Founded in 1927, 7-Eleven is an American convenience store chain with over 84,500 stores throughout the world. No matter where you travel, you are likely to see the familiar orange, red, and green logo on a storefront. But there is no denying that some of these locations are better maintained than others, which is typical with franchise businesses. And some 7-Eleven stores are in bad neighborhoods, which is a big concern, especially at night.
Those who stop by at a 7-Eleven for a snack or to fill up their gas tank should not have to worry about the possibility of sexual assault and harassment. But incidents of assault and lewd conduct are very common at gas stations and convenience stores. That’s why owners must take reasonable care to prevent such incidents on the premises. Failure to do so is negligence by a property owner, and those who are victimized can file a lawsuit against 7-Eleven for monetary damages.
To learn more about suing a convenience store for sexual abuse on the property, contact the offices of Normandie Law Firm.
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Liability of Store Owners for a Sexual Assault
We understand why people contact us to ask, “Can I sue the owner of a store if I was sexually assaulted on their property?” The business, after all, is not the party that committed the abuse, so how can they be legally responsible?
Responsibility for injuries on someone else’s property is based on the concept of premises liability. Businesses, for example, must ensure that conditions on the property are reasonably safe. This can be done through cleaning and maintenance to prevent incidents like slip and falls or accidents with falling objects.
However, owners of convenience stores must also take security measures to prevent sexual abuse and assault and battery on the premises. These include surveillance cameras inside and outside the store, bright lighting in the parking lot, and keeping vagrants off the property. Such measures are especially important if the store is in a high-crime area (which many 7-Eleven stores are), or there have been previous incidents where people were attacked, threatened, harassed, etc. Knowing this and not taking action to enhance security at the store is negligence at its worst, but unfortunately, many store owners fail to do the right thing.
Proving liability by a property owner for sexual abuse requires a thorough investigation by legal experts who are experienced with premises liability sexual assault cases. That’s why we encourage you to contact us if you or someone you know was sexually abused at a 7-Eleven.
Vicarious Liability for Sexual Abuse by a 7-11 Employee
Sexual abuse can happen from allowing the wrong people on the premises, but what about the staff members that work at a 7-Eleven? It’s possible for a customer to be abused by one of these workers, especially in the bathrooms and other secluded areas. In fact, these workers know the exact layout of the store and where the cameras are, so they have an advantage when it comes to targeting a customer and sexually assaulting them.
Vicarious liability is a legal concept where employers may be sued for injuries caused to a third party by one of their employees. There are conditions that must be met in order to seek compensation from the employer, like proving that the employee’s actions occurred within the scope of employment. This may be easy to establish, but we would also have to look at what the company knew about the employee prior to the incident. Were there previous complaints concerning the worker’s behavior, but 7-Eleven failed to fire them or contact the police? What about their hiring practices – were there flaws in the system that allowed a sexual offender to be hired?
As you can see, there is a lot to think about and investigate when we set out to seek justice on behalf of a sexual abuse victim. This is why finding a law firm that specializes in sexual abuse is essential to the recovery process.
How Much is a 7-Eleven Store Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Worth?
Compensation for a store property sex abuse claims are usually in the 6 to 7-figure range, with payments ranging from $400,000 to over $3,000,000. Some cases involve gross negligence by the store that caused severe physical and psychological damage to the victim, and in these instances, the victim may receive over $5,000,000. A few generalizations can be made when it comes to case values, like child sexual abuse claims having higher values than if the victim were an adult. But there are many other factors – like the degree of injury – that will determine how much you can demand from a lawsuit for sexual abuse.
What is the Expected Wait Time before I Receive Payment?
The time it takes to settle a sexual abuse lawsuit based on premises liability can be anywhere from a few months to over 3 years. If we had to narrow things down, 1 to 2 years is a good timeframe to keep in mind, particularly if the victim was sexually assaulted. Other forms of abuse, like sexual harassment, may be settled in less time, but there is no way to guarantee how long it will take to reach a settlement for any lawsuit. Cases that go to trial will take even longer – over 3 years as a general rule, but over 95% of all sex abuse claims are settled out of court. Thus, we anticipate that your case will be settled by negotiating a payment amount with 7-Eleven’s insurance company.
How Long Do I have to File a Sexual Abuse Lawsuit?
The amount of time you have to file a sexual abuse lawsuit depends on your age at the time of the incident. If you were the age of adulthood (18 or over), you will need to file a claim within 10 years from when you were sexually assaulted or abused on store property. If you were younger than 18, you have until the age of 40 (22 years following your 18th birthday) to sue for monetary compensation.
Please note that there is another standard that can be used to determine the statute of limitations for a child sexual abuse lawsuit. This is referred to as the discovery rule, and it has to do with the realization of harm (physical or psychological) that was caused by one or more incidents of sexual abuse during one’s childhood. With child victims, understanding what happened to them and how it has affected their lives may not happen until they are well into their 40s, 50s, or 60s. Most of these victims have mental health issues, but connecting them to being molested, raped, sexually exploited, etc., can take many years.
The delayed discovery of abuse-related injuries is a qualifying reason to extend the statute of limitations beyond the age of 40. Starting from the date of discovery, a survivor of child sexual abuse has 5 years to file a lawsuit through the civil courts.
Help from a Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Attorney
Do you need information on your rights as someone that was sexually abused at a 7-Eleven store location? If so, the attorneys of Normandie are here for you, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Suing for the harm you suffered is ultimately up to you; our goal is to help you make an informed decision on how to move forward. That’s why we are offering a free case evaluation with a lawyer who can sue for molestation and other kinds of sexual abuse due to negligence by a business owner.
If you decide to file a compensation claim, we will not ask you for a single penny towards our expenses. This is paid by 7-Eleven at the end of your case, and only if we succeed in recovering your settlement. Otherwise, we make $0 under the terms of the Zero Fee Guarantee, which we extend to all of our clients from the very first consultation.
Please contact our law firm as soon as possible. Our legal team looks forward to fighting for you and ensuring that you receive justice from a lawsuit for sexual abuse at a 7-Eleven store.
