suing husband for pain & suffering

I can totally relate!!!  I just turned 48 yesterday and my husband was at the bar!  We've been married 28 years and together for 31.  He has cheated on me since the beginning!!  He is also an alcoholic.  I have tried everything in my power to save this marriage, but when he's in his "drinking thinking" he gets mentally and emotionally abusive.  I walk around my house on eggshells!!  I get up mornings, pack his pail, get his clothes out, iron his work shirt and fill his thermos!  When and IF he comes home at night, he sits in his recliner and I put his dinner on a tray and serve it to him!!!  HOW PATHETIC IS THAT!!!  We have two children that are now adults.   I am scared to death because I too am not working.  I worked for many years and then about 2 or 21/2 years ago I got laid off and at the time my husband was not drinking (about a month sober) and he insisted that I didn't look for another job because he liked that I was home and able to take care of things.  He also works out of town sometimes and liked the fact that I could go with him if I wasn't working.   He is drinking again and it's getting worse.  Which is his routine!  Soon he'll start feeling guilty and spill his guts to me and beg my forgiveness!  I need to get out before this happens!!!  I always hope that when he tells me it will NEVER happen again he truly means it!  It never lasts and I've already wasted many years waiting!!!  I'm scared about my financial situation!  (I HAVE NO MONEY!!)  Not sure which direction I should take!!!  I can't afford an attorney!!!  Don't even know if I have a leg to stand on!!!  I sympathize with you!!!

http://www.peoples-law.org/Family/divorce/alimony/alimony%20wlc.htm Sorry I forgot to paste the address. This is it.

Maryland does have Alimony. I found a website that you can look at and get some answers. Remember the last one on this list, about the taxes. You will want to get an attorney, you can find attorneys that will talk to you for free the first time. There is also legal aid you can look into. Which ever you choose, make sure that your attorney puts it in the divorce decree, that alimoney will not be deductible, that will keep you from having to pay taxes on it. Best of luck to you, and if you need any help, just ask, we are all here to listen and help anyway we can.

I am sorry to hear your story. I think you need an attorney to answer your legal question. I am glad to hear you are in counseling. Whatever you do legally, I wanted to say a few things. First, no one has the right to treat you badly -- married or not. You must stand up for yourself. Consider how you would act if one of your children were being treated this way. Then stand up for yourself in that same way. Which gets me to my next point. You deserve better than a man who treats you in the way you've described. You have to believe that -- in your heart. It's obvious that years of abuse have taken their toll on your heart. But it's still there, underneath all the pain you are obviously feeling. Let today be the day you start to live again. You start to love yourself again. And live your life well and happily. That's the best revenge you can ever have. Good luck. 

I live in Maryland. THANK YOU for being so kind.

Thats a tough question to answer. Im sorry to hear about whats been going on to you. Being you are a stay at home mom and have been for so long, you will be entitled to some compensation. You also are entitled to compensation due to your medical background, I would imagine you would be entitled to alimony, also called "Maintenance" in some states. I would be happy to do a little research to help you out, what state do you live in?

I can relate.  I'm so sorry to hear this.  It's very sad.  You need to be safe.