Abuse – both physical abuse and sexual abuse – are very common in juvenile halls and youth camps throughout the state. The youth detained in these facilities suffer abuse at the hands of staff and even other youth. This abuse can have lasting physical, mental, and emotional effects.
Did you suffer physical abuse or sexual abuse at a juvenile hall or youth camp located in San Joaquin County, California? If so, you may have the right to file a lawsuit and receive compensation. For more information about the legal options available to you, it is important that you seek legal assistance as soon as possible. Our experts here at the Normandie Law Firm are committed to giving victims of abuse the guidance that they need to get justice for the harm that they suffered due to the negligence of the county.
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Locations of Probation Department, Juvenile Halls, and Camps
- San Joaquin County Probation Department and San Joaquin Juvenile Hall– 575 W. Mathews Road, French Camp, CA 95231
- Peterson Juvenile Hall and Camp Peterson – 535 W. Mathews Rd, French Camp, CA 95231
- Youth Authority Department – 7650 Newcastle Rd, Stockton, CA 95215
- San Joaquin County Honor Farm – 535 W. Mathews Rd. Stockton, CA 95231
If you or a member of your family suffered abuse at any of the Juvenile Halls or Camps located in San Joaquin County, California, it is important that you seek legal assistance as soon as possible. You could have the right to file a lawsuit.
Abuse at San Joaquin County Juvenile Halls and Camps
Regardless of the reasons that youth are detained at juvenile halls and youth camps, youth should not be subject to any abusive conditions at these facilities. Unfortunately, youth is often subjected to abusive conditions at the hands of other youth or at the hands of staff, and sometimes even both. These abusive conditions may include the following:
- Physical abuse. Any intentional infliction of bodily injury. This may include being punched, kicked, thrown, jumped, burned, scratched, pinched, slapped, choked, waterboarded, etc. This may first start as a threat of violence and then escalate to actual violence.
- Sexual abuse. This refers to any sort of sexual contact. Sexual abuse includes rape, attempted rape, sodomy, forcing the victim to perform any sexual acts like touching, oral sex, or penetrating the attacker, touching, groping, fondling, kissing, showing the victim inappropriate content, making sexually explicit jokes or comments, etc.
Of course, these can be one-time incidents, or they can be recurring incidents. Although both physical abuse and sexual abuse can happen independently, they can also happen at the same time. This abuse can occur at the hands of the adults on the premises that are supposed to be responsible for keeping detained youth safe; these adults include officers, counselors, nurses, teachers, probation officers, directors, and other staff. Although the abuse can also happen at the hands of other youth, youth-on-youth abuse still reflects the failures of the facility staff and the county – more specifically, the failure to keep youth safe.
Possible Injuries Resulting from Abuse in San Joaquin County Juvenile Halls and Youth Camps
Physical abuse and sex abuse can lead to some of the following injuries:
- Head injuries, concussions, and brain injuries (traumatic brain injuries)
- Facial injuries, including broken jaw, broken teeth, and broken nose
- Neck injuries
- Back injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Pelvic injuries
- Hip injuries
- Knee injuries
- Fractures
- Burn injuries
- Sprains and strains
- Lacerations
- Scrapes and bruises
- Sexually transmitted infections
- Pregnancy and pregnancy-related complications
- Injuries to genitals and to reproductive organs
Of course, both physical abuse and sex abuse can leave victims suffering from extensive mental and emotional harm. This can include PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), depression, fear, panic, anxiety, etc. Additionally, victims may be at a higher risk of developing substance abuse problems and of self-harm.
If you or a member of your family suffered any abuse while detained at a juvenile hall or youth camp in Stockton, French Camp, or anywhere else in San Joaquin County, it is important that you seek legal assistance as soon as possible.
The Largest Cities and Towns in San Joaquin County
San Joaquin County has had consistent growth over the last twenty years; it is projected to keep growing in population. The cities and towns with highest current population include the following:
- Stockton
- Tracy
- Manteca
- Lodi
- Lathrop
- Ripon
- Escalon
Physical and Sexual Abuse by County Staff
The staff at juvenile halls are county employees, so when their actions ultimately harm youth, then the county could be liable. Unfortunately, the staff that works at juvenile halls and youth camps take advantage of their positions to harm the youth under their care – which are essentially among the most vulnerable. Still, officers, guards, directors, counselors, nurses, and other staff abuse their position to physically and/or sexually abuse youth. This youth is detained, so they obviously have no where to go or hide – they cannot avoid their attackers even if they tried. Being forced to stay in close proximity and close contact with their abusers can increase the likelihood of additional abuse and can worsen the mental and emotional toll on victims.
Unfortunately, this abuse occurs because of the failure of the county – which essentially fails to keep youth safe. In some cases, the abuse is well-known but actually covered up.
Can I File a Lawsuit for Abuse at Stockton Juvenile Facility and Youth Camps?
Yes, you could sue for any physical or sexual abuse suffered at Stockton Juvenile Facility and Youth Camps or any other facility in San Joaquin County. Your right to sue is based on the county’s duty to keep all detained youth safe. Under this duty of care, the county must subject all staff to extensive background checks, training, and supervision. They must also have abuse policies and procedures in claim (such as zero-tolerance policies, straightforward reporting protocol, clear investigation protocol, etc.). Above all, it is essential that the county takes all reports of abuse seriously and investigates any allegations thoroughly to avoid further abuse. Instead, the staff at these facilities and the county ignore allegations and sometimes actively cover up abuse.
What happens when the abuse occurs at the hands of other youth detained in the facility? Even in this case, the county has the duty to keep youth safe, so they must be able to identify and address the abuse (whether this means separating the youth, limiting interactions, increasing security, etc.). When abuse is allowed to continue, the county is effectively failing to keep youth safe and could be liable.
In summary, you could have the right to sue if you suffered abuse at the hands of staff or youth at a San Joaquin County juvenile hall or youth camp. For more information about your right to sue, contact us today.
What Compensation Is Available For Recovery?
A Stockton juvenile facility and youth camp lawsuit lawyer can help you recover compensation for medical costs, lost pay, pain and suffering, punitive damages, treble damages, and legal costs, for example.
How much compensation can I receive? The value of these cases can vary based on the following:
- The type of abuse (whether physical, sexual, or both)
- The type of injuries resulting from the abuse
- The extent or permanency of the injuries
- The extent of mental and emotional harm caused by the abuse
- And more
On average, juvenile hall abuse claims can be worth between $450,000 to $3 million. Some claimants can reach higher settlements. In class action lawsuits, $20 million and higher settlements can be reached.
Here at our law firm, our San Joaquin juvenile hall abuse lawyers are ready to fight for your right to the maximum payout available for your lawsuit.
The Statute of Limitations
How long do I have to file a lawsuit for abuse at a juvenile hall? The answer to this question depends on the type of abuse suffered. For physical abuse, victims will need to file assault and battery claims. These claims are normally subject to a two-year deadline, which starts running when the victim turns 18. That is, victims of physical abuse may have until the age of 20 to sue. For sexual abuse, the deadline to sue is much longer. More specifically, claimants have twenty-two years after the age of 18 to sue; this means that they have until the age of 40 to file their claims (there is also a 5-year discovery period).
If you are unsure of the total length of time that you have to file your claim, please reach out to a lawyer as soon as possible. Failing to file your claim on time could result in losing the right to sue entirely. Do not wait to contact our juvenile hall abuse lawyers at your earliest convenience.
Contact our San Joaquin County Juvenile Hall and Youth Camps Abuse Lawyers Today
Although we know how difficult it can be for victims of physical abuse and sexual abuse at juvenile halls to come forward and fight for justice, we urge you to contact us as soon as possible. Our legal team is fully committed to helping you hold the county accountable and getting you the maximum recovery available. You deserve justice!
Our firm offers free legal services, which includes free consultations and free second opinions. During these free legal services, our experts will be available to answer all your questions and address all your concerns. Our team has decades of experience and is ready to guide you every step of the way. We offer a Zero-Fee Guarantee, so you will never have to worry about paying any upfront legal costs for our legal services. In addition, our law firm works on contingency, so our clients will not have to pay anything if their claims are unsuccessful. If you do not win, you simply will not pay anything,
If you are ready to speak with our juvenile hall and youth camps abuse lawyers, contact us today.
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