Cheshire Sex Trafficking Lawyer

Sex Trafficking Lawyer Cheshire, CT

If you survived sex trafficking in Cheshire, Connecticut law gives you the right to pursue a civil claim against the people who did this to you. In many situations, you can also hold businesses and institutions accountable if they allowed the trafficking to happen. A civil case does not depend on whether criminal charges were filed. It does not require a police report or a prior disclosure. You can move forward on your own terms, at your own pace.

Our Cheshire, CT sex trafficking lawyer at Nugent & Bryant has over 36 years of experience representing people who have been seriously harmed. We offer free, confidential consultations, and we do not collect a fee unless we recover compensation for you.

Why Choose Nugent & Bryant for Sex Trafficking Cases in Cheshire, CT?

Connecticut Trial Lawyers Since 1989

Jim Nugent has been practicing in Connecticut courtrooms for more than three decades. He graduated from The Catholic University, Columbus School of Law in 1989 and completed the Trial Lawyers College in 1998, the program founded by legendary trial attorney Gerry Spence. Jim has tried over 100 cases to verdict in Connecticut courts.

Jim holds an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell, which is the highest peer-review rating available for legal ability and ethics. He has been named to the Connecticut Super Lawyers list and is certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. He also served as chairperson of the Litigation Section of the Connecticut Bar Association.

Julie Nugent has practiced alongside Jim since 1989. She earned her J.D. from The Catholic University, Columbus School of Law and completed the Trial Lawyers College in 2003. Julie grew up as the sixth of seven children in Ohio, and she credits that upbringing with shaping her ability to connect with people going through hard times. Clients consistently describe her as an unwavering advocate, and that reputation is well earned.

Proven Recovery for Clients

The firm has helped clients recover millions of dollars across personal injury and civil litigation matters in Connecticut. Every case produces a different result, but the preparation we put into each one reflects decades of doing this work at the highest level.

Holding Institutions Accountable

Sex trafficking rarely involves just one person. Hotels look the other way. Employers ignore warning signs. Schools and foster care programs fail vulnerable children. Connecticut law allows civil claims against these institutions when their negligence contributed to the trafficking, and we pursue every responsible party.

No Fees Unless We Recover

We handle trafficking cases on a contingency fee basis. There is no retainer and no hourly billing. If we don’t win, you don’t pay.

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“I most definitely recommend Nugent & Bryant Personal Injury Lawyers. My initial meeting was with Jim, however, when the case started to move along, I worked with Julie who is an unwavering client advocate. Lastly, I was extremely satisfied with the final outcome of the case and the genuine concern for me by both Julie and Jim.” – Barbara Piscopo

Read more reviews on our Google Business Profile.

Types of Sex Trafficking Cases We Handle in Cheshire

Trafficking does not look the same in every case. The circumstances change, the people involved change, and the institutions that failed change. But the common thread is always exploitation, where someone uses force, fraud, or coercion to profit from another person’s body. Here are the types of civil claims we pursue for survivors in Cheshire, CT.

• Forced prostitution. This is what many people think of when they hear the word trafficking. An individual is coerced through violence, threats, or psychological manipulation into performing commercial sex acts while the trafficker profits. Civil claims can target the trafficker directly and any third party that facilitated or benefited from the exploitation.
• Trafficking of minors. Under Connecticut law, any commercial sexual exploitation of a person under 18 is trafficking regardless of whether force or coercion was involved. Civil claims brought on behalf of child victims carry extended filing deadlines that give survivors significantly more time to come forward.
• Institutional negligence. This category covers hotels, motels, massage parlors, and other businesses that knew or should have known trafficking was occurring on their premises. It also covers schools, group homes, foster care agencies, and any organization that had a duty to protect someone and failed. These defendants often carry large insurance policies, which can substantially increase the recovery available to a survivor.
• Labor and sex trafficking. Some trafficking victims are forced into both physical labor and sexual exploitation. These cases involve overlapping legal theories and usually multiple defendants. They are complex, and we are prepared for that complexity.
• Online exploitation. Traffickers use social media, fake job postings, and dating apps to recruit victims. The internet has made trafficking easier to commit and harder to detect. Civil claims can reach the individuals behind these schemes and, in certain circumstances, the platforms that failed to act on reports of trafficking activity.
• Sexual abuse by authority figures. When a person in a position of trust, such as a coach, a member of the clergy, or an employer, uses that position to traffic or exploit someone, the breach of that trust adds another dimension to the civil claim. Both the individual and the institution that placed them in a position of authority can be held liable.

Connecticut Legal Requirements for Sex Trafficking Cases

Connecticut has some of the strongest civil protections for trafficking survivors in the country. Understanding them is important because deadlines apply, and missing a deadline can end a case before it starts.

CGS § 52-571i allows any person victimized by trafficking under CGS § 53a-192a to bring a civil lawsuit. The statute provides for actual damages or, alternatively, statutory damages of up to $1,000 per day of coercion. It also allows recovery of attorney’s fees and costs, which removes one of the biggest barriers to filing suit in the first place.

Trafficking in persons is a Class A felony in Connecticut under CGS § 53a-192a, carrying 10 to 25 years in prison. But a criminal conviction is not required for a civil lawsuit. The civil burden of proof is a preponderance of the evidence, meaning the claim only needs to be more likely true than not. That is a significantly lower bar than what prosecutors need in a criminal case. Many survivors who never saw their trafficker face criminal charges can still succeed in civil court.

Filing deadlines vary. For survivors who were under 21 when the trafficking occurred, CGS § 52-577d provides a 30-year window from the date the victim turns 21. Someone who was trafficked at 16 could file suit as late as age 51. For adults over 21, the general three-year statute of limitations under CGS § 52-577 typically applies. Exceptions exist, including situations where the liable party fraudulently concealed the abuse.

The state’s Department of Children and Families runs the HART program, which stands for Human Anti-Trafficking Response Team. HART coordinates services for trafficking victims statewide. If you are already connected to HART or another advocacy organization, your attorney can work alongside those resources while pursuing your civil claim because the two tracks complement each other.

What Damages Are Recoverable in Cheshire Sex Trafficking Cases?

The compensation available in a sex trafficking case depends on the facts. But Connecticut law provides survivors with broad categories of recovery.

Economic damages cover the quantifiable costs. Medical bills, therapy, counseling that may need to continue for years, lost wages from time you could not work, and diminished earning capacity if the trafficking disrupted your education or career trajectory are all compensable if they flow from the trafficking. Relocation costs can also be included.

Non-economic damages capture what the receipts do not show. Pain, suffering, emotional distress, PTSD, loss of enjoyment of life, and difficulty maintaining relationships are all recognized by Connecticut courts as legitimate and often substantial categories of harm. The psychological toll of trafficking is enormous, and there is no cap on non-economic damages in these cases.

Statutory damages under CGS § 52-571i allow a recovery of up to $1,000 for each day you were coerced. If the trafficking lasted six months, that amounts to roughly $180,000 in statutory damages alone, before any other category is calculated. For trafficking that continued for years, this figure grows substantially.

Punitive damages are not available in every case. Connecticut courts reserve them for conduct that was especially willful or outrageous. But trafficking, by definition, tends to meet that standard. When an institution covered up known trafficking or deliberately looked the other way, punitive damages become a real possibility.

Attorney’s fees and costs are also recoverable under the trafficking statute itself, which means the person or institution you are suing may be ordered to pay your legal costs on top of everything else.

Contact Nugent & Bryant

If you or someone you know survived sex trafficking in Cheshire, CT, or anywhere in Connecticut, Nugent & Bryant is ready to listen. We provide free, confidential consultations with no obligation. There is no fee unless we recover compensation on your behalf.

We know how much courage it takes to even consider this step. There is no pressure here. We will answer your questions, explain the process, and let you decide what is right for you. Contact us to schedule a confidential consultation.