Are you a current or former inmate who was sexually abused at Juvenile Justice Campus Commitment Facility? Do you have a child that was subjected to sexual abuse by a counselor, administrator, probation officer, or another employee of the juvenile justice system? If so, our Juvenile Justice Campus Commitment Facility abuse lawyers would like the opportunity to advise you of your rights and legal options.
The Juvenile Justice Campus is a Fresno County detention center for youths who are waiting to be sentenced by the juvenile courts. Minors at the facility are also awaiting transfer to other court ordered commitments, like juvenile camp programs and residential foster care facilities. During their stay, inmates have access to rehabilitative services, like substance abuse programs, academic courses, and Planned Parenthood.
The goal is to provide these kids with a structured, but safe and nurturing environment. Sadly, many kids are taken advantage of by people that work at these places for the purpose of sexually abusing children. Recovering from sexual assault is a lifelong journey, but help is out there, including legal actions against the individuals that harmed you. To discuss the option of filing a lawsuit, schedule a free consultation with a Juvenile Justice Campus Commitment Facility sexual abuse attorney.
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Juvenile Justice Campus Commitment Facility Abuse Incidents
Most people are unfamiliar with what goes on inside a juvenile hall. As a result, many of them are unaware of the physical and sexual abuse that’s rampant within the system. Children as young as 12 are regularly assaulted by juvenile hall employees or slowly groomed into a sexual relationship. These situations are difficult to talk about, but not dealing with the problem is what allows the abuse to continue year after year. Unfortunately, government agencies in charge of juvenile halls have a habit of brushing these incidents under the rug.
There is also a great deal of confusion on what it means commit an act of child sexual assault. Basically, any interaction between adults and minors for the purpose of sexual gratification to the adult is child sexual abuse. Thus, even non-physical acts like sending nude pics and exchanging pornography constitute sexual abuse under California law.
We mentioned grooming before, and this is actually the more common approach that’s used by child molesters. As an example, a Juvenile Justice Campus Commitment Facility counselor will target a girl who appears to be especially scared and out of place in her new surroundings. He makes her feel safe and cared for, and over a period of weeks, he works up to giving her a hug or holding her hands. Eventually, he moves on to groping her breasts and other kinds of inappropriate touching.
There’s a good chance that the girl will stay quiet due to the emotional connection she has with the counselor. In addition, an inmate has to consider the possibility of retaliation for snitching, which is reason enough for many of them to stay silent and allow the staff member to sexually abuse them.
Please know that what happened to you is a crime, and you have the right to seek justice as a victim of juvenile hall sexual assault. A lawyer who can sue Juvenile Justice Campus Commitment Facility is standing by to assist you, so please give us a call.
Can I File a Juvenile Justice Campus Commitment Facility Sexual Abuse Lawsuit against Fresno County?
Yes, you can sue Fresno County for monetary compensation if you were sexually assaulted at Juvenile Justice Campus Commitment Facility. In order to go ahead with a lawsuit, you will need to prove that the facility administrators knew about the abuse you were going through, but failed to take appropriate actions, like investigating the accused and notifying the authorities. Alternatively, they failed to protect you from someone with a history of sexual abuse against minors.
We previously mentioned that officials of the juvenile justice system have a tendency to brush things under the rug. This is particularly true with accusations of sexual assault against one of their employees. They do this in many ways, including bribing the victim (or their families), hiding evidence of inappropriate conduct, and quietly moving the offender to another juvenile program. Transferring sexual predators from one facility to another is a very common practice, rather than removing them from the juvenile justice system altogether.
The Juvenile Justice Campus Commitment Facility sexual abuse lawyers at our office have seen it all when it comes to misconduct and negligence by county officials. This is the biggest contributing factor to the prevalence of child abuse at juvenile detention centers, whether it’s physical assault or sexual exploitation. That’s why we are so driven to go after the county agencies in charge of these programs and bring justice to sexual abuse victims and their loved ones. For a free case review with a Juvenile Justice Campus Commitment Facility sexual assault lawyer, contact us today.
Filing a Juvenile Justice Campus Commitment Facility Sexual Abuse Class Action Lawsuit
In the last decade or so, there have been significant changes in the laws and attitudes toward sexual violence, and as a result, more victims are speaking out against the people and organizations that abused them. These include juvenile hall inmates, who are often mentioned in class action lawsuits against county and state governments. Perhaps you have been reading up on these stories and have asked yourself about the possibility of filing a Juvenile Justice Campus Commitment Facility sexual abuse class action lawsuit.
Filing a lawsuit with other plaintiffs can be very helpful, and it’s more than likely that there are many others who were sexually abused at Juvenile Justice Campus Commitment Facility. However, you should never commit to a legal action without understanding the steps that are involved. In addition, you must consider the disadvantages of filing a class action, and not just the positives. Afterwards, you may decide that filing a personal injury lawsuit is the better choice, though you won’t know for sure until you’ve spoken with a Juvenile Justice Campus Commitment Facility class action lawsuit attorney.
Regardless of which lawsuit is right for you, we have the skill and experience to settle your case and secure the compensation you deserve. There are numerous forms of compensation that may be available to you, such as pain and suffering, medical expenses, emotional distress, and loss of consortium. A Juvenile Justice Campus Commitment Facility assault lawyer will go over these and many other details with you during a free case evaluation.
Average Case Value of a Juvenile Justice Campus Commitment Facility Lawsuit
On average, lawsuits for sexual abuse at a juvenile hall are worth anywhere from $1,500,000 to $5,000,000. These values are based on many factors, including the victim’s injuries, the damage to their personal and professional life, and gross negligence by the defendant. Some of these cases are settled for lower amounts – around $500,000 to $1,000,000 – but the majority of payments at our law firm exceed $1,000,000.
Keep in mind that there is no universal settlement value that applies to each and every victim. When we determine the total amount that is reasonable to ask for, we consider a variety of elements, including:
- The specific acts of sexual abuse – rape, attempted rape, oral sex, sexual harassment, exposing the inmate to sexually explicit content, etc.
- Number of incidents perpetrated on the victim
- Period of time in which the abuse took place (how many days, weeks, months, etc.)
- Age difference between the victim and their abuser
- Resulting injuries, which include mental health disorders like depression and PTSD
- Failure by county officials and administrators at the facility, including negligence and deliberate misconduct (destroying evidence of child sexual assault, not contacting the child’s parents, failure to fire the offender or remove them from the property during the investigation).
The values we presented above refer to lawsuits that are filed by a single plaintiff. A sexual abuse class action lawsuit will probably settle for $10,000,000 to $200,000,000 or more. Of course, this is due to the fact that many plaintiffs are in need of compensation. Sometimes, there may be hundreds of victims in one lawsuit, which is why settlements can exceed $100,000,000 for a class action lawsuit.
At the end of the day, your case value is unique from anyone else’s, which is why there is no such thing as an “average” case value. To learn how much you can receive from a claim against Fresno County, please schedule a free consultation with a Juvenile Justice Campus Commitment Facility sexual molestation lawyer.
What is the Estimated Time to Settle these Cases?
In our experience, it takes around 1 to 2 years to settle a juvenile hall sexual abuse lawsuit. We have certainly had cases that settled in 6 months or less, due to the available evidence and willingness by the county to avoid the expense of going to court. However, we would say that most child sexual abuse lawsuits take anywhere from 12 months to over 2 years. Unfortunately, longer timelines are inevitable when you are suing a public entity, like the County of Fresno.
While lawsuits against the government are incredibly complex, hiring a Juvenile Justice Campus Commitment Facility abuse attorney will maximize your chances for a successful outcome. Over 95% of the time, we are able to achieve settlements without court intervention. In the event a trial is needed, we are more than ready to present your case and secure a favorable judgment from the jury.
Even if your case is not tried in court, the type of lawsuit you are filing also affects how long it takes to settle a Juvenile Justice Campus Commitment Facility sexual assault lawsuit. As a general rule, class action lawsuits take 2 to 3 years to settle. These lawsuits take longer to prepare and certify with the courts, compared to a personal injury lawsuit. They also involve more incidents and evidence that need to be analyzed, along with other issues that will take time and effort to resolve.
How Long Do I have to File a Juvenile Justice Campus Commitment Facility Sexual Assault Lawsuit?
Understanding the statute of limitations to file your lawsuit is just as, if not more important, than knowing the value of your case or how long it will take to reach a settlement. If you are past the deadline for a lawsuit according to the California court system, you will permanently lose the right to sue Fresno County and anyone else that caused you to be sexually abused.
California law provides two guidelines that you can use to determine how long you have for a Juvenile Justice Campus Commitment Facility sexual abuse lawsuit:
- The date of your 40th birthday, meaning you have 22 years from turning 18 to initiate a legal case
- Up to 5 years from the date of discovery
The discovery rule is a legal concept that refers to injuries that are not obvious right away. For example, a person that’s hit by a car may not be diagnosed with brain damage weeks, months, or years after the accident. The same logic applies to bodily harm or psychological damage from sexual abuse at a juvenile hall. Children usually repress these memories, which cause them to develop mood disorders, self-harming behaviors, suicidal tendencies, and other signs of trauma.
It can take decades before these victims go to a therapist and understand that the key to their current suffering is dealing with the abuse they suffered as a child. From the point discovering the effects of childhood sexual assault, a victim has 5 years to file a lawsuit.
Contact a Childhood Sexual Assault Lawyer
Being detained at a correctional facility does not take away someone’s right to fair and humane treatment, especially if the inmate is a child. But we know for a fact that many kids sentenced by the justice system are abused and permanently damaged by the time they are released from a juvenile hall. As an abuse victim, you are entitled to compensation under California law, which you can obtain with help from one of our attorneys.
Our lawyers can help you initiate a personal injury claim or join a class action lawsuit for sexual abuse at Juvenile Justice Campus Commitment Facility. Alternatively, we can meet with you for a free second opinion on a lawsuit that’s already in progress. Along with a free consultation, we provide free legal services from start to finish with the Zero Fee Guarantee. Our expenses are included in your settlement from the defendant, so we only get paid by winning your case. That means you pay absolutely nothing if you don’t receive compensation from a Juvenile Justice Campus Commitment Facility sexual abuse claim.
Contact us right away to schedule a free consultation if you or your child was sexually abused while staying at Fresno County’s Juvenile Justice Campus Commitment Facility.
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