Santa Barbara Juvenile Hall Lawsuit Lawyer

If there were interactions of a sexual nature between you and a Santa Barbara Juvenile Hall staff member, that in itself is sexual abuse under the law. This is based on the fact that you were a minor at the time, so you cannot consent to sexual relations according to California law. Second, sexual relationships between inmates and employees, like probation officers, are an abuse of power that clearly puts the inmate at a disadvantage.

Thus, even if you consented to sexual activity with an adult working for the juvenile justice system, you are still a victim with the right to sue for monetary damages. The bigger question is: who are the entities that are liable for your care and safety at a youth detention center? Ultimately, the responsibility lies with the administrators that are in charge of the staff members. These include officials of the Santa Barbara County Probation Department. This is why you may be entitled to compensation from the county of Santa Barbara and not just the person that committed the abuse.

Liability for sexual abuse in a detention center is a complicated subject, but rest assured that we will go after whoever is responsible and make them pay for breaching their duty of care to you as an inmate of Santa Maria Juvenile Hall.

Class Action Lawsuit for Sexual Abuse at Santa Barbara Juvenile Hall

Have you considered the possibility of joining a juvenile inmate abuse class action lawsuit? Would you like to file a class action lawsuit with others who were sexually abused at Santa Barbara Juvenile Hall? This is a topic that comes up quite frequently during conversations with victims, and it’s understandable considering the number of class action claims that have been filed in the past few years by adult and juvenile inmates.

We are more than happy to explore this option with you and ensure that you have a full understanding of your rights and legal options. Ultimately, being part of a sexual abuse class action lawsuit is completely up to you, but making an informed decision requires counsel from an experienced attorney. Simply contact our office and schedule a free consultation if you’d like to learn more about filing a class action lawsuit against Santa Barbara Juvenile Hall.

If we look at the cases that we have settled within the past few years, we estimate that the bulk of these lawsuits are worth $500,000 to $3,500,000. But cases of sexual assault may result in higher settlements – perhaps around or above $5,000,000. If your lawsuit is based on the sexual harassment of a minor, the amount of compensation may fall below $1,000,000.

Perhaps you have seen cases in the news, where settlements for sexual abuse at a juvenile hall exceeded $100,000,000. Most likely, this was a class action lawsuit that included hundreds or thousands of victims. Many claimants choose to be part of a class action claim, as having a large number of victims makes a powerful statement that’s impossible to ignore. Based on how many members have joined the lawsuit, the amount of compensation can range from $15,000,000 to $500,000,000.

It takes 12 to 24 months on average to settle a Santa Barbara Juvenile Hall lawsuit for the sexual abuse of a minor. If you are suing for compensation with other inmates (class action lawsuit), the amount of time to settle a juvenile detention center abuse claim may be 2 to 3 years.

There are various factors that impact how long these cases take to settle, which we can talk to you about during a free case review. But please keep in mind that sexual assault / abuse lawsuits are extremely complicated to begin with, and even more so if the party at fault is a government institution. There have been cases that were settled within a matter of months, but overall, we would say that 1 to 3 years is the expected amount of time to settle a Santa Barbara Juvenile Hall sexual abuse claim.

The statutory deadline for a child sexual abuse lawsuit in California is one of the following dates, whichever comes later:

• The date of your 40^th birthday (22 years after you are legally an adult)
• 5 years from the realization of an injury caused by sexual abuse while you were under the age of consent

People are often confused by the 5-year time limit, which is known as the discovery rule for sex abuse during childhood. Essentially, children tend to suppress incidents that are deeply traumatic, like being sexually assaulted by someone at a juvenile hall. Throughout their lives, these individuals are likely to have mental health issues that make it difficult for them to live a happy and productive life. But they do not understand that this is a direct byproduct of what happened at a juvenile detention center, since they repressed these memories for so long.

Many of the clients we have helped over the years did not realize the injuries they suffered from sexual abuse until they were much past the age of 40. However, they were granted permission to proceed with a lawsuit because we were able to show that there was a delayed discovery of psychological or physical harm caused by sexual abuse. Perhaps you are in this situation and need help from a lawyer who can sue Santa Barbara Juvenile Hall for monetary damages. We are here to help, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so call us right away if you would like to verify how long you have to file a child sexual assault lawsuit.

Legal advice is essential to obtaining justice if you were abused sexually by an employee of the juvenile justice system. But many people are afraid to get their hopes up and contact a lawyer that they can’t afford. We take this burden off your shoulders with the Zero Fee Guarantee, a policy where all legal fees are charged to Santa Barbara County and anyone else who is liable for your injuries. That means the defendant pays us directly, as long as we succeed in recovering your settlement. If we don’t win your case, we bear the costs of representing you, since we shouldn’t get paid if you don’t get paid.

There is no denying that the legal system is difficult to navigate, but please know that we are with you every step of the way. Contact DTLA Law Group and schedule a free case evaluation if you or your child was sexually abused while staying at Santa Barbara Juvenile Hall.

Other Pages on Our Website Related to This Topic
Suing for Sexual Abuse at Contra Costa Juvenile Hall Lawsuit Attorney
Suing for Sexual Abuse at Centinela Valley Juvenile Division Lawsuit Attorney
Prison Sexual Abuse Lawyers