Legislation to eliminate the statute of limitations for child sex abuse lawsuits filed in Washington State is making encouraging headway. House Bill 1618 (HB 1618) passed the Washington State House of Representatives by a large margin, 82-14, in early 2023. It will now soon head to the State Senate for a vote there. If it passes, Washington Governor Jay Inslee (D) is expected to approve the bill resulting in the law going into effect.
Currently, a brief three-year statute of limitations applies to most childhood sexual abuse civil claims in the state when filed by an adult over the age of 18. If HB 1618 moves into law, the statute of limitations will be completely eliminated. Furthermore, it will revive older claims in which the statute of limitations had previously expired. In other words, the new law would allow for child sex abuse lawsuits to be filed at any time, regardless of how long ago the abuse occurred. It does not change the statute of limitations for criminal charges against child sex offenders, which is already unlimited or nonexistent.
Representative Darya Farivar (D-Seattle), who authored the bill, has been quoted, “This bill recognizes that recovery from child sex abuse isn’t linear. […] Sexual abuse is already underreported, so it is incredibly important to empower survivors with the tools to hold predators accountable.”
Most recently, on March 6th, 2023, HB 1618 reached the State Senate for its first reading. While in the House, it went through three readings before it was approved, which took roughly a month. A similar timeline and process could be expected from the Senate.
Levy Konigsberg Investigating Claims for Washington Child Sex Abuse Survivors
Levy Konigsberg, one of the nation’s most trusted law firms for child sexual abuse lawsuits against large institutions, religious groups, universities, and more, is investigating claims on behalf of survivors located in Seattle, Tacoma and throughout the State of Washington. By contacting Levy Konigsberg now, sex abuse victims can have their case reviewed by an experienced law firm even before this new law takes effect. With HB 1618 potentially being passed into law later this year, it would create a renewed opportunity to demand justice for unforgivable acts of sexual abuse. Seeking justice starts with talking to a professional yet compassionate attorney who is capable of handling such a sensitive and important lawsuit.
If you want to take advantage of the potentially unlimited statute of limitations made by HB 1618 once it passes, then please contact Levy Konigsberg online at any time. You can even speak with our team now, even before HB 1618 becomes law. Our entire team is trained to work sensitively and respectfully with clients who experience significant trauma related to their lawsuits, such as child sexual abuse survivors. Please dial (800) 315-3806 whenever you are ready to request a consultation.
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