Riverside County Juvenile Halls and Camp Lawsuit Lawyers

No matter the reason that youth is ultimately detained and sent to juvenile halls or juvenile camps, they should not be subjected to abusive conditions. Unfortunately, abuse is far too common in these facilities. Detained youth could suffer different abuse, which could include both physical abuse and sexual abuse.

Physical abuse – this refers to intentional bodily injury. Physical abuse can look different case to case. It may include being kicked, thrown, jumped, punched, waterboarded, burned, scratched, choked, slapped, pinched, etc. Physical abuse can ultimately include any intentional act that could ultimately lead to harm. The physical abuse can be a one-time thing or it can be recurring.

Sexual abuse – this refers to any sort of sexual contact (youth can never consent to sexual contact). Sexual abuse is an umbrella term that can include rape, attempted rape, sodomy, touching, groping, fondling, kissing, forging the victim to perform any sexual act (including touching, penetrating, or oral sex on the attacker), making inappropriate jokes or comments, showing the victim sexually explicit content, etc.

Depending on the situation, physical abuse and sexual abuse can happen separately or at the same time. Unfortunately, the abuse often occurs at the hands of the staff at these facilities, which can include officers, directors, counselors, nurses, teachers, probation officers, and other staff. In some cases, physical and sexual abuse can occur at the hands of other youth that is detained in the facility; however, even when the abuser is detained youth, the abuse reflects the failures of the establishment.

Both physical abuse and sexual abuse can leave victims suffering from significant harm – including physical harm and mental/emotional harm.

Physical abuse can result in some of the following harm:

• Traumatic brain injuries, concussions, and other head injuries
• Facial injuries (like broken nose, broken teeth, broken jaw)
• Neck injuries
• Back injuries
• Pelvic injuries
• Hip injuries
• Knee injuries
• Fractures and sprains
• Lacerations
• Burn injuries
• Scrapes and bruises

Sexual abuse can result in some of the following harm:

• Sexually transmitted infections
• Pregnancy (and complications related to pregnancy)
• Injuries to genitals
• Injuries to reproductive organs

Both physical and sexual abuse can result in the following mental and emotional harm:

• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Panic
• Fear

If you or a member of your family suffered physical abuse, sexual abuse, or both while detained at a Riverside County juvenile hall or juvenile camp, you may have the right to pursue a claim. It is important that you seek legal help to get a better understanding of the rights available to you and your family.

No matter the reason that juveniles end up detained in these establishments, juveniles have the right to be safe during the time that they are detained. Unfortunately, the adults in these establishments often fail to keep juveniles safe during their detention. This failure might result in detained youth suffering abuse at the hands of other detained youth. However, in many cases, the failure of the adults on the premises – and of the entities that run the facilities – result in detained youth suffering abuse at the hands of staff.

Yes, you could have grounds to file a lawsuit for abuse that occurred at any of the Riverside County juvenile hall and camp facilities listed above. This is because the owners/operators of these facilities have a duty to keep all detained youth safe. The County must subject their staff to thorough background checks, training, supervision, and must have the appropriate policies and procedures in place (like zero-tolerance policies, clear reporting protocol, etc.). Most importantly, the County has the duty to take all reports of abuse seriously; they must investigate them and take action to protect detained youth.

When the abuse is occurring between youth (that is, another youth is the attacker), the County has the duty to identify and address the abuse. Depending on the situation, they might separate the attacking youth from others, limit interactions between the attacking youth and the rest of the youth, and increase security, for example. When abuse between detainees is allowed to continue, the County is essentially failing to keep juveniles safe and can be liable.

For more information about your right to file a lawsuit based on your specific situation, do not hesitate to reach out to our juvenile hall lawyers here at our law firm as soon as possible.

Yes, you could be entitled to receive compensation for the harm that you suffered. Whether you were subject to physical abuse, sexual abuse, or both, you could be awarded a significant amount of compensation. Based on the details of your case, this can include medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, punitive damages, treble damages, and legal fees, for instance.

How much can I receive? The value of your abuse claim against Riverside County will be based on the specific claim details. These details include the type of abuse, the type of injuries sustained, the permanency of the injuries, and more. These claims can be worth anywhere from $450,000 to $3 million – and sometimes even more. When victims come together and file class action lawsuits, settlements can reach $20 million or more.

The Riverside County juvenile hall abuse lawyers here at our law firm are fully committed to fighting for your rights and getting you the maximum payout available for these types of claims. By allowing our team to take care of your claim, you can be certain that we will aggressively fight for your right to justice.

All claims are subject to a deadline to sue – or a statute of limitations – that determines the total length of time that claimants have to pursue their claims. Understanding the statute of limitations that applies is extremely important, as failing to file the claim on time can result in losing the right to sue altogether. The deadline that applies is based on the type of claim being filed.

Child sex abuse cases are subject to a 22-year statute of limitations (which starts running when the victim turns 18). In other words, victims of child sex abuse have until the age of 40 to file their claims. There is also a 5-year discovery rule that applies if discovery of the harm caused by the abuse was delayed (this applies even if the harm was discovered passed the age of 40).

For physical abuse, victims must pursue assault and battery claims. Assault and battery claims are subject to a 2-year deadline. When the victim is a minor, the 2-year timeline starts counting when the victim turns 18, so victims would have until the age of 20 to file their claims.

However, claims against the Riverside County establishments are all government claims. Government claims are subject to much shorter deadlines. These government claims are subject to a 6-month statute of limitations. Once filed, claimants can have either 6 months or 2 years to file their lawsuits based on the response they receive from the government entity.

Here at our law firm, we understand how difficult it can be to figure out the deadline that applies to these types of cases. For more information about the time that you have to file your Riverside County abuse lawsuit, contact us today.

We understand that it could be difficult for victims of physical abuse and sexual abuse to come forward and seek guidance. If you are ready to learn more about your rights, contact our juvenile hall and juvenile camp abuse lawyers as soon as possible. Here at the Downtown L.A. Law Group, our abuse lawyers have decades of experience fighting for the rights of youth that have been mistreated in county establishments. We believe that the county should be held accountable, and we are ready to do whatever it takes to get all victims justice!

Contact us today to benefit from our free legal services, which include free consultations and free second opinions. These are available as part of our Zero-Fee Guarantee, which ensures that you will never pay any upfront legal costs. Since our team also works strictly on contingency, our clients will actually not be required to pay anything unless their claims are successful.

Do not hesitate to reach out to our experts at your earliest convenience. Our Riverside County juvenile hall lawsuit lawyers are ready to guide you every step of the way.

Other Pages on Our Website Related to This Topic
Lawsuit for Sexual Abuse at Stanislaus County Juvenile Hall – Child Sexual Abuse Lawyer
Lawsuit for Sexual Abuse at Santa Barbara Juvenile Hall – Child Sexual Abuse Lawyer
Suing for Sexual Abuse at Contra Costa Juvenile Hall Lawsuit Attorney