Sexual Abuse at Camp Vernon Kilpatrick – Can I Sue?
Were you sexually abused when you were detained at Camp Vernon Kilpatrick? Were you sexually abused at this juvenile hall center or any other juvenile hall in the county or state? If so, you could have grounds to file a lawsuit. For more information about the legal options available to you, we urge you to seek legal assistance immediately.
The team here at the Downtown L.A. Law Group has decades of experience handling all sorts of claims, including sex abuse claims. Our juvenile hall sexual abuse lawyers are more than ready to handle your claim effectively and help you sue and recover the payout that you are owed. Contact us today to speak with our Camp Vernon Kilpatrick sex abuse lawyers.
Camp Vernon Kilpatrick is Supposed to Keep Youth SafeThe camp is located at 427 Encinal Canyon Road, Malibu, California 90265. It is owned and operated by the Los Angeles County. No matter the specific reason that you or a loved one ended up in Vernon Kilpatrick Camp or any other juvenile hall center, the fact is that all those who are detained should be safe when they are at these facilities.
Unfortunately, sexual abuse is very common at juvenile hall facilities. This includes rape, attempted rape, forcing the victim to touch the attacker, forcing the victim to masturbate, any sort of penetration (including with objects), groping, fondling, touching, etc. Without a doubt, sex abuse can have lasting consequences to victims. This can include physical harm, like unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections, injuries to genitals, injuries to reproductive organs, fractures, lacerations, bruises, etc. In most cases of sex abuse, victims suffer lasting mental and emotional harm, which can include depression, panic, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress.
Camps and juvenile halls confine minors and those transitioning into adulthood; residents of these facilities typically range in age from 10 to 21. If you were sexually abused as a minor (under the age of 18), then you were the victim of child sex abuse. If you were sexually abused at a camp or juvenile hall from the when you were legally an adult, you were still the victim of sex abuse – and you could still sue for the harm suffered.
$54 Million
$1.93 Million
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$525,000
Can I Sue for Sex Abuse at the Camp?
Yes, you could file a lawsuit for the sex abuse that you suffered at Camp Vernon Kilpatrick. The facility is operated by the county, specifically by the Los Angeles County Probation Department; this means that you could file a government claim against the county.
The basis of these types of lawsuits is that these facilities must be safe for youth. Owners/operators of these facilities have a duty to ensure that these facilities remain completely safe – and that staff/employees do not pose a threat to youth. To do this, they must subject all prospective employees and current employees to background checks. Training and supervision is just as important. In addition, there must be policies and procedures in place for these situations (a way for youth to report abuse, how to handle reports, etc.).
Unfortunately, reports of abuse at these facilities are often ignored. In some cases, the abuse is actually covered up. Victims of sexual abuse at camps and other juvenile hall facilities often feel like they have nowhere to turn to. Here at our law firm, we stand for the rights of detained youth who have been subjected to sexual abuse in these centers. We want to help you fight for your rights and ensure that the county is held accountable for the harm suffered.
For more information about your right to sue for sexual abuse at Camp Vernon Kilpatrick, contact us today.
What Compensation Can Victims of Sexual Abuse at County-Run Juvenile Camps Receive?
Every case is different and can result in very different recoveries. Some of the different categories of compensation available for recovery can include the following:
- Medical costs (this includes any costs of mental health services)
- Lost income
- Pain and suffering
- Punitive damages
- Legal costs
- Wrongful death benefits (if the victim ultimately died because of the abuse)
Important note: treble damages can be awarded in cases of sexual abuse that were covered up. This is based on California legislation. This means that the total value of the claim can be tripled. Unfortunately, sexual abuse is often covered up; this often leads to treble damage and values being in the millions – and sometimes the multi-million-dollar range.
For more information about the compensation that you could be awarded for your Camp Vernon Kilpatrick sexual abuse claim, contact the experts here at our law firm as soon as possible. Our team is more than ready to provide you with the guidance that you need to understand the compensation that you could recover and secure the maximum settlement available.
Addressing Some Common Questions about Settling these Cases
Our law firm is often approached with questions about possible case values and the time it can take to settle these types of cases. The truth is that these questions can be very difficult to answer as every case is so different. Below, we will address two of the most common questions that we get.
What is the average value of sex abuse cases against camps like Camp Vernon Kilpatrick? These cases tend to be high-value cases, as explained above. Values can range anywhere from $1 million to $7 million, and values can go even higher in some cases. The value of these cases is based on many factors, including the specific abuse, the harm resulting from the abuse, whether the victim was left with permanent harm (physical, mental, emotional harm), and whether the abuse was part of a coverup (which makes claims eligible for treble damages). For a more case-specific review of the possible value of your sexual abuse claim, contact the experts here at our law firm today.
How long does it take to settle these sex abuse cases? Without a doubt, going through with these cases can be mentally and emotionally tolling for victims and their families. The process can be long and tiresome, but our team is committed to getting our clients a settlement as quickly as possible to ensure that our clients can put such a traumatic matter behind them once and fore all. In general, our sexual abuse lawyers can settle these cases in under eight months. However, some cases are very complicated and take longer to settle. Even then, our team aims to settle these cases in under two years. Class action lawsuits, specifically, are common in sex abuse cases against these facilities; these cases can take many years to settle.
All claims are subject to a statute of limitations or a deadline to sue. In general, victims of child sex abuse have until the age of 40 to file their lawsuits. However, cases involving government entities, like the Los Angeles County Probation Department, are considered government claims and have a short six-month statute of limitations. To ensure that you understand the deadline that applies to your claim, contact us today.
Contact the Downtown L.A. Law Group TodayThe lawyers here at our law firm have the experience necessary to back you up and handle your sexual abuse claim effectively – until successfully securing the settlement that you are owed. We know how difficult it is for victims and their families to find the strength to start the legal process and go through with it until the end. Because of this, we are committed to making the legal process as simple as possible. Our sexual assault lawsuit lawyers will go above it all to fight for your rights and get you the recovery that you are owed.
We offer free legal services, which include free consultations and free second opinions. You can contact us and speak with our lawyers about your rights and the legal options available to without having to worry about expensive fees. Our lawyers will provide you with all the information that you need – it does not matter whether you are looking to start your claim or continue it after starting it elsewhere.
Our firm offers a Zero-Fee guarantee, meaning that you will never be required to pay any upfront legal costs for any of our legal services. We also work on contingency, so you will not have to pay any legal fees unless you win your claim.
We know how difficult it can be even to decide to file a sexual abuse lawsuit. You have suffered long enough. Let our lawyers fight for your rights and hold the liable entities accountable for the harm suffered. Feel free to contact our lawyers for more information even if you are not sure of whether you will pursue a claim. Our team is ready to help you in every way possible.
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