How Long Do I Have to File a Central Juvenile Hall Sexual Abuse Lawsuit?

You have twenty-two years from the date of your eighteenth birthday to file a lawsuit. If you were the victim of sexual abuse at a juvenile hall, it is important that you understand the amount of time you have to file a lawsuit against Central Juvenile Hall for sexual abuse. Many victims mistakenly believe that they no longer have the right to sue. However, the law extends the deadline to sue for victims of child sexual abuse. Therefore, it is important that you seek legal assistance as soon as possible to verify whether you could still your claim.

If you are interested in learning more about the legal options available to you, including whether you could still pursue a Central Juvenile Hall sexual assault lawsuit, contact us today. Our lawyers here at the Normandie Law Firm are ready to provide you with the guidance that you need to pursue your claim and recover the compensation that you are owed. If you are ready to speak with our Central Juvenile Hall sexual abuse lawyers, contact us today.

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The Statute of Limitations to Sue Central Juvenile Hall for Sexual Abuse

Anyone with a possible claim must understand that claims are subject to a statute of limitations. What is a statute of limitations? A statute of limitations determines the total time that claimants have to pursue their claims. In other words, the statute of limitations is a deadline to sue. What happens if claimants miss the statute of limitations and do not file their claims on time? When those with valid claims fail to file on time, they can lose their right to sue entirely. This means that they will no longer have grounds to pursue a claim or recover compensation.

How Long You Have to Sue Central Juvenile Hall for Sexual Abuse

All claims are subject to a statute of limitations, or a deadline to sue. This even applies to Central Juvenile Hall sexual abuse cases. So, how long do you have to sue? In the state of California, victims of child sex abuse have until the age of forty to sue; this is twenty-two years after turning eighteen-years-old. In addition, the state recognizes that victims of child sex abuse may have repressed memories or may not realize the harm caused by the abuse until this timeframe passes, so there is a five-year discovery period. This means that victims can sue up to five years after discovering the harm resulting from the abuse, even if this is passed the age of forty.

Can I Sue Central Juvenile Hall if the Statute of Limitations Has Already Passed?

This depends on your specific situation. As mentioned above, child sex abuse claims are subject to a twenty-two-year statute of limitations with a five-year discovery period.

What does this mean for someone who missed the original statute of limitations? If you missed the twenty-two-year filing period because you did not know of the abuse or of the harm caused by the abuse, then you will still be able to file within five years of discovering the harm (based on the discovery rule). Under the discovery rule, your age does not matter. That is, you could be fifty-years old and just unearthing the trauma caused by child sex abuse after therapy sessions, and still have the right to sue under the discovery rule. This is important especially considering that the victims can suppress traumatic memories associated with child sexual abuse. The trauma can lead to different mental health issues as well as drug abuse problems; the trauma can even affect other aspects of the victim’s life, such as the inability to keep a job down, a mistrust of authority figures, etc. In many cases, it takes extensive therapy and counseling to unlock the memories of child sex abuse and actually understand how the abuse has affected the victim on different levels.

If you missed the filing deadline but were aware of the harm that you suffered because of the child sexual abuse, you will not be eligible to file a lawsuit. There are no special exceptions when the victim fails to take any action.

Only one exception applies to situations in which the filing deadline was missed because of the incompetence, negligence, or malpractice of the lawyer handling the case. Still, claimants in this situation must petition the court to still be able to file their claims. There is no guarantee that they will be granted an extension to file their claims.

Central Juvenile Hall Class Action Lawsuits

The same deadline applies to class action lawsuits. Class action lawsuits are common when it comes to juvenile hall sexual abuse cases. This is because so many people who spent time in these juvenile halls suffered sexual abuse and other types of abuse. If you are interested in joining other victims and participating in a Central Juvenile Hall sexual abuse class action that occurred at Central Juvenile Hall, contact us today.

Contact Our Central Juvenile Hall Sexual Abuse Attorneys

Our team is fully committed to getting the victims of child sexual abuse at juvenile halls like Central Juvenile Hall the justice that they are owed. Our team here at the Normandie Law Firm has decades of experience and is ready to handle your claim effectively. We offer free legal services, which include free consultations and free second opinions, which allow our team to answer your questions, address your concerns, and provide you with all the information that you need to either begin or continue your claim. Our Zero-Fee Guarantee ensures that our clients will never have to pay upfront legal fees. Because we work on contingency, our clients will actually not be required to pay anything unless their claims are successful.

If you are ready to speak with our lawyers, contact us today.

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