San Joaquin County Stockton Juvenile Facility and Youth Camps Lawsuit Lawyers

These facilities include the following:

• The San Joaquin County Probation Department and San Joaquin Juvenile Hall (located at 575 W. Mathews Road, French Camp, CA 95231)
• Peterson Juvenile Hall and Camp Peterson (located at 535 W. Mathews Road, French Camp, CA 95231)
• Youth Authority Department (located at 7650 Newcastle Road, Stockton, CA 95215)
• San Joaquin County Honor Farm (located at 535 W. Mathews Road, Stockton, CA 95231)

Did you suffer sex abuse or physical abuse at any of these facilities or any other county-run facilities? If so, reach out to an experienced juvenile hall abuse lawyer as soon as possible to learn more about the legal options available to you.

San Joaquin County has had steady growth over the last two decades; the population is projected to continue growing. The cities/town with the highest population include the following:

• Stockton
• Tracy
• Manteca
• Lodi
• Lathrop
• Ripon
• Escalon

Detained youth are often ignored by society. However, being detained does mean that youth are undeserving of safety. No matter the reason behind detention, youth should not be subject to any abuse while they serve their time at these facilities. Still, youth is frequently subject to abusive behavior – from the moment they arrive at these facilities and even after their release while they are still on probation.

The abuse that juveniles suffer could include the following:

• Maltrato físico – this includes any intentional infliction of bodily harm. It may start as just the threat of violence and then escalate to violence, or it may just be violence without any threat or warning. This may include being slapped, choked, pinched, punched, kicked thrown, burned, scratched, waterboarded, lifted by the neck, held down, etc.
• Abusos sexuales – this includes any sexual contact. When minors are involved, this is automatically child sex abuse as minors cannot legally consent to any sexual contact. Sexual abuse can include attempted rape, rape, sodomy, making sexually explicit jokes or comments to the victim, showing the victim inappropriate content, forcing the victim to perform any sexual acts on the attacker (like oral sex, penetrating, touching, etc.), forced kissing, fondling, groping, any touching, etc.

Although this abuse can be a one-time incident, it is more likely that this abuse is recurring. In addition, this abuse can happen at the same time or separately. Physical abuse and sexual abuse can occur at the hands of staff as well as other youth that are detained. Although the adults at these facilities are supposed to keep youth safe, they can ultimately harm youth. Guards, officers, counselors, nurses, probation officers, and other staff could be the attackers. Abuse at the hands of staff and youth, alike, represent the failures of the facility and the county.

Physical abuse and sex abuse at these facilities could result in extensive physical, mental, and emotional harm. Victims can suffer from the following physical injuries: head injuries (including traumatic brain injuries and concussions), facial injuries (including broken teeth, broken nose, and broken jaw), neck injuries, back injuries, spinal cord injuries, pelvic injuries, hip injuries, knee injuries, burn injuries, fractures, sprains and strains, lacerations, scrapes and bruises, sexually transmitted infections and diseases, pregnancy (and pregnancy-related complications), injuries to genitals, injuries to reproductive organs. Physical and sexual abuse can also lead to significant mental and emotional harm; this can include post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, panic, depression, fear, and more.

Although staff at these juvenile halls and youth camps are supposed to be the responsible adults on the premises ensuring that youth remain safe, these adults are often the ones harming detained youth. Officers, guards, counselors, directors, nurses, kitchen staff, janitors, and other staff can abuse their positions to physically abuse and sexually abuse youth. In many cases, youth that has been harmed does not report the abuse because they have been threatened with further abuse or because they know that their reports will go ignored. Whatever the case, it is important to understand that any abuse that occurs at these juvenile halls represent the failure of the facility and of the county.

Yes – you could have the right to file a lawsuit if you suffered physical abuse or sexual abuse at the Stockton Juvenile Facility or at any other juvenile hall or youth camps in San Joaquin County. Your right to sue is based on the county’s duty of care towards all detained youth; that is, the county has the duty to keep youth safe while they are detained. There are a number of things that the county must do to ensure that these facilities remain safe spaces for detained youth. For example, they must subject all of their staff to background checks, training, and supervision. They must also have clear policies and procedures in place relevant to reporting and investigating abuse (this is commonly seen via zero-tolerance policies, for example). Whenever abuse allegations arise, they must take reports seriously and investigate thoroughly.

Unfortunately, negligent hiring and supervising often contributes to abuse. What is worse, sometimes, abuse is deliberately covered up by those who are supposed to be responsible for keeping youth safe.

What if the abuse happens at the hands of other youth that is detained at the juvenile hall facility? Even in this case, the facility (and the county) is responsible for keeping youth safe. This means that they must be able to identify and address abuse to put an end to it and prevent further harm. When these facilities allow abuse to continue, they are breaching their duty of care and could be liable for all resulting harm.

Can I sue even if the juvenile facilities are closed now? Yes, you can still sue. Even if a facility is closed, the county could still be found liable for abuse that happened at the facility while it was still opened.

Whether you were abused by staff or other detained youth at the facility, you could have the right to file a lawsuit and potentially recover compensation. For more information about the legal options available to you, contact our San Joaquin County abuse lawyers here at the Downtown L.A. Law Group today.

Based on the details surrounding your abuse claim, you could be entitled to receive compensation for some of the following:

• Medical costs (including costs associated with mental health services)
• Pérdida de ingresos
• Dolor y sufrimiento
• Daños punitivos
• Daños triples
• Gastos jurídicos

How much compensation can I receive for my juvenile hall abuse case? This is a very common question. Ultimately, the value of your claim and what you could be awarded is based on the facts surrounding your case, which could include the following: the specific type of abuse suffered; the type of injuries sustained; whether the injuries were permanent; the mental and emotional damages resulting from the abuse; whether there was gross negligence; and whether there was a cover up.

On average, juvenile hall abuse lawsuits can be worth anywhere from $450,000 to $3 million, although some cases can reach higher settlement amounts. When victims come together to pursue class action lawsuits against these establishments, settlement values can reach $20 million and more.

Our juvenile hall sex abuse lawyers are ready to evaluate your abuse claim and help you fight for your right to recover the maximum payout available.

The time that you have to file your lawsuit depends on the type of case you are pursuing. If you suffered physical abuse and are filing an assault and battery case, then your case would be subject to a two-year statute of limitations; this deadline would start counting at the age of eighteen, so you would have until the age of twenty to file. If you suffered sexual abuse as a minor, then your claim is subject to a twenty-two year statute of limitations that starts on your eighteenth birthday, meaning that you have until the age of forty to file a claim; there is also a five-year discovery rule that could allow victims of child sex abuse to sue even past the age of forty.

We understand that it could be very difficult to determine the exact length of time that you have to file your claim. If you are unsure of the deadline that applies to your claim, contact us today. Our lawyers will help you understand the exact deadline that applies to your claim and make sure that your claim is filed on time.

It is undeniably difficult to victims of abuse to come forward and seek justice. Here at our law firm, we are committed to making the process as simple as possible for you and other victims of physical and sex abuse at juvenile halls. We are not afraid to take on San Joaquin County and hold them accountable for their negligence. To make this process as accessible as possible, our team offers free legal services. These include free consultations and free second opinions. During these free legal services, our experts will be available to answer all your questions, address all your concerns, and make sure that you have absolutely all the information that you need to begin or continue your claim.

Our Zero-Fee Guarantee ensures that you will never be required to pay any upfront legal costs for our legal services. In addition, we work on contingency, so you will not have to pay anything if you do not win. If you are ready to speak with our San Joaquin County juvenile hall and youth camp abuse lawyers, contact us today.

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