Sexual Assault Lawsuits Against Pro Athletes

As the “Me Too” movement of women reporting sexual assaults and sexual harassment grows, more and more professional -- and collegiate -- athletes are being accused of sexual misconduct, especially those who play football. That can lead to sexual assault lawsuits against pro athletes or college athletes.

Victims of sexual assault or rape have a legal right to file lawsuits against those who are responsible, from individuals to institutions. If someone in your family suffered rape or sexual assault by a pro athlete, notify the Willis Law Firm today for a completely confidential and completely free legal review of your case. You could be legally entitled to substantial payments.

State Laws Protect Sexual Assault Victims

In most states, the victim of a sexual assault has a legal right to bring a civil lawsuit for damages. Under Texas law (Texas Penal Code § 22.011), sexual assault victims have legal protections. Texas law defines sexual assault as unwanted physical contact of a sexual nature which includes groping, fondling, rape, attempted rape, and date rape.

Also considered sexual assault is unwanted physical touching of a victim’s genitals. Unwanted physical touching of a victim’s legs, breasts or buttocks is not sexual assault under Texas law, but such touching can be considered a physical assault. In either case, victims have a legal right to file a civil lawsuit against perpetrators of physical or sexual assault in order to claim monetary damages, from medical costs and lost salary from missing work to pain and suffering.

It is not necessary to use a victim’s name when filing such a lawsuit. Instead, a pseudonym such as “Jane Doe” can be attached to a sexual assault lawsuit, in order to protect the victim’s identity. Also keep in mind that most such sexual assault lawsuits are settled privately out of court, with no need for a trial. Our law firm will work diligently to protect not only your identity but also your legal rights in claiming payments for your sexual assault losses and damages. Contact us today for your free and confidential case review.

NFL Sexual Assault Claims Are Common

Sexual assault by former or current NFL (National Football League) players are distressingly common, as are sexual assaults by college football players. While athletes in other sports also have been charged with sexual assaults, football players are most often cited. On Dec. 11, 2017, the NFL Network suspended three former players who’d worked as TV analysts for the network -- Marshall Faulk, Ike Taylor and Heath Evans -- pending an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment and sexual assault.

Such allegations were part of a lawsuit against NFL Enterprises by a female former NFL Network employee, filed in October but amended on Dec. 11. Her initial lawsuit alleged sex discrimination and sexual harassment while she was working at the network, which she deemed a hostile work environment. (She was dismissed in 2016.) Her amended complaint gave details of alleged sexual assault by the three former NFL players named above.

Her lawsuit also alleged sexual harassment by former NFL Network analyst and former NFL player Warren Sapp, who was fired by the network in 2015 after he was arrested for assault and soliciting prostitution. Also in December of 2017, former NFL and Houston Oilers quarterback Warren Moon was accused of sexual harassment by an assistant at his sports marketing firm who filed a lawsuit against him. Moon also had been working for Seattle Seahawks broadcasts as a radio analyst and reportedly requested a leave of absence from those duties. In all, dozens of NFL or former NFL players have been accused of sexual assault in recent years.

College Athletes’ Sexual Assaults

Also in the news have been many cases of college athletes’ alleged sexual assaults. Among the most notorious such cases have been reports alleging more than 50 rapes by Baylor University football players within a four-year span.In early 2017, a graduate of Baylor, located in Waco, Texas, filed a sexual assault lawsuit against the university alleging that she was raped by football players in 2013. She asserted in her lawsuit that 31 Baylor football players committed as many as 52 acts of rape from 2011-2014, including five “gang rapes” by 10 or more players at one time.

Baylor and its former football players also face other sexual assault lawsuits and rape lawsuits by former students. Some victims already have been paid settlements by the university, without their lawsuit needing to go to trial. According to one lawsuit and according to a report by ESPN, Baylor failed to investigate some rape reports for over two years, though it is required to do so by Title XI, a federal law which mandates that universities proactively protect students from sexual violence.

Assaulted by Pro Athlete?  Talk to a Sexual Assault Lawyer

Victims of sexual assault by a college or pro athlete can rest assured they can get an experienced and knowledgeable sexual assault lawyer to fight for their legal rights. And they can begin by contacting The Willis Law Firm today. Based in Houston, Texas, The Willis Law Firm has a long history of protecting the legal rights of innocent victims. Contact us today for your free -- and confidential -- legal case review.

Such a civil lawsuit can claim payments for the medical costs, lost wages and pain and suffering of a victim, as well as seek punitive damages against the College or University for negligence. Please call today for your free and confidential consultation.

Contact us today.  Mr. Willis is a Board Certified Personal Injury Trial Lawyer certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and licensed in Texas and New York with a National Presence with the Highest Available Peer Review Rating of AV. All cases are taken on handled on a Contingency Fee Contract, which means no attorneys fees or case expenses charged to you, unless recover a recovery. Call 24/7 Toll Free 1-800-883-9858