§2255. Civil remedy for personal injuries

(a) In General.-Any person who, while a minor, was a victim of a violation of section 2241(c), 2242, 2243, 2251, 2251A, 2252, 2252A, 2260, 2421, 2422, or 2423 of this title and who suffers personal injury as a result of such violation, regardless of whether the injury occurred while such person was a minor, may sue in any appropriate United States District Court and shall recover the actual damages such person sustains and the cost of the suit, including a reasonable attorney's fee. Any person as described in the preceding sentence shall be deemed to have sustained damages of no less than $150,000 in value.

(b) Statute of Limitations.-Any action commenced under this section shall be barred unless the complaint is filed within six years after the right of action first accrues or in the case of a person under a legal disability, not later than three years after the disability.

(Added Pub. L. 99–500, §101(b) [title VII, §703(a)], Oct. 18, 1986, 100 Stat. 1783–39 , 1783-74, and Pub. L. 99–591, §101(b) [title VII, §703(a)], Oct. 30, 1986, 100 Stat. 3341–39 , 3341-74; amended Pub. L. 105–314, title VI, §605, Oct. 30, 1998, 112 Stat. 2984 ; Pub. L. 109–248, title VII, §707(b), (c), July 27, 2006, 120 Stat. 650 .)

Codification

Pub. L. 99–591 is a corrected version of Pub. L. 99–500.

Prior Provisions

A prior section 2255 was renumbered section 2256 of this title.

Amendments

2006-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 109–248, §707(b), inserted heading, inserted ", regardless of whether the injury occurred while such person was a minor," after "such violation", and substituted "Any person who, while a minor, was" for "Any minor who is", "such person" for "such minor", "Any person as described" for "Any minor as described", and "$150,000" for "$50,000".

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 109–248, §707(c), inserted heading.

1998-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 105–314 substituted "2241(c), 2242, 2243, 2251, 2251A, 2252, 2252A, 2260, 2421, 2422, or 2423" for "2251 or 2252".