Vance Miller LAUSD Sexual Abuse Lawyers

Unfortunately, it is relatively common for students to suffer sexual abuse at the hands of their teachers. These teachers take advantage of their positions and proximity to students to abuse them. If you suffered abuse at the hands of a teacher at LAUSD, you could have the right to file a lawsuit and receive compensation. For more information about the legal options available to you, please do not hesitate to reach out to the experts here at our law firm at your earliest convenience.

Vance Miller – LAUSD Music Teacher Accused of Student Sex Abuse

The music teacher at Hamilton Music Academy has been accused of sexual abuse by multiple students over his career. Although Miller never faced any criminal charges due to the statute of limitations, there were several civil lawsuits for sex abuse against the Hamilton Music Academy Magnet and the Los Angeles Unified School District. These lawsuits were settled back in 2015 for undisclosed amounts.

What We Know about the Abuse

The 2012 lawsuit that settled in 2015 involved the abuse of a teenager. The victim was only 13 years old at the time the abuse started (in 1994). Reportedly, Miller performed sexual acts on the victim at school, his home, and in his car when he drove the victim to and from school functions. He was accused of manipulating the victim into performing sexual acts with him during a time that the victim needed mentoring and guidance.

This lawsuit also brought to light other instances of abuse.

At least four former students accused Miller of having sex with them while they attended the high school.

At least two of the lawsuits filed in 2011 and 2012 claimed that Miller befriended them and mentored them, and then groomed them into relationships that became sexual.

Reportedly, the abuse that brought forth these lawsuits occurred between the mid-90s and the 2000s. However, at least six additional victims came forward and claimed that Miller had abused them as far back as the 1970s, with the most recent abuse occurring in 2010.

Although Miller was removed from the music program in 2010, he was not fired until 2012.

If you were abused by Vince Miller before he was fired, you may still have grounds to file a lawsuit. For more information about the legal options available to you and your family, do not hestiate to reach out to the experts here at the Downtown L.A. Law Group as soon as possible. Our legal team has decades of experience and is ready to provide you with the guidance that you need to fight for your rights and recover the compensation that you are owed.

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Do I Still Have the Right to Sue?

All claims are subject to a statute of limitations, or a deadline to sue. When claimants fail to file their claims on time, then they can lose their right to sue entirely. Can I still file a lawsuit for child sex abuse at the hands of a teacher? Can I sue even if the abuse happened many years ago? How long do I have to file a lawsuit? Considering that Miller was filed in 2012, you may still have the right to file a lawsuit for abuse that happened before then.

Under California law, victims of child sex abuse have until the age of forty to file their claims. More specifically, victims have twenty-two years from their eighteenth birthday to file their claims. There is also a five-year discovery rule that applies. Under this discovery rule, victims have five years from the date of discovery to file their claims – even if they are already past the age of forty. This is very important considering that victims of child sex abuse will often suffer from repressed memories. They might not actually uncover the harm caused by the abuse until well into adulthood, usually after resorting to therapy or counseling for what they may consider unrelated issues.

The Harm Associated with Child Sex Abuse

Every case of abuse is different. Some of the physical, mental, and emotional abuse that victims could suffer include the following:

Sexually transmitted infections
Injuries to genitals
Injuries to reproductive organs
Pregnancy and related complications
Post-traumatic stress disorder
Anxiety
Panic
Fear
Depression
Increased risk of self-harm
Increased risk of substance abuse
General mistrust of authority
Inability to form normal relationships

Can I File a Lawsuit against the School District?

Yes – if you suffered sexual abuse at the hands of a teacher or any other school staff, you could have the right to file a lawsuit against the school district, whether it is LAUSD or any other district in the state. This is based on the duty of care that districts have towards students. Districts have the duty to keep students safe. To do so, they must do a number of things, which include subjecting all employees to background checks, subjecting all employees to appropriate training and supervision, having appropriate policies and procedures for making reports of abuse and investigating reports, taking students seriously, informing parents of any allegations made against staff, etc.

When school districts fail to identify abuse or take the necessary steps to prevent student sex abuse, then they can be liable for all resulting harm and could be sued. For more information about your right to file a lawsuit, do not hesitate to reach out to the experts here at our law firm. Our legal team is committed to providing you with the guidance that you need to fight for your rights and recover the highest compensation available for your claim. For more information about your right to sue and the payout that you could be awarded, contact us today.

What Categories of Compensation are Available?

Victims of child sex abuse at schools could be entitled to receive compensation for some of the following:

Medical expenses (including costs associated with mental health services)
Lost income and lost earning capacity (especially if the victim is unable to hold down a job due to the trauma caused by the abuse)
Pain and suffering
Punitive damages
Treble damages
Legal fees

Under California law, some claimants could be eligible to receive treble damages. Treble damages are awarded in cases where the abuse was covered up. Punitive damages are awarded in cases where there was gross negligence. Both treble damages and punitive damages, when awarded, can contribute to large settlements. School sex abuse cases can be worth anywhere from $500,000 to $5 million – depending on the details surrounding the case.

Here at our law firm, our team is fully committed to getting our claimants the maximum recovery available for their claims. Whether our school sex abuse lawyers have to negotiate a settlement or take your claim to trial to reach a verdict, you can trust that our team will do everything possible to secure the payout that you are owed.

File Your Claim on Time

As mentioned above, victims of child sex abuse have until the age of forty or five years from the date of discovery to file their lawsuits. If you are within the filing deadline, please do not hesitate to reach out to our legal team. Our experts are fully committed to filing your claim on time and getting you justice.

Contact the Downtown L.A. Law Group Today

If you were sexually abused by Vance Miller or any other teacher or school staff, you could have the right to file a lawsuit, even if the abuse occurred years ago. Here at our law firm, our team is ready to fight for your rights and get you justice. To ensure that the legal process remains as accessible as possible, our law firm offers free legal services. These free legal services include free consultations and free second opinions, during which our sex abuse experts will answer all your questions and address all of your concerns. These are part of our Zero-Fee Guarantee, which states that our clients will never be required to pay any upfront legal fees for any of our legal services. In addition, our law firm works on a strict contingency structure, so our clients will actually never be required to pay legal costs if their claims are unsuccessful.

If you are ready to speak with our LAUSD sex abuse lawyers, contact the experts here at our law firm today.

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