Syracuse Child Victims Act Lawyers

Signed into law by Governor Andrew Cuomo in February of 2019, the Child Victims Act gives adult survivors of child sex abuse a renewed opportunity to get justice. The bill provides a pathway to help right the horrific wrongs that have gone unrecognized and unpunished for far too long. State officials report that more than 3,000 child sex abuse claims have already been filed under the law.

At Powers & Santola, LLP, our Syracuse Child Victims Act lawyers are committed to changing lives for the better. We have the legal skills and experience to help you and your family navigate the claims process. You deserve justice and accountability. To set up a free, strictly private consultation with a New York CVA attorney, please call us at our Syracuse law office today.

The Child Victims Act is a landmark law that extends the statute of limitations for civil child sex abuse claims. Until the passage of the bill, our state had very strict legal deadlines that all but denied most victims a fair opportunity to seek justice and accountability for the wrongs done to them. Here are three important things that you need to know about the law:

1. The CVA Creates a ‘Look-Back’ Period: The law also has a look-back provision that allows all victims to bring a civil lawsuit—regardless of their current age or when the abuse occurred. You can bring a civil lawsuit under the CVA even if your claim already “expired” under the previous statute of limitations. Due to the COVID-19 public health crisis, the look-back window has been extended until August 14th, 2021.
2. The CVA Extends the Statute of Limitations: The Child Victims Act also extends that statute of limitations moving forward. For all claims that are not already expired under the old statute of limitations, a victim of childhood sexual abuse in New York now has the right to file a civil lawsuit any time before their 55th birthday.
3. Institutions are Covered by the CVA: Finally, it must be emphasized that the Child Victims Act applies to organizations and institutions. Abusers are not the only parties who are responsible for child sex abuse. If the abuse happened because of negligence or misconduct of a public or private entity, you can file a civil lawsuit to hold them liable for their wrongdoing. We are prepared to investigate the case and take immediate action to protect your rights.

Beyond the major headlines, the Child Victims Act also does a number of other important things to help people get justice. As an example, it requires additional judicial training to ensure that New York’s legal system is adequately prepared to handle these cases. It is crucial that the people responsible for adjudicating these cases know the challenges and the trauma that victims of child sex abuse are forced to endure.