Primary Location
Phoenix Personal Injury Lawyers
2700 N Central Ave Suite 320, Phoenix, AZ 85004, United States
Phone: (602) 905-7766
Call us at (855) 855-8910
Call us at (855) 855-8910
In Phoenix, sexual assault survivors face lasting harm. But Arizona law gives you a real shot at justice through the civil court system. You can hold your attacker accountable, and you can go after the property owners and institutions that let it happen. The Simon Law Group fights for injury victims across Maricopa County, and we offer free case reviews so you know where you stand.
A lot of people we talk to assume they can't file a lawsuit because the police never pressed charges. That's wrong.
Civil cases and criminal cases are two completely separate systems. Prosecutors run the criminal side. They need to prove guilt "beyond a reasonable doubt," and that bar is sky-high. Attackers walk free all the time, even when the evidence seems clear.
Your civil case? Different rules entirely. You and your attorney file the claim. The standard drops to what's called "preponderance of the evidence." All you need to show is that the harm more likely than not happened. Think 51% on a scale. That's it.
No criminal conviction needed. No charges needed. Even if a jury acquitted your attacker, you can still file in civil court and win.
Here in the Phoenix area, most of these cases go through Maricopa County Superior Court. We handle the filing, the court deadlines, the legal back-and-forth. You focus on getting better.
Your attacker is the obvious defendant. But here's what people miss: they're usually not the only one who owes you money.
Arizona law lets you go after third parties who created the conditions for the attack. The legal terms are "negligent security" and "negligent supervision." Why does this matter so much? Because third parties carry insurance. Your attacker probably doesn't.
Take property owners. If you were assaulted at an apartment complex, a bar, a hotel, a parking structure, the owner had a duty to keep that space safe. Broken locks on entry doors. Burned-out lights in the parking lot. No security cameras anywhere. Gates propped open for months. Any of those failures can land a property owner in your lawsuit.
We've seen this pattern repeat across Phoenix. Apartment complexes in Maryvale, South Mountain, and Central City often cut corners on basic security. Residents pay the price.
Employers land in these cases too. An employer who ignored repeated complaints about a worker, who skipped background checks, who looked the other way while abuse happened on the clock, that employer shares the blame. Our attorneys secured a $2.65 million settlement in a case where the employer's negligent supervision allowed a sexual assault to happen.
Schools, churches, youth organizations, medical facilities. Same idea. If they put someone in a position of authority and failed to screen that person, or if they knew about a problem and did nothing, they're on the hook. Our premises liability lawyers serving Phoenix hold negligent property owners accountable in these cases.
These cases show up in a dozen different settings. No two look exactly alike, but patterns repeat.
Apartments and rental properties top the list. A landlord who won't fix the deadbolt, who won't replace burned-out parking lot lights, who refuses to install cameras. When a tenant gets assaulted in that environment, the landlord's failures are part of the story.
Workplace assaults are more common than most people think. An employer gets a complaint about someone. Files it away. Does nothing. Three months later, that same employee assaults a coworker. The employer had a chance to stop it.
Authority figures. Doctors, teachers, coaches, clergy. People in positions of trust who abuse that trust. These cases often involve institutions, not just individuals, because the institution put that person in a position of power.
Child sexual abuse cases carry their own rules in Arizona, including extended filing deadlines we cover below.
Bars, hotels, entertainment venues. If you were assaulted somewhere that should have had a bouncer, a security camera, a locked entrance, that business is part of the claim.
Rideshare assaults. Uber, Lyft, similar services. The companies and their screening processes come into play.
Nursing home and care facility abuse. Vulnerable adults harmed by the people paid to look after them.
Not sure if your situation fits? That's what the free case review is for. Call and we'll tell you straight.
The proof bar in civil court is nothing like criminal court. Not even close.
Your attorney shows that the defendant's actions, or failures, more likely than not caused you harm. Imagine a scale: if the evidence tips past 50% in your favor, that's enough. Way easier than "beyond a reasonable doubt."
So what kind of evidence actually moves the needle?
You won't have every item on that list. That's fine. Some cases move forward on medical records and a police report alone. Here's something people don't expect though: your own testimony carries real weight. A jury listens when you describe what happened and how your life changed.
Arizona doesn't cap personal injury damages. No preset limit. What a jury awards depends on how badly you were hurt and who's responsible.
Medical costs come first. Emergency care, hospital stays, surgeries, medications. Then therapy and counseling. PTSD treatment, anxiety management, depression care. These bills add up fast, and they're 100% recoverable.
Lost wages hit hard too. If you missed work, lost your job, or can't earn what you used to, that's a damage category. Same for future lost income if the injuries affect your earning ability going forward.
Pain and suffering covers the physical side. Emotional distress covers the psychological side: the fear, the nightmares, the way your life got smaller after what happened.
Every case is different. Settlements swing based on how severe the injuries are, how many defendants there are, what insurance is in play, and whether you end up in front of a jury. Maricopa County juries have returned significant awards in premises liability and assault cases.
Bottom line? Compensation exists to put your life back together. Our injury settlement representation in Phoenix fights for every dollar. Someone else caused those medical bills, those therapy costs, those missed paychecks. In the most tragic cases, families may pursue wrongful death claims in Phoenix. You shouldn't carry that weight alone.
Arizona gives you a fixed window to file. Miss it, and your case dies regardless of the facts.
Adults get 2 years from the date of the assault under A.R.S. 12-542 [1]. Two years sounds like a lot until you realize how fast it goes. Between healing, processing what happened, and working up the courage to take legal action, that window closes quick.
Minors get more time. In 2019, Governor Ducey signed SB 1030, which extended the deadline for child sexual abuse survivors to age 30. That's a big deal. Nevada and New Mexico, right next door, offer shorter windows.
There's also something called tolling. If you didn't connect the assault to your injuries right away, what lawyers call "delayed discovery," the clock might start later than you think. Your attorney can figure out whether tolling applies.
Here's what we tell clients: don't sit on this. Even if you're unsure about the timeline, call for a free review. The closer you get to the deadline, the harder it is to gather evidence and track down witnesses. Earlier is always better.
The actions you take right after an assault can make or break your civil case down the road. Here's what matters.
First, medical care. Get to a hospital. Specifically, get a SANE exam. That's a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner, and Phoenix has these programs at Banner and Dignity Health facilities. The exam documents physical evidence and creates a medical record that becomes foundational to your case.
Second, file a police report with Phoenix PD. Will it guarantee criminal charges? No. But it timestamps the incident and creates an official record that your attorney will use later.
Third, preserve everything. Texts, emails, photos, the clothes you were wearing. Don't wash anything. Don't delete messages. If there's security camera footage at the location where it happened, that footage gets overwritten fast, sometimes within days. An attorney can send a spoliation letter demanding the business preserve it.
Fourth, do not talk to the attacker or anyone representing them. Their employer's HR department, an insurance adjuster, anyone. Anything you say can get twisted and used against you. Talk to your attorney first. Period.
Fifth, call a Phoenix sexual assault lawyer. Every day you wait is a day evidence degrades. We offer free case reviews and can move fast on preservation.
From there, your attorney files a civil complaint in Maricopa County Superior Court. The case moves through discovery, negotiation, and potentially trial. Most settle before a jury gets involved, but having an attorney ready for trial is exactly what pushes the other side toward a fair number.
Resources that can help right now: the Arizona Attorney General's Office of Victim Services [2] offers advocacy, financial assistance, and rights information for survivors statewide. The Arizona Sexual and Domestic Violence Helpline [3] at (602) 279-2980 provides phone, chat, and text support. The Phoenix Family Advocacy Center serves the East Valley and downtown Phoenix.
Making the call is the hardest part. We know that. Once you do, the process is straightforward.
First conversation: free, confidential, no strings. We listen to what happened, ask the questions that matter legally, and give you a straight answer about your options. No sugarcoating, no pressure, no sales pitch.
If you want to move forward, here's the playbook.
Investigation. We pull medical records, police reports, witness statements, surveillance footage. If a property owner or employer is involved, we dig into their complaint history, their maintenance records, their security setup. We're looking for the pattern of neglect that made your assault possible.
Filing. We put together the complaint and file in Maricopa County Superior Court. Every document, every deadline, every procedural requirement, that's on us.
Resolution. Most cases settle through negotiation. But some defendants lowball, and some insurance companies stall. When that happens, we go to trial. And honestly? Having a firm that's willing to try the case is the single biggest factor in getting a fair settlement offer. Insurance adjusters know which firms will fold and which ones show up in court.
Cost to you upfront? Zero. We work on contingency. We get paid when you get paid. If we don't recover anything, you owe us nothing.
The Simon Law Group brings over 250 years of combined personal injury experience and more than $1 billion recovered for clients. Our personal injury representation in Phoenix has the resources for this fight.
Survivors deserve privacy. When records from sexual assault cases are leaked or mishandled, victims may also have an invasion of privacy claim.
Our attorneys have handled personal injury cases across Arizona and California. We know how Phoenix insurance companies operate, and we know how to push back.
That number reflects real results for real families — medical bills paid, lost wages recovered, and futures protected.
You pay nothing upfront. Our fee comes out of your settlement or verdict. If we do not win your case, you owe us nothing.
Accidents do not follow business hours. Neither do we. Call (602) 905-7766 any time — nights, weekends, and holidays.
Our Phoenix team works out of 2700 N Central Ave, Suite 320. We know the roads, the courts, and the insurance adjusters you are up against.
“After a crash, you need a team that answers the phone, explains your options, and fights for every dollar you are owed. That is what we do at The Simon Law Group.”
Over 250 years of combined attorney experience
Phoenix office at 2700 N Central Ave, Suite 320 |
Licensed in Arizona and California
Crashes caused by impaired or drunk drivers
Whiplash, back injuries, and low-speed collision claims
Hit-and-run crashes and unidentified driver claims
Serious injuries from head-on and wrong-way crashes
High-speed crashes on Phoenix freeways and surface streets
Yes. Civil cases have a lower burden of proof than criminal cases. You can file a civil lawsuit regardless of what happened in criminal court, including if no charges were filed at all.
A personal injury attorney with experience in sexual assault and premises liability cases. These cases involve both intentional harm and negligence claims against third parties.
Most cases resolve in 12 to 24 months, depending on the complexity of the case and whether it goes to trial. Cases with multiple defendants or disputed liability can take longer.
Yes. If the business failed to provide adequate security, lighting, or supervision, they may be liable under Arizona premises liability law. This includes apartments, bars, hotels, parking garages, and other commercial properties.
Adults generally have 2 years from the date of the assault. Minors have until age 30 under Arizona's expanded statute of limitations, signed into law in 2019 under SB 1030.
Medical bills, therapy costs, lost wages, pain and suffering, and emotional distress. Arizona has no statutory cap on personal injury damages.
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