Sexual harassment – when you should talk to a lawyer?

Sexual harassment can be considered a serious crime and is also grounds for termination as per the policies of most corporate offices in New York. If you find yourself in a predicament where a coworker is constantly harassing you and you are unsure of how to handle the situation, rest assured that you are not alone and that many employees suffer such harassment alone.

However, you do not need to take this kind of treatment from anybody and we urge that you consult with a sexual harassment lawyer in New York in order to determine the best course of action in your case.

A Common Scenario

You have two meetings tomorrow. You have walk in customers that you have deal with. You may have to cover another part of the showroom floor if someone does not show up. You may have to miss your son’s Little League game since you may not be able to leave in time. You have enough on your plate. Your car may have to be oiled, you are not sure and you do not have time to go out and by a lunch and what you brought with you may not be enough sustenance to get you through the day. And you have to deal with co-employee who cannot keep their mouth shut!  

You need to go right here: Sexual-Harassment-USAttorneys. Salvation is around the virtual corner.

Ideally speaking, all companies have policies to deal with sexual harassment complaints. Therefore, you should be able to report the harassment to human resources and then it is the responsibility of the company to either themselves execute a probe into the matter or hire a law firm/sexual harassment attorney to complete an investigation, following which the company should take disciplinary action accordingly. However, this is not what happens in most cases of sexual harassment in the work place.

Often times, the victim is a subordinate and the harasser a superior and also, the harasser will often threaten to terminate the person being harassed if he or she raises the alarm bells. Even in such cases, Queens, NY sexual harassment lawyers suggest that victims ought to seek legal counsel as soon as possible. A legal professional will be able to not only provide you a strategic way to handle the situation but will also prove to be a pillar of emotional support when you need it most.

In cases where the company or the employer fails to follow up on a complaint or report of sexual harassment, not only can you go ahead and file a lawsuit against the harasser but you can also name your employer as a defendant in the sexual harassment lawsuit and have them pay up for the damages inflicted upon you due to their negligence.

What are the damages you can claim in a sexual harassment case?

Sexual harassment lawsuits can seek economic, non-economic, and punitive damages according to Queens, NY sexual harassment attorneys.

Economic damages are compensatory damages awarded to victims to compensate for quantifiable economic losses and these have to be supported by bills and other documentation. Examples of economic damages in a sexual harassment claim include loss of past and future wages and medical bills (for psychotherapy, to name a few).

Non-economic damages are awarded to victims to compensate for damages that one cannot really put a price tag on. In many states there are caps or limitations on how much money you can win as non-economic damages.  Examples of economic damage include mental anguish and distress. What Lt. Maria LaGuerta in Dexter was doing to Dexter in season one and/or two may not qualify but he certainly could have made a complaint about her if she persisted on making sexual insinuations to him. He could have asked her to stop but he did not as Lt. LaGuerta realized Dexter did not reciprocate that feeling.

Then about four years after this she realizes that Dexter may be the Bay Harbor Butcher but that is another story.

Punitive damages are awarded not to compensate the victim for any loss or suffering but instead to further punish the perpetrator for their doings. OJ Simpson knows all about that!

Many victims of sexual harassment fail to speak out and are unaware of their rights. If you find yourself in such a situation all you need is to speak with a sexual harassment lawyer in Queens, New York to discuss your rights. Remember, your employer has no right to retaliate against you if you file a sexual harassment complaint.