When is it too Late for a Person to Sue Someone for Child Sex Abuse?

There is a time limit for filing in court a civil claim for compensation, and different kinds of claims have different limits. Washington State permits a suit to be filed at any time within three years of the time the abused person discovers that his or her injuries were caused by the abuse.

Imagine a 65-year-old woman who was molested when she was six. She has always known she was molested. Imagine also that she has been an alcoholic since she was twenty, and she has also always known that. But imagine that only at age 65 does she realize, in some way, that her molestation caused her to become an alcoholic. The law allows her three years from that realization to file suit.

When a person who reports having been sexually abused many years earlier approaches an attorney to make a claim, the attorney may send the person to a psychotherapist. Often the psychotherapist diagnoses “post-traumatic stress disorder secondary to childhood sexual abuse.” The attorney can then assert that only with that diagnosis did the abused person understand how they had been affected—so only with that diagnosis does the three years to file suit begin to run.

[boondock]

In tears because this is how i feel. I did help put a man in prison yet he only got 7 yrs. I now have a daughter and the fear is real. That mans family stalked me at my college and living in the same town i was scared to show my face. Then he got out of prison and i saw him with my daughter. Instant panic attack. We are out of that town yet im still full of fear. I homeschool and noone is allowed to keep my kid. My life feel completely changed from what it could be. I only got an associate degree because i was drinking. And still the anxiety that hits me or anger towards men.

[SunnyRain]

If you work in the state of CA I would like to hire you for my civil case against my cousin. It's the only way to make sure I count. I am not responsible for his actions. I should not have been neglected so much so that for the entire 10 1/2 years that he molested me that no one ever caught him doing that to me. I was only 2.4 years old when it began. He was 8. When he turns 18 he says to me, " I'm 18 now, and we can't do that anymore." I said, "What makes you ever believe I wanted to do anything like that with you this whole time?" I was so upset. So, he knew it's illegal once you turn 18. wtf? Each time I brought it up to the family, they would tell me, "Hey that stuff that happened with that wasn't any big deal was it? Another time was, "Oh, that is definitely going to divide the family apart." Nothing was ever acknowledged. I spent my entire life not knowing the correct ways to communicate because I was raised by him, I am so mad right now... I could scream. I know that statute of limitations is open until Jan 2023. I know this last 1 1/2 years I have spent going through this entire ordeal, and have become aware of a few things that bother me incredibly.
I have two cousins that violated me. One here in CA. and one in Wisconsin. He was a cousin that is crazy in the head. He is a pervert, and manipulated my oldest sister to run away to be with him. He began writing love letters to her when she was 12. That is only four years after my dad died. She was struggling because of it, and very vulnerable. This cousin had it planned that he would get my sister to fall for him and then get my mom to pay for his farming bills. and pay for Viking Farms incorporated. He is a user piece of poo. Because when he was married and had a ittle baby... he left his wife so he could persue this situation. Only because my mom worked hard and had a good job. All the family used her money because they felt they could They were leaches. It's disgusting. He had her pregnant constantly. He was 20 she was 14 having her first kid. She had three by the time she was 19 years old. He is so disgusting. I want to take him to civil court as well for molesting me the entire summer I was there., my sister at 19 working back to back three jobs a day while he watched the kids Now he had me to do all the work. wash the laundry, cook and clean and do all the chores and play with the kids. My whole 8th grade summer was out there in wisconsin. He kept every letter I ever wrote so my mom wouldn't see it all. He needs to burn in hell, too. They are bad.. I wonder what these jerks would do if someone molested their daughter? How would that make you feel? even know my dad was dead, just know he saw what you did. I bet if he could have pushed you off a cliff he would have just to watch you fall, so when you became a spirit, he would be there to kick your asskee. Folks, watch your children every second of the day. LIfe long trama sucks to deal with, and you can prevent it just by not trusting random people to care for your children. Once it happens, you can't take it back. It's life long. And I am unsure how to ever heal from it all. There has to be some reprieve. That is why I am hoping to take them to civil court, so they can pay financiallyl Because it's better than nothing. They need to be taught that people do grow up. And they just might sue your ass for hurting them when they were too small to protect themselves,