Seattle crime victim lawyers advocating for civil justice.
If you have been the victim of a crime, the Seattle crime victim attorneys at Schroeter Goldmark & Bender (SGB) can help you pursue a civil lawsuit for money damages — even if the criminal case is still pending or no charges were ever filed.
SGB is a local firm that represents crime victims. We are passionate about advocating on behalf of crime victims and their families, and we have years of direct experience in the Pacific Northwest in both the criminal and civil justice systems. A crime victim’s civil claim can grow stale or, worse, the statute of limitations can expire, while the criminal case takes its course, so do not delay in contacting our team of experienced attorneys.
No one expects to be the victim of a crime. Nonetheless, millions of people suffer the devastating impacts of crime and abuse every year. Crimes are prosecuted in the criminal system by the prosecuting attorney, but crime victims have the right to pursue civil lawsuits against offenders and responsible. A civil lawsuit allows you to sue the person or entity who harmed you or failed to protect you from being victimized for money damages. You may have a civil claim even if the prosecutor or police decline to file criminal charges against the perpetrator.
Our team includes former local criminal prosecutors who know their way around the criminal justice system and are proud members of the National Crime Victim Bar Association.
Team Members
Thomas Breen
Craig Sims
Rebecca Roe
Kaitlin Cherf
Sergio A. Garcidueñas-Sease
Diego A. Rondón Ichikawa
Benjamin Gauen
Lindsay Halm
Chen-Chen Jiang
Julie Kline
Carson Phillips-Spotts
What Sets SGB's Crime Victim Attorneys Apart?
At SGB, our crime victim attorneys understand both sides of the courtroom. Our team includes former local criminal prosecutors and proud members of the National Crime Victim Bar Association, so we know how the criminal justice system works — and how to build a strong civil case alongside it.
We take on the individuals, corporations, and agencies that failed to protect you, whether that means a landlord with inadequate security, an institution that failed to supervise someone in its care, or another party who share responsibility for what happened. Every case is handled one-by-one by the attorneys you hired, with the decades of Pacific Northwest trial experience it takes to go up against powerful, well-resourced defendants.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not always, but it helps to have one. The prosecutor's job is to seek justice on behalf of the public — not to represent you personally — and their priorities won't always align with yours. Washington's Crime Victim Bill of Rights guarantees victims certain protections around privacy, safety, and support, and a Seattle crime victim attorney can help make sure those rights are enforced while also evaluating whether you have a separate civil claim for money damages.
Yes. Criminal charges require proof beyond a reasonable doubt; a civil claim only requires a preponderance of the evidence — a lower bar. And a prosecutor can only charge the perpetrator, while a civil lawsuit can also reach the businesses, corporations, government agencies, or other organizations that failed to protect you. A crime victim attorney can evaluate whether any of those parties share responsibility for what happened.
It depends on your case, so it's important to speak with a Washington crime victim attorney as soon as possible. Washington's statute of limitations for a civil claim can be as little as two years from the date of the crime, and once that deadline passes, you may be permanently barred from filing suit. Contact SGB for a free consultation so we can help you understand the deadlines you're facing before you lose your options.
Not necessarily. A criminal case can take a year or more to conclude, but the statute of limitations on your civil claim keeps running the whole time — and it can be as little as two years from the date of the crime. Because timing depends on the statute of limitations and who you're suing, it's best to talk to a crime victim lawyer early rather than wait for the criminal case to finish.
We handle crime victim cases on a contingency-fee basis. There's no charge for us to review your potential claim, and if we take your case, our fees come out of any recovery we win for you — if we don't recover compensation, you don't pay us for the legal work we've performed.
Washington's Crime Victims Compensation Program is a state fund that can help cover certain expenses like medical bills and lost wages, regardless of whether anyone is ever convicted. A civil lawsuit is a separate legal action against the person or entity responsible for the crime, and can recover a broader range of damages, including for pain and suffering. Many crime victims can pursue both — a crime victim attorney can help you understand which options apply to your situation.
Crime victims can bring civil claims not only against the person who committed the crime, but also against businesses, landlords, employers, or government agencies whose negligence allowed the crime to happen, for example, inadequate security at an apartment complex, negligent supervision by an institution, or a failure to warn about a known danger. A crime victim lawyer can evaluate who else may be responsible for what happened to you.
SGB is a Seattle-based crime victim law firm with attorneys who include former local criminal prosecutors, giving us a rare, firsthand understanding of how the criminal justice system intersects with your civil claim. We're proud members of the National Crime Victim Bar Association, and we've spent decades building our reputation representing clients across the Pacific Northwest. We handle every case one-by-one, on a contingency-fee basis, so you owe us nothing unless we win.