Camp Erwin Owen Lawsuit Attorney
Camp Erwin Owen is a juvenile justice camp located in the city of Kernville. The program is an alternative to the traditional juvenile hall setting, which is modeled after jails and prisons. Camp Erwin is a much smaller facility with room for 65 inmates between the ages of 14 and 18. Kern County describes Camp Erwin as a forestry camp that promotes “discipline, a strong work ethic and individual responsibility.”
These all sound like good values to instill in a child, but we know for a fact that camp programs for youth offenders have a number of problems, including poor leadership, inexperienced workers, lack of supervision, and little to no accountability if a child is injured from an accident or abuse by a staff member. That’s why you often hear of physical and sexual assault allegations against probation officers and other members of the juvenile justice system.
The sexual exploitation and assault of minors at juvenile halls is not an easy problem to solve. In reality, sexual predators will always find a way into the system, and those who are targeted need help to deal with the trauma of childhood sexual abuse. However, we can minimize the harm to juvenile inmates by taking preventative measures and following protocols on what to do if a child is sexually abused at a youth detention center.
If you were abused as a minor at Camp Erwin Owen, you have the right to sue the Kern County Probation Department for medical expenses, emotional distress, and other forms of compensation. To discuss how you can file a Camp Erwin Owen sexual assault lawsuit, contact a California juvenile hall lawsuit attorney.
$1.93 Million
$2,287,495
$54 Million
$22 Million
$600,000
$965,000
Assaulted By Employee
$1,900,000
$1,975,000
Yes, you can sue Camp Erwin Owen for monetary damages if you were sexually abused by an adult at the facility. To proceed with a lawsuit, you will need to prove negligence and/or misconduct by the people in charge of the program, like the warden and other administrators. This is why you should contact an experienced child sexual abuse lawyer, who will conduct an investigation and find evidence to support your allegations.
Places like Camp Erwin Owen have a troubled history of unsanitary conditions, overcrowding, lack of support services, and harsh treatment of inmates. Furthermore, there is an undeniable culture of sexually exploiting minors among staff members. Even worse is the fact that county officials enable these people by ignoring complaints from inmates, concealing evidence, not firing abusive employees, and other inexcusable actions.
There is no denying that California’s juvenile halls have failed youth offenders for many years, and it’s time they were held accountable through the criminal and civil courts. We are with you every step of the way on your journey to recovery, so please reach out to us for a free consultation.
Can I Join a Camp Erwin Owen Sexual Abuse Class Action Lawsuit?Our legal team is happy to help you with a class action claim against Camp Erwin Owen for sexual abuse. We can provide you with an explanation of the legal process and help you join a lawsuit with other inmates who were sexually assaulted and harassed while staying at Camp Erwin Owen. Alternatively, we can initiate a lawsuit on your behalf and find former inmates to join with you in the fight for justice. To discuss the option of filing a juvenile inmate abuse class action lawsuit, please contact our law firm.
Suing Camp Erwin Owen – How Much Time Do I have for a Lawsuit?If you were 18 years old when you were sexually abused at Camp Erwin Owen, you have 10 years to file a lawsuit, starting from the incident date or the most recent incident of sexual activity. If you are suing Camp Erwin Owen for sexual abuse during childhood, you must file a lawsuit no later than 22 years following the age of consent, which is 18 in California. That means you will need to initiate a claim for compensation by the time you are 40 years old. However, this deadline is not set in stone, as you can also file a child sexual abuse lawsuit within 5 years of discovering a sexual abuse-related injury.
The discovery rule is a principle that applies in all cases of personal injury. To put it simply, there are injuries of a physical or psychological nature that are not apparent, even to a medical professional, until months or years after an accident. Of course, sexual abuse is not an accident like a car collision or slip and fall, but it’s an event that will surely cause trauma to the victim. Most victims end up with mental health issues that are not diagnosed for many years. Or, the connection between a mental health disorder and sexual abuse at Camp Erwin Owen is not established until the victim is much older.
The discovery of harm and suffering caused by sexual abuse at a juvenile hall can happen at any point in a victims’ life. With that in mind, California law provides you with 5 years to sue Kern County if you were sexually abused at Camp Erwin Owen.
Average Value of a Juvenile Hall Sexual Abuse LawsuitThe average case value of a Camp Erwin Owen sex abuse lawsuit is anywhere from $1,000,000 to $5,000,000, though some cases will settle for around $450,000 to $600,000. On the other hand, we occasionally have settlements that exceed $10,000,000 in value. The amount of compensation is a bit more complicated for class action lawsuits, as you are obtaining a lump sum for many people at the same time. Settlements may be anywhere from $50,000,000 to $350,000,000, and even higher for lawsuits with thousands of class members.
The vast majority of juvenile hall sexual abuse lawsuits take at least 1 year to settle, so we would say that 1 to 2 years is a reasonable timeframe for sexual abuse claims against Camp Erwin Owen. Please note that these are estimate timelines, and there are lawsuits that settle within a matter of months. Conversely, some cases of juvenile hall sexual misconduct will take over 3 years, as they will need to be tried in court. Trials are extremely rare, however, and it’s worth noting that well over 90% of these cases are settled between the two parties. But how long it takes for both sides to agree on a compensation amount can range from just a few months to several years.
Zero Fee GuaranteeKnowing your rights and the available legal options is essential when you have been sexually abused due to negligence by a government entity. Our sexual abuse lawyers are here to advise you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so don’t hesitate to give us a call.
As for the cost of legal fees, that’s paid to us by Kern County as a part of your settlement. That means we don’t make a penny unless you receive compensation from a Camp Erwin Owen inmate abuse lawsuit. It’s all part of the Zero Fee Guarantee we offer to our clients, which you can learn more about by contacting our office.
We look forward to speaking with you and fighting for the compensation you are entitled to as someone that was sexually abused at Camp Erwin Owen in Kernville, California.
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