving Under the Influence
A driver who causes a crash while under the influence of alcohol or drugs may face criminal charges as well as civil liability for injuries caused by the crash. A civil case may involve evidence from the crash investigation, police records, toxicology testing, witnesses, and other information showing what happened. Other parties may also need to be investigated when their conduct contributed to the crash or injuries.
Sexual Abuse
Victims of sexual abuse may have civil claims separate from any criminal prosecution. These cases require careful attention to the evidence and the lasting effects of the abuse. Medical or counseling records, disclosures, communications, and other evidence may help show what occurred and connect the conduct to the victim’s injuries. In some cases, a civil claim may also involve another party whose conduct contributed to the harm.
In all these crime-related cases, the party that committed the crime may not be the only party worth investigating. A civil claim may also involve a property owner, business, employer, security company, or another party whose conduct contributed to the victim’s injuries.
Seeking Compensation for Crime Victims Through Civil Injury Claims
Pennsylvania law allows a criminal court to order an offender to pay restitution for losses directly caused by a crime. Under 18 Pa.C.S. § 1106, restitution is separate from the civil remedies you may pursue. A civil injury claim may seek payment for losses caused by the crime. These may include medical treatment, lost income, physical pain, emotional harm, future losses, and other damages the claim supports.
Punitive damages may also be available in some cases when the defendant’s conduct was especially wrongful. They are different from compensation for your actual losses and are not available in every case. Our victims’ rights lawyers in Pennsylvania can evaluate the specific claim, identify damages supported by the evidence, and determine whether insurance coverage or other sources of recovery may be available.
When the Criminal Case Isn’t the End, Pursue Your Claim With Our Pennsylvania Victims’ Rights Attorneys
A criminal prosecution may be only one part of what happens after a crime. If you or a family member was injured in Pennsylvania, our victims’ rights lawyers can determine whether a civil claim may provide another way to hold the responsible party accountable and seek compensation. Contact HGSK Injury Lawyers at 267-551-8782 or online for your free case evaluation.