Sex Trafficking Lawsuit FAQs

No. Both small independent motels and major branded chains have faced successful trafficking lawsuits. In fact, some of the largest verdicts — including the $40 million award in Decatur — involved smaller, independent operators. What matters is what staff knew and how the motel responded.

HBLG is licensed in Georgia, but we work with attorney networks nationwide. If your trafficking occurred in another state, we can connect you with qualified counsel in that jurisdiction, or in some cases file in federal court. Contact us and we will point you in the right direction.

The timeline varies. Some cases reach settlement within a year or two; others take longer, especially if a hotel aggressively contests liability. We will give you a realistic picture once we understand your specific situation. Our goal is always to secure the best possible outcome in the most efficient way.

That is completely normal. We can help gather records including hotel receipts, booking records, and other documentation. Investigators and legal tools can often locate records you may not have on your own. A partial memory of what happened does not prevent you from having a viable case.

No. Many survivors of sex trafficking never reported to law enforcement, and that does not disqualify you from bringing a civil lawsuit. Civil cases and criminal cases are separate legal processes. We can move forward without a police report.

Under federal law, if you were under 18, consent is irrelevant. A minor cannot legally consent to commercial sex. For adult survivors, trafficking law recognizes that force, fraud, or coercion can make genuine consent impossible — and lawyers and courts understand the complexity of trafficking situations. We encourage you to share your story and let us assess your rights.

This is one of the most common concerns survivors share with us. You do not have to speak with police, go on the record publicly, or identify yourself in court documents by name. Many trafficking cases are filed under pseudonyms like ‘Jane Doe.’ Your safety and privacy are priorities throughout the entire process.