Party Bus – Van Sexual Assault Lawsuit Attorney

A party bus or van provides an opportunity for family and friends to have fun while riding inside a luxury passenger vehicle. Some of these buses accommodate up to 90 people, meaning you can hold just about any event in a party van or bus. Bachelor / bachelorette parties, birthday parties, and even children’s parties can be held inside one of these vehicles. Or, they can be used as a way to let loose before the main event, like on the way to a wedding or a nightclub.

Unfortunately, these buses and vans are not as safe as people think. Just search online and you’ll find plenty of heartbreaking tragedies involving party buses, ranging from car accidents to shoot outs. Sexual assault, molestation and other types of sex abuse are also common occurrences on party buses. Many of these attacks are the result of negligence by the party bus company. When these companies fail to take the necessary precautions, there is an increased risk of sexual assaults by drivers and other passengers.

Were you or a loved one sexually assaulted or abused while you were on board a party bus? If you are in need of a sexual abuse – assault – molestation lawyer to fight for your rights, contact Normandie Law Firm right away. Our attorneys can advise you of your legal options and ensure that you receive the compensation you are entitled to.

Sexual Abuse Incidents on Party Buses and Vans

Sexual abuse includes a wide variety of acts and behaviors that a perpetrator commits for the purpose of sexual gratification. The common factor in all these incidents is the lack of consent, meaning the victim was not comfortable with, or aware of the sexual contact. We’ll talk more about sexual consent in the next section. For now, here are some examples of sexual abuse that can happen on a party bus or party van:

• Rape
• Attempted rape
• Child molestation
• Unwanted fondling, groping, or kissing
• Flashing / exposing one’s sexual organs
• Masturbating in front of someone
• Penetration with an object
• Non-intercourse sexual acts, such as oral sex
• Exposing the victim to sexually explicit material / conversation
• Solicitation (requesting sexual favors)
• Blackmailing or manipulating someone into a sexual act

Our Recent Verdicts and Settlements

What is Sexual Consent?

Consenting to sexual activity can mean different things, as there are many ways to convey that you are comfortable with a certain act or behavior. Thus, there is no universal way that someone has to express consent. What’s important is that you stop what you’re doing if the other party says “no,” or they are clearly uncomfortable with what is being done to them.

But not every individual is capable of consenting to sex, according to the law. For example, if you are asleep / passed out, or under the influence of drugs or alcohol, you are not in a state of mind where you can give consent. Additionally, you cannot consent to sexual activity when you’re a minor, which refers to individuals under the age of 18 in California. Thus, an adult (over 18 years old) cannot claim that the minor was a willing participant as a defense to statutory rape.

If you have been victimized in a sexual manner, legal remedies are available to help you achieve justice. We can go over your options during a free consultation, so please give us a call at your earliest convenience.

How can a Bus Company be Responsible in a Case of Sexual Assault?

In a case of sexual abuse, the perpetrator is the obvious party that’s responsible for the victim’s injuries. But other entities may be liable, such as the owner of the property where the victim was assaulted. In the context of a party bus or van, that would be the business that owns and operates the vehicle. Employers, by the way, are responsible for the actions of their employees while they’re acting within the scope of their job duties. So if you were sexually assaulted by a party bus driver, the company may be liable for your attack even though they are not the actual perpetrator. This is known as vicarious liability, but owners can also be directly liable if someone is sexually abused in one of their vehicles.

To illustrate our point, consider the following scenarios of negligence by a party bus company:

• A party bus company owner is lax in conducting criminal background checks on his employees. As a result, he ends up hiring a driver with multiple sexual assault convictions. The driver ends up raping an intoxicated passenger who was left by herself when her friends left the bus for a bathroom break.
• A van is booked for a party that is being attended by adults and minors. A chaperone is requested due to the presence of alcohol and underage individuals, which the business provides. However, the chaperone is careless and distracted throughout the ride. One of the minors gets drunk and is sexually assaulted by an adult passenger.
• A party bus breaks down in a high crime area due to the owner’s lack of maintenance. The driver is forced to go out for help and tells the passengers to keep the doors locked. They do so, but one of the doors is defective. An armed sexual predator sees the passengers trying to lock the door and forces his way inside.

The scenarios we provided are fairly straightforward, which is not the case for many incidents of sexual assault on a party bus or van. Determining liability can be challenging, so it’s important to work with a lawyer that’s experienced in sexual abuse cases.

Can I File a Lawsuit against the Party Bus / Van Company?

Yes, you can file a civil lawsuit for damages if you were the victim of sexual abuse in a party bus or van. However, the legal process for compensation begins with a claim, which you will need to file with the bus company’s insurance provider. We strongly recommend that you seek guidance from an attorney, as insurance companies will do everything in their power to deny your claim or pay you as little as possible. A lawyer can determine a fair amount of damages based on your losses and negotiate a settlement on your behalf.

If the insurance company denies your claim or you are unable to negotiate a settlement with them, you can seek compensation through a lawsuit against the responsible entities. Again, a lawyer is your best ally in this situation, as lawsuits can be very complicated. This is particularly true in cases of sexual assault, harassment, and abuse, which may not result in significant physical injuries. However, emotional trauma and mental health disorders like PTSD are compensable injuries, which entitle you to compensation.

As you can see, there are many variables that must be considered in order to succeed in a party bus / van sexual assault lawsuit. The attorneys of Normandie can help you decide on the best legal strategy for your case. Contact our law firm and schedule a consultation as soon as you can.

What are my Rights to Compensation?

As a victim of sexual assault, you are entitled to monetary damages for your physical and emotional injuries. These damages typically include the following:

• Medical expenses
• Cost of mental health counseling
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Lost wages
• Property damage
• Legal fees

Each case is different, so please speak to one of our attorneys to verify which forms of compensation you can ask for. Not all cases, for example, involve physical injuries. But the emotional impact of sexual abuse cannot be underestimated, and most victims struggle with the trauma for many years. Thus, a sexual abuse lawsuit can be based on emotional distress and other mental injuries as opposed to physical ones. Depending on your personal circumstances, you may also qualify for loss of consortium, punitive damages, and other payments, which we can go over with you during a free case evaluation.

What is the Average Payout on these Cases?

The average value of a lawsuit involving sexual assaults on a party bus is around $600,000 – $2,500,000. This may sound a lot, but it’s really not when you think about the long-term impact of a sexual assault. Many victims have trouble forming partnerships, or find it difficult to maintain normal relations with their loved ones. They may also develop life-long mental health disorders like PTSD, and need regular therapy and medications to manage their condition. A sexual attack can even take away someone’s ability to perform their job duties. When you think about the totality of a victim’s losses, you can see why many of these settlements are over $1 million.

However, it’s important to remember that we can only provide estimates based on the average of previous sexual abuse settlements and verdicts. Your own case value may be more or less than the average value, so make sure to discuss your case with an experienced sexual assault lawsuit attorney.

How long do I have to File a Complaint?

In California, adult sex abuse victims have 10 years from the date of their attack to file a lawsuit, as long as the incident occurred on or after January 1, 2019. If the abuse took place before that date, you would have 3 years from the date of the last incident to file a lawsuit for compensation.

Additionally, adult victims have 3 years from the date they discovered an injury or illness related to the incident. For example, a victim may have suppressed memories of their attack, which manifest years later as psychological symptoms. In this case, the victim would have 3 years from the date that her psychological symptoms are linked with a previous sexual assault.

However, the statute of limitations for a sexual abuse lawsuit is different when the victim is a minor. In January 2020, the SOL for survivors of child sexual abuse was amended so that victims can file a lawsuit up until the age of 40. The new legislation (AB-218) also provides a 3-year look back window, which means victims whose cases had expired due to the old statute of limitations can now seek justice with the civil courts. But this 3-year window expires on December 31, 2022, so you must speak to a lawyer right away to ensure that your claim is filed in a timely manner.

If you’re wondering “Is it too late?” to file a party bus sexual abuse claim, please give us a call. We will do all that we can to assist you during this challenging period in your life.

Speak to a Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Attorney

Party buses seem like fun and safe spaces, but they can be dangerous when companies fail in their duty of care to the passengers. Negligence and misconduct by the owners, drivers, mechanics, and various other parties can lead to accidents with devastating consequences.

If you or someone you know was sexually violated during a party bus or party van outing, please take some time to speak with one of our attorneys. Everything you tell us is strictly confidential, and there is no pressure to take legal action. However, it’s important to have a record of your attack while it’s still fresh in your memory. You will also need to learn about your rights in order to make an informed decision about your legal options, which include a lawsuit for monetary compensation.

Another promise we can make is that you will never be responsible for any of our legal fees. With our Zero fee guarantee, we only get paid by winning your case. If we don’t win, you owe us absolutely nothing. To learn more about the ways we can assist you, contact our law firm and schedule a free case review.