How Much Time Do I have to File for Sex Trafficking at a Hotel?

Sexual trafficking is a crime that occurs all over the world, and those who are affected by these incidents are left with lifelong injuries to their body and mind. Both adults and children are targeted by sex traffickers, who use coercion, fraud, or force to entrap the victim and make them engage in sexual activity for money. Quite often, these “pimps” go after runaways, those with alcohol or drug addiction, the disabled, and other vulnerable individuals.

It’s a well-known fact that traffickers typically keep their victims in hotels or motels, and many owners and staff members are aware that these activities are taking place on the premises. As a result, the laws in California require owners of hotels to train their employees on the indicators of sex trafficking and how to report incidents to the police. If the business owner or someone in a supervisory capacity at the hotel fails to contact the authorities, they are liable for the victim’s physical and emotional injuries. To put it another way, a motel or hotel can be sued for not reporting sexual trafficking on the property.

If you are a sex trafficking victim who was kept at a hotel, you need information about your rights and legal options. The hotel sexual trafficking lawyers of Kenmore are ready to help, so contact us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

How Long Do I have to Sue for Sexual Trafficking at Hotels or Motels?

The civil court system has a time limit for how long you have for a lawsuit, which is known as the statute of limitations. If you do not file a claim within this time, it’s likely that your right to sue for monetary damages will be invalidated.

According to Civil Code Section 52.5, victims of human trafficking must file a lawsuit within 7 years, stating from the date of being freed from the tracking situation. The 7-year rule applies to adult victims, i.e., those who are older than 17.

In the event you were a minor at the time you were trafficked, the statute of limitations is 10 years. However, the 10-yer window does not begin until you are 18 years old, which is the age of majority under California law. By doing the math, it appears that a lawsuit for hotel failure to report sex trafficking of a minor must be filed by the victim’s 28^th birthday.

However, there are situations that can provide a child sex trafficking victim with additional time to sue the responsible parties. For example, survivors of child sexual assault may not understand how the abuse has impacted their lives until they are much older. This is usually the result of suppressing memories of sexual assault rather than working through the feelings of shame, guilt, and resentment with a therapist. As a result, victims struggle with a variety or mental health conditions, but figuring out the root cause of these issues can take considerable time and effort.

Due to the complications of coming to terms with sex abuse during childhood, a lawsuit can be filed within 10 years of when the victim discovers, or reasonably should have discovered, that their psychological, physical, or emotional injuries were caused by the trafficking. There’s no denying that statute of limitations is a complicated subject, especially for underage victims. With that in mind, we recommend that you contact our office to discuss your case with a hotel failure to report sex trafficking attorney.

Contact Kenmore Law Group

At Kenmore Law Group, we have a dedicated team of sexual abuse lawyer who are committed to your interests from day one. We are fully aware that money isn’t the key to solving all your problems or making up for the trauma you struggle with on a day to day basis. However, compensation helps sexual assault victim move forward with their lives in a positive direction. Just as important is how these lawsuits set an example to hotel owners that choose to ignore the law when it comes to sex trafficking on their property.

We operate on a contingency basis and never charge clients upfront if they wish to hire us. The cost of representing you is added to the settlement we demand on your behalf. Under the Zero Fee Guarantee, this is the only form of compensation we receive. So, if we are unsuccessful in bringing you payment at the end of your lawsuit, you owe us $0.

For information on how to use a hotel for not reporting sex trafficking, contact our law firm and schedule a free case evaluation.