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How Can a Domestic Violence Victim Attorney Help?

Written by AskTheLawyers.com™

How Can a Domestic Violence Victim Attorney Help?

Written by AskTheLawyers.com™

AskTheLawyers™

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Domestic violence is something that should never be acceptable in a loving home, and sometimes, it doesn't show up right away. This is why ANYONE can find themselves a victim in this type of relationship, regardless of gender. Even confident and otherwise successful individuals have fallen into this painful relationship. Many times the abuser is very charming and they manage to fool not only their lover, but also their lover's family and friends.

Unfortunately, abuse happens more often than people think and in a variety of populations regardless of religious beliefs, race, culture, sexual orientation, or socio-economic status. The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV) reports that "Nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States."

Legal Support is Available

It should be understood that many personal injury attorneys also fight for victims of domestic violence, and not just car accident injuries or product liability cases. If you have been enduring severe abuse, a personal injury attorney can help you get compensation and justice for not just the physical abuse, but also the severe mental (and oftentimes sexual) abuse that you have endured. Also, these professional individuals are often very sensitive and caring for their clients, and they respect how delicate these situations can be.

Should I Prosecute?

Choosing to legally prosecute someone that we love and feel devotion towards can be daunting, especially when the other person seems to feel so bad and like they truly want to change. Love for some relationships can go from being a dream to a nightmare, and desire for the "good times" can almost convince a victimized lover to forget the terrible harm that was forced upon them. It is common for there to be issues of self-blame as well. The truth is: NO ONE deserves to be beaten. There are better ways to resolve conflicts between two individuals, particularly two individuals that are in a romantic and loving relationship.

Unfortunately, abusive relationships have a common pattern that continues round and round until either the victim is killed, incapacitated for life, or left by the abuser. It is worthwhile to take a moment to search online and understand the "power and control wheel." This is something that domestic violence experts refer to regularly, and research continues to prove it. If necessary, look for a supportive organization in your community. A common hotline to call for support is the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1 (800)799-7233. If you have impaired hearing call 1(800)787-3224. They have translation services available as well. If you prefer to chat online, you can at www.thehotline.org, but understand that if you are concerned about your computer use being monitored, it is next to impossible to completely clear.

If you have been victimized, you are likely struggling with many difficult emotions right now, and if heartbreak is the case here, legal action may not feel at the top of your list. But, if the injury is severe, it is likely that the scars will remain, there may be physical pain that never completely goes away, and some physical abilities may even be permanently lost. It is also very likely that mental abuse has taken a toll as well. Please understand that you deserve the medical care that is required for you. You deserve to get as close to fully healed as possible. This might require physical therapy, medications for pain and other problems for the rest of your life, and you will likely face costly medical bills that have to be paid. For some individuals, this greatly affects their ability to work and even build healthy relationships in the future. Another important truth is this: You DESERVE good medical care and you DESERVE compensation and justice at the very least.

Police Involvement

Perhaps you have dealt with the police already. But whether you have or not, it is important to understand that if police are called to intervene via a 911 call, the officers must investigate in order to determine the facts about the situation. They will look at certain criteria put into place by the police department to decide what the level of violence is in a situation and if charges should be filed.

One thing that MUST be understood is that an arrest DOES NOT automatically mean that the aggressor is going to be locked up for years and then released with an automatic restraining order.

According to the police, all assaults are a serious problem, but unfortunately, some assaults are even life-threatening, and this is why the police must investigate and rate assaults. They usually categorize the violent act as either a misdemeanor or a felony.

  • A misdemeanor may only lock someone up for a very short time. Sometimes, the aggressor may even be able to have the assault case completely dismissed.
  • A felony tends to lead to imprisonment that lasts a year at minimum. Even in this case, there are still some states that make it possible for the aggressor to have their cases dismissed.

Legal Support is Available To Help You Every Step of the Way

Please know that you are not wrong for standing up for yourself. Once this is finally decided, it should comfort you to know that personal injury attorneys are typically paid on a contingency basis. This means that you are not expected to pay any attorney fees. Your lawyer is only paid if your case is a success.

Tips to strengthen your side of the assault case:

  1. Keep a copy of the police report and take good care of it. It helps many people to designate a folder to keep this and other vital items in.
  2. Take pictures of the injury right away.  Don't even clean up the injury first. Take it as soon as possible. If there is concern that the aggressor might delete them from your phone somehow, send the pictures via mobile to someone you trust.

Furthermore, if you have any recording of the incident or even of violent threats, audio/video/or even text messages/emails/notes, it would be in your best interest to keep those safe with someone you trust. The truth is, some victims wind up sabotaging themselves and destroy these important things in hopes of getting their relationship back to normal. (Unfortunately, this almost never is a wise choice.)

  1. Get a medical examination AND ask for a copy of the medical report. The treatment is important, but the examination by the doctor will also help you legally. Also, get the names of any practitioners that helped you.
  2. Take some time to write down or record yourself recounting what happened. Take time to remember the relationship and how it all started and keep going up to the present situation. This recollection not only helps jog your memory to strengthen your case, but it also helps serve as a reminder for you to refer back to if/when you start to doubt if you are still right to prosecute.

Other than the above items, the rest of the legal burden can be trusted with a qualified and devoted personal injury attorney. With this dedicated legal expert by your side, you can trust that you are in capable hands. The rest of the time is yours to focus on healing and reconnecting with your inner strength. Your caring lawyer will take care of the rest. Find a personal injury lawyer in your area now to get started. You can do this and you deserve it.

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