As recent lawsuits against notable businesses have made clear, many massage parlors have been far too lax in who they have hired to provide massage services. In some cases, these businesses have even continued to employ people credibly accused of sexual assault despite knowing about the allegations made against their employee.
A business that knowingly or negligently allows an employee to sexually abuse a customer can often be held civilly liable for the physical, financial, and psychological consequences of their worker’s misconduct. When you have been harmed in this way and want to pursue civil restitution for what you experienced, an Austin massage therapist sexual assault lawyer could answer any questions you have and represent your case in the most respectful way.
When someone injures another person by committing criminal sexual assault, the assailant would be civilly liable for any damages they cause for the person they targeted. When there is a lawsuit against massage parlor over an assault committed by a massage therapist, responsibility is additionally based on the owners or operators indirectly facilitating an assault through their own negligence.
In simple terms, someone is “negligent” in the context of civil law if they cause or allow someone else to get hurt by violating a “duty of care” owed to that person. Massage parlors have a duty to provide reasonably safe conditions for customers on their property, and to only hire qualified masseuses who will not harm those customers.
This means if the people running a massage parlor had any reason to suspect an employee might potentially assault a customer or had already assaulted someone in the past, an Austin attorney could hold them civilly liable for any sexual assault that occurs.
Any person or business found civilly liable for a massage parlor sexual assault in Austin can be made to pay for both economic and non-economic damages of that assault. It may be possible to recover for objective financial damages like medical expenses and lost work income while recovering from the event, as well as various subjective forms of harm like physical pain, psychological distress, and lost quality of life.
When a massage parlor was egregiously negligent in allowing a known abuser to continue working at their facility and interacting with customers, the business’s owners and operators may also be found liable for punitive damages by a jury. This is not guaranteed to happen in every case, and a knowledgeable lawyer like Jacob Mancha can help someone understand what recourse may be possible without causing additional unnecessary stress or trauma. There are, in some instances, ways to be involved in the legal action without having to appear in court, in front of an abuser or other defendants.
Massage therapy is built around mutual trust between masseuse and client in an intimate setting. Any massage therapist who violates that trust through sexual assault can, and should, be held accountable for their harm, along with other parties who allowed it to happen. Attorney Jacob Mancha knows that filing a civil injury claim can also be extremely intimidating, even if you have strong grounds to do so. With Jacob Mancha in your corner, you will not be doing it alone.
Seek representation from an Austin massage therapist sexual assault lawyer with extensive trial knowledge and a track record of favorable case results. We could discuss your claim and how best to secure financial compensation. Call today to set up a private consultation.
