Far too often, teachers and other school staff take advantage of their position and proximity with children and abuse them. Any sexual abuse involving children is a form of child sex abuse. This can include rape, attempted rape, fondling, groping, any unwanted touching, kissing, sending inappropriate messages/pictures, forcing the child to watch the suspect masturbate, forcing the child to masturbate, forcing the child to touch the suspect, etc.

Child sex abuse can lead to physical injuries, as well as mental and emotional harm. Physical injuries can include the following: sexually transmitted infections, unwanted pregnancies, injuries to genitals, injuries to reproductive organs, fractures, lacerations, scrapes, bruises, etc. In many cases, however, it’s the mental and emotional injuries that are longer lasting. These can include the following: post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorder, depression, fear, panic disorder and more. In addition, victims of child sex abuse are at a significantly higher risk of developing a drug addiction or of committing suicide.

Without a doubt, child sex abuse has longing consequences for victims and their families. The abuse suffered can affect almost every aspect of victim’s lives.

Yes, victims of child sex abuse (and their parents) could have the right to file a lawsuit for child sex abuse that occurs at a school. This is because schools and school districts have a duty to keep students safe. They must subject all their employees to background checks, appropriate training, and most importantly, adequate supervision. In addition, schools/districts have to have the appropriate policy to handle any reports made. They must investigate and remove the teacher or other staff member from the school to prevent further abuse. They must not ignore these reports.

What does this all mean? Schools have a duty to keep students safe. In most cases, school sexual abuse is a direct reflection of the school or the district’s failures (i.e., they didn’t subject the teacher to background checks, didn’t investigate reports, or even covered up the abuse, etc.). Because of this, schools/districts could be liable – and could be sued.

For more information about your right to sue for the child sex abuse that you or your child suffered at a school, contact us today.

This is one of the most important questions. All claims are subject to a statute of limitations, or a deadline to sue. So, how long do victims of child sex abuse have to pursue their claims? In the state of California, victims of child sex abuse have until the age of 40 to file their lawsuits. Depending on the circumstances, the victim might even have longer to sue. This might seem like more than enough time to pursue a claim; however, we recommend that victims seek legal help as soon as possible.

For more information about the specific length of time that you could have to pursue your claim, contact the team here at our law firm immediately. Our lawyers are more than ready to evaluate your claim and help you file on time.

What Compensation Can I Recover?

This is a very common question. The specific type of compensation that is available for recovery will depend strictly on the details surrounding the sexual abuse claim. However, some of the compensation that claimants could be eligible to recover could include the following:

• Medical expenses (including expenses for mental health services)
• Lost earnings
• Pain and suffering (also known as mental and emotional distress)
• Punitive damages
• Legal fees
• Treble damages

Important note about treble damages: Under California law, sex abuse that was ultimately covered up can be eligible for treble damages. This means that the total compensation that claimants could recover could be tripled.

Here at our law firm, our child sex abuse lawyers are more than ready to provide you with the guidance that you need to fight to recover the compensation that you are owed. Our team is dedicated to getting our clients the highest recovery available for their claims.

What is the average value of child sex abuse claims against schools? This is a difficult question to answer because the value of a claim is strictly based on the case details (including the type of abuse suffered, the extent of the injuries, and more). However, child sex abuse cases tend to be high-value cases. These cases can have values ranging from a few hundred thousand to much higher – and sometimes even more. The only way to determine the possible value of your case is to discuss the details surrounding your case with an experienced child sex abuse lawyer.

How long does it take to settle these cases? Here at our law firm, we understand that it can be very difficult – and even frustrating – to have to wait for a case to settle. We understand that the legal process can be traumatic for victims of child sex abuse; therefore, we are committed to settling these cases as quickly as possible. In general, we can settle these cases in under 2 years. For more information about how long it could take to settle your case, contact us today.

Other Pages on Our Website Related to This Topic
Sexual Abuse at Camp Vernon Kilpatrick
Camp Clinton B. Afflerbaugh Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Lawyer