In the past few years, you may have noticed a dramatic increase in the number of news stories concerning victims of child sexual abuse. There’s the class action lawsuit against MacLaren Hall, for example, which involves horrific acts of sexual assault at a foster care group home. Or, you may have heard about the on-going class action lawsuit against LA County, which includes thousands of people who were sexually abused at places like Los Padrones Juvenile Hall and Barry J. Nidorf Juvenile Hall.
Recently, a 28 year old man came forward with his harrowing tale of how he was sexually assaulted at a youth detention center by a San Bernardino County probation officer when he was only 10 years old. He said, “I didn’t really know what was happening. I just knew that my pants were down and it was all super fast.”
Afterwards, the victim said he “purposely tried not to get up at night” so that he wouldn’t bump into his abuser. It’s heartbreaking to think of this child living in fear and anxiety every day because of a sexual predator, but he is far from the only victim that was abused in this manner.
According to the man’s lawyer, “There’s a lot of people out there that are starting to sort of rip the scab off their wounds and start dealing with the real ramifications of what they dealt with since they were really small.” In essence, these victims repressed the abuse they were going through as a matter of survival. But there comes a point where the trauma from sexual abuse is too much to bear. That’s why this unidentified victim, with several others, is suing San Bernardino County for sexual assault, sexual harassment, and negligence.
Perhaps you can identify with this story because you too, were sexually abused while staying at one of the following San Bernardino County juvenile facilities:
- Central Valley Juvenile Detention and Assessment Center
at 900 E. Gilbert Street, San Bernardino, CA 92415-0941
- High Desert Juvenile Detention and Assessment
Center at 21101 Dale Evans Parkway, Apple Valley, CA 92307
- West Valley Juvenile Detention and Assessment Center
at 9478 Etiwanda Avenue, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91739
We know that speaking out after years of staying silent won’t be easy, especially if you were ignored when you went to another adult for help. Please know that our sole motivation is to advise you of your rights and help you decide if suing for sexual abuse during your childhood is the right course of action. For many victims, this is the only avenue they have to publicly name their abuser and receive justice for their pain and suffering. To speak with a juvenile inmate sexual abuse attorney, please give us a call at your earliest convenience.
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Can I Sue if I was Sexually Abused as a Juvenile Inmate?
Yes, you are eligible for a lawsuit if you were sexually abused while staying at Central Valley Juvenile Detention and Assessment Center, High Desert Juvenile Detention and Assessment, or West Valley Juvenile Detention and Assessment Center in San Bernardino County.
Those who are younger than 18 cannot consent to sexual relations in California, so any interaction for the purpose of sexual pleasure is forbidden between inmates and workers at a juvenile hall. But these adults are held to a higher standard of conduct, as they can easily abuse their position of power against a vulnerable child. Thus, whether the inmate consented or took pleasure in the event is not relevant. Any type of sexual activity between minors and adults is child sexual abuse, plain and simple.
Now, let’s look at how San Bernardino County may be liable for incidents of child sexual assault and harassment. Below are some of the questions we consider in order to decide if you can sue the county probation department for sexual abuse:
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Were the people in charge of the facility aware of sexual misconduct, or at the very least, inappropriate behavior towards inmates by one of their staff members?
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If they noticed such conduct by a staff member, did they take proactive measures like assigning the inmate to another case manager, increased supervision, etc.?
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Were the administrators aware of previous abuse allegations against this employee?
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Upon learning about the possibility of sexual abuse on the premises, did the county immediately initiate an investigation and notify the guardians / parents of the inmate?
The truth is, youth prisons and the agencies in charge of operating them have a long and disturbing record of poor judgment, incompetent leadership, and a code of silence when it comes to protecting their own. Some of these officials go so far as to destroy evidence that clearly indicates sexual abuse against a minor. And if the inmate still complains, they may have to deal with beatings, solitary confinement, time added to their sentences and other consequences for simply telling the truth.
It’s time that the county was held accountable for its negligence and misconduct. To discuss the option of suing San Bernardino County for sexual abuse at a juvenile hall, please schedule a free case evaluation.
Joining a Class Action Lawsuit for Sexual Abuse at San Bernardino County Juvenile Halls
When a victim is brave enough to come forward and talk about sexual abuse at a juvenile hall, it’s more than likely that others will follow their example. In fact, there are currently thousands of victims with pending claims for sexual abuse against various county probation departments in California. While it’s not a requirement, many of them choose to join hands in a class action lawsuit against the same defendant.
You may have heard of juvenile inmate class action lawsuits on the news, like the one that was filed against Los Angeles County in 2022. As we hear from more victims, we will have enough claimants to move forward with a San Bernardino County Juvenile Hall class action lawsuit. That’s why we urge you to take that first step and reach out to us at our law firm.
Juvenile Hall Sexual Abuse Case Values
A San Bernardino County juvenile innate abuse lawsuit can be settled for as low as $450,000 or as high as $10,000,000. Ultimately, there are many factors that are used to determine the amount of compensation you can receive in a lawsuit against San Bernardino County. If you were sexually assaulted, your case may be worth between $2,500,000 and $5,000,000. If you were sexually harassed / solicited by a probation officer, court advocate, etc., the value of your lawsuit will probably range from $500,000 to $1,500,000.
These are not exact figures that apply to every situation of sexual abuse at a San Bernardino County juvenile detention center. Instead of relying on estimates, we recommend that you contact us if you’d like to know how much you can receive from a child sexual abuse lawsuit.
How Long is the Process of Settling a Child Sexual Abuse Lawsuit?
It can take anywhere from a few months to several years to reach a settlement when you are suing for sexual abuse that occurred before you were 18 years old. However, lawsuits against the government generally take 1 or more years due to complex filing requirements that are specific to public entities. Overall, 12 to 24 months is a good timeframe to keep in mind, though some of these lawsuits take over 3 years. Case timelines of over 3 years are normally associated with cases that go to trial. But this is unlikely, as over 95% of juvenile hall sex abuse claims are settled out of court.
How Much Time Do I have to File a Lawsuit?
Victims of childhood sexual abuse can base the deadline for a lawsuit on the date of their 40th birthday. In other words, you have 22 years from whenever you turn 18 if you wish to sue for sexual misconduct by a juvenile hall staff member. However, you may have seen lawsuits in the news that were filed on behalf of much older victims. So, how are you allowed to file a San Bernardino County Juvenile Hall sex abuse lawsuit if you are past the age of 40?
Fortunately, there is a concept known as the discovery rule, where the statute of limitations for a lawsuit is based on when you discover the harmful effects of an accident or abuse incident. In cases of sexual assault and solicitation, much of the harm is emotional in nature, usually in the form of one or more psychological disorders. A survivor of childhood abuse can struggle for many years with these issues, and it’s not until much later in life when they figure out how they were impacted by these events.
The unidentified victim currently suing San Bernardino County spoke on this very issue by saying in an interview, “I’m only now realizing that there’s a lot of my anger issues, a lot of things that I deal with now…could be because of that, and I really didn’t know that.”
Once they realize the physical or emotional injury they suffered due to sexual abuse at a juvenile hall, the former inmate has 5 years to file a claim against the county of San Bernardino.
Contact Our Law Firm
Obtaining legal advice is critical if you are the victim of sexual or physical abuse at a juvenile detention center. But we know that many people are concerned about the cost of hiring a lawyer that can sue for sexual abuse at a San Bernardino County youth detention center. That’s not a problem here at Normandie Law Firm, thanks to the Zero Fee Guarantee.
We promise that you will pay $0 in legal fees for the entire duration of your case. We add this cost onto the value of your settlement, which means we get paid by San Bernardino County at the same time as you. And if we don’t recover your payment, you will not be billed for any of our expenses.
Hopefully, you will give us the opportunity to provide you with advice and guidance if you were sexually abused by a probation officer or any other adult at a juvenile detention facility. Please contact us and schedule a free case evaluation.
Other Pages on Our Website Related to This Topic
San Bernardino County – Gilbert Street Juvenile Hall Sexual Abuse Lawyer
VCPAJF Commitment Services Sexual Abuse Attorney
Tuolumne County MLRJDF Sexual Abuse Attorney
