New Jersey Battered Woman Syndrome Lawyers

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Thanks to The Epstein Law Firm, battered women who are in abusive relationships have the right to sue their abusers in civil court for monetary damages for the entire period of abuse. Before 1994, battered women could only sue for assault and battery, which limited the battered women to seeking compensation for two years from an assault and battery, which is the statute of limitations for such claims. As a result, a great deal of the abuse that the battered women suffered was not compensable.

In 1994, The Epstein Law Firm created a new civil claim based on the battered women’s syndrome, which allows the battered woman to seek compensation for the entire period of abuse so long as the suit is filed within two years of the last act of abuse. This significant case, Cusseaux v. Pickett, 279 N.J. Super. 335 (1994), was the first of its kind in New Jersey and the United States.

The claim for battered woman’s syndrome requires the following: (1) involvement in a marital or marital-like relationship; (2) physical or psychological abuse perpetuated by the dominant partner to the relationship over an extended period of time; (3) the abuse has caused recurring physical or psychological injury over the course of the relationship; and (4) a past or present inability to take any action to improve or alter the situation unilaterally.

Since 1994, The Epstein Law Firm has successfully represented many women in abusive relationships against their abusers. Many of these cases arise out of divorce proceedings where the divorce lawyers refer the battered women to the Epstein Law Firm for representation on the claim for battered woman’s syndrome. The Epstein Law Firm is committed to continuing its support of battered women against their abusers.