Have you been sexually harassed in your workplace in Kansas City? While you may feel helpless, there are ways to feel safe in your workplace again. Working with a sexual harassment lawyer and following the below tips can help you build a strong sexual harassment case.
Ask a Workplace Sexual Harassment Lawyer in Kansas City: 6 Tips for Building Your Case
Sexual harassment can be incredibly traumatizing and difficult to deal with. It can make you feel frightened and isolated, and it can have an impact on all areas of your life outside of work. If you have been sexually harassed at work, you might feel like there’s nothing you can do. You need your job to survive, after all.
But anyone who’s experienced sexual harassment at work should know that they are not alone. There are things you can do to feel safe in your workplace again. If you need to take your case to court, there are some things you should make sure you know when building your case.
1. Hire a Qualified Lawyer
One of the number one things you need to do when it comes to any legal case is to hire a good lawyer. Lots of people think they can save money by representing themselves in court, but you are probably not going to want to do this.
You don’t have the same training that a professional lawyer does. That means that you’re likely to make mistakes in the courtroom. It will also be easy for the other party to take advantage of your lack of knowledge. Make sure to look into local Kansas City workplace sexual harassment attorneys to support you and your case.
2. Gather Evidence
It is on you as the accuser to gather the proof necessary to show that you have experienced sexual harassment in your workplace. Your lawyer will help you know what type of evidence to gather.
If you have written communications that demonstrate this harassment, those will be important to have. You should also keep a journal and write down the specifics of when harassment incidents happen, including when, where, and who was involved.
3. Speak to Witnesses
Sexual harassment cases can be frightening not just for the person experiencing the harassment, but for the people around them too. Many people are afraid to speak out when they see harassment because they’re frightened they’ll be retaliated against for making a complaint.
For this reason, it can be difficult to gather witness testimony. But statements from witnesses who may have seen the harassment take place can be incredibly beneficial to your case. Try to gather as many witness statements as you can, and get their contact information so you and your lawyer can touch base with them if need be.
4. Be Honest with Your Lawyer
Throughout the entirety of your case, your lawyer plays an important role. They are representing you and your case, and they’ll be dedicated to making sure that you reach a fair resolution after what you’ve experienced.
Because of this, you need to be honest with your lawyer. There are certainly many aspects of sexual harassment that can feel embarrassing or difficult to talk about. But you need to be as open, detailed, and transparent with your lawyer as possible so they can help you to the best of their abilities.
5. Keep on Top of Paperwork
When you take a case to court, there is a lot of paperwork involved. It’s really important to stay organized and fill out any required forms correctly. If you miss anything, this could seriously impact the validity of your case.
This is just another reason why it’s so important to work with a good lawyer. Your lawyer will know exactly what paperwork needs to be filled out and when and where it needs to be filed. Dealing with this type of case is stressful enough on its own, so let your lawyer handle the paperwork.
6. Ask Questions
You need to understand what’s going on at every point in the court process. If you don’t understand something, you might end up making a mistake that could impact your case. Never be afraid to ask your lawyer for clarification on something.
Part of your lawyer’s job is to make sure that you understand what’s going on. So if you are confused or uncertain about something, you shouldn’t hesitate to ask about it. Your lawyer will be more than happy to explain anything you are struggling with.
Experiencing sexual harassment in the workplace can be very scary and isolating. But there are lots of ways to build a strong court case and ensure that you are fairly compensated for what happened to you. You can always count on your lawyer to provide you with experts advice and ensure that you get the fair legal representation you need.