Pennsylvania Lawyers Fighting For The Rights Of Victims Of Human Trafficking

We at Bellwoar Kelly, LLP, stand against acts of human trafficking. Our firm advocates for survivors, remaining committed to helping them get the justice they deserve. As former district attorneys, we know the full scope of the federal and state landscape regarding trafficking lawsuits. Now, trial lawyers, our priority focuses on protecting your rights.

Your Filing Options Under Federal And Pennsylvania Law

The trauma that human trafficking leaves can be severely damaging, but understand that the law is on your side. Under the federal Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act, you have the right to sue your perpetrators and those who knowingly benefit from the venture. This and Pennsylvania’s Human Trafficking Statute allow you to seek recovery for the losses and suffering you have endured.

When filing a civil lawsuit, you must file within federal and state law deadlines. In Pennsylvania, adult victims have five years from the last act of trafficking to sue, while minor victims have until they turn 30 years old. Under federal standards, you have a 10-year filing window after the cause of action arises. If you were a minor at the time, the deadline extends to 10 years after you turned 18 years old.

Identifying Liable Parties In Human Trafficking And Forced Labor Crime

Human trafficking cases are far from simple, as they involve multiple parties:

• Traffickers: Individuals who illegally move, recruit and trade human beings for forced labor

• Buyers: Individuals who patronize sexual servitude or purchase sex acts from victims

• Property owners: Hotel, motel and apartment owners who allow trafficking to occur and fail to stop illegal activities

• Employers and business owners: Companies that condone forced labor or willfully ignore signs of trafficking

• Online platforms: Websites that willingly facilitate human trafficking, such as recruitment, advertising and exploitation

Identifying perpetrators involves examining their role in human trafficking. Whether they have a direct, beneficial or knowledgeable connection to any forced activity, they become liable for the losses you suffered as a result of the crime.

How Bellwoar Kelly, LLP, Fights For Your Financial Recovery

Under federal and Pennsylvania standards, these damages are what you can sue for under a trafficking lawsuit:

• Economic damages: Include unpaid wages, medical expenses and treatment

• Noneconomic damages: Cover physical, psychological and emotional trauma caused by continuous threats, coercion and isolation

• Punitive damages: Penalize perpetrators for willful and malicious conduct

• Legal fees: Give you the right to recover reasonable attorney fees, court costs and related litigation expenses from defendants after prevailing in the case

Beyond these losses, federal law requires courts to order traffickers to pay victims of their crimes the full amount of losses. These can include the value of your services or gross ill-gotten gains. You may also qualify for state crime victim compensation, which allows you to recover reimbursement for your out-of-pocket expenses.

At Bellwoar Kelly, LLP, our goal is to exhaust our resources to help maximize recovery. We will file subpoenas, conduct asset tracing and analyze insurance coverage as our discovery tools to track and establish liable parties.

Relief For Trafficking Survivors Facing Immigration Issues

Victims of forced labor may have access to immigration relief through specialized visas and temporary protections. These include a T nonimmigrant status, a U nonimmigrant status and continued presence to halt removal.

Severe trafficking survivors can receive a T visa for their compliance with reasonable law enforcement requests, giving them a four-year status and a path to green card status. Victims suffering substantial abuse from human trafficking can receive a U visa for helping law enforcement in the investigation. Continued Presence allows victims to remain in the U.S. and work during active investigations.

How State Laws Help You Clear Your Record And Preserve Safety

Trafficking victims often need to commit crimes, such as prostitution, theft or drug selling. Pennsylvania offers you the opportunity to clear your record, provided that a connection between the crime and trafficking exists. You may qualify for an expungement or vacatur of your conviction.

As for confidentiality, you can use the Address Confidentiality Program to hide your identity from perpetrators and third parties. This allows you to use a substitute address for driver’s license applications, vehicle registrations and state government records.

We understand the fear of facing the consequences of having a criminal record. We will stand with you and walk you through options for possibly clearing your name.

Elements Of Building A Strong Case

When suing the trafficker and other involved individuals, building a strong civil human trafficking case is imperative. This involves preserving any evidence about the crime immediately available to you, including your medical records, text conversations with the perpetrator and witness contact details.

At Bellwoar Kelly, LLP, our civil law attorneys can help you coordinate with immigration and law enforcement. Our law firm will also explain your circumstances so you can easily understand what to do to seek compensation for all your losses.

We Will Never Let You Down. Your Burden Is Also Ours.

The sensitivity of trafficking cases requires legal precision in navigating their nuances. You can trust us to handle your case and see through it together. Call us at 610-422-7041 to speak with one of our dependable lawyers in Pennsylvania. You may also email us for appointment schedules.