Social workers are supposed to be advocates for people who are facing challenges, like poverty, mental illness, discrimination, and abuse. For example, a social worker may be assigned to a child who is being neglected and physically abused in their home. If the child is removed from their parents and placed in foster care, the social worker is supposed to visit the foster home and make sure that the child is being taken care of. Some kids become close to their social worker and see them as a source of comfort, guidance, and inspiration.
Tragically, some people enter into this line of work for the purpose of finding children to abuse. Essentially, they prey on a vulnerable child in need of love and attention, and use it to groom them into a sexual relationship. Perhaps this is an incident that happened to you, but you kept the secret to yourself for many years. Or, you told someone about the abuse, hoping they would help, but nothing was done to keep you safe from a sexual predator.
We know you have many questions going through your mind as someone who was sexually abused during childhood by a social worker? What are my rights? What can I do to file a claim? Please contact our law firm and talk to one of our attorneys if you were sexually abused by a social worker in:
- Los Angeles County
- Orange County
- Riverside County
- San Diego County
- San Bernardino County
Our Recent Verdicts and Settlements
$1.9 Million
$600,000
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Can I Sue if I was Abused by a Social Worker?
Yes, you can sue for sexual abuse by a social worker and obtain compensation in the form of medical expenses, emotional distress, pain and suffering, and other applicable damages. If you have heard about these cases in the news, you will see that the county government is almost always at fault, meaning they are the entity that’s being sued. Why is this the case when they didn’t’ commit the act of abuse?
As you are aware, social workers are hired to serve various county departments, like the Department of Public Social Services and the Department of Children and Family Services. The county agency has a legal duty to train and supervise their workers and ensure that they are acting in a professional and compassionate manner at all times. If there are complaints of negligence or misconduct against a social worker, the applicable agency must investigate the incident and notify the proper authorities.
Unfortunately, social services departments are often ruled by poor leadership, gross mismanagement, lack of supervision, and a tendency to let incompetent or abusive workers keep their jobs year after year. This puts countless children at risk of molestation and other forms of sexual abuse. This is why it’s essential to thoroughly investigate the agency that employs the social worker, and not just the perpetrator of the abuse.
A child sexual abuse lawyer at our office can help you figure out the right individuals to go after if you are interested in obtaining justice for the harm you suffered.
Is there a Class Action Lawsuit I can Join?
Various counties throughout California currently have class action lawsuits for negligence by government agencies that resulted in or contributed to sexual abuse. So, if you were sexually abused by a social worker, there may be a class action lawsuit in that county that you can join. Our office can help you join an existing lawsuit against Los Angeles County, Orange County, Riverside County, San Diego County, and San Bernardino County. All you have to do is contact us at your earliest convenience and ask how you can join a social worker sexual abuse class action claim.
Average Value of a Social Worker Sexual Abuse Case
As a general rule, child sexual abuse lawsuits have high values, often in the 7 figure range. Many cases result in verdicts of $500,000 to $3,000,000, and from time to time, you will find verdicts that exceed $10,000,000 in damages. This is very rare, however, so the amount you receive will most likely be 6 to 7 figures. Now, it you are part of county social services class action lawsuit for sexual abuse, that’s where you are likely to see case values in the neighborhood of $15,000,000 to $50,000,000 and above. Of course, you have to keep in mind that class action settlements are divided among all the participants in the lawsuit.
How Long Does it Take to Settle a Case for Sexual Abuse by a Social Worker?
A case for sexual abuse by a social worker can take between 1 and 2 years if you are able to reach a settlement with the county government. If you are unable to agree on the amount of compensation and your case goes to trial, resolving a lawsuit for sexual abuse of a minor usually takes between 3 and 5 years. It should be noted that trials rarely happen with these cases. We would say that 95% of child sexual abuse lawsuits at our law firm are settled through negotiations, often with help from a certified mediator. And there are cases where a settlement is achieved much faster than expected – perhaps within 6 months. However, it’s been our experience that 12 to 24 months is the average timeframe to settle a case for child sexual abuse.
What is the Time Limit to File a Sexual Abuse by a Social Worker Lawsuit?
If you were sexually abused by a social worker as an adult, meaning you were at least 18 years old at the time, your time limit to sue the county is 10 years from the incident (or most recent incident) of abuse. However, there’s no denying that most of these cases involve minors, especially children in the foster care system or at youth detention facilities. As a victim of child sexual assault or exploitation, you can file a lawsuit up until your 40th birthday. This is based on the 22-year statute of limitations for child sexual abuse, starting from when the victim is legally an adult.
Please note that there are circumstances where the deadline to sue for child sexual abuse may be extended. No matter how old you are, it may not be too late to demand justice from the county agency that failed to protect you. To verify your eligibility for a social worker sex abuse claim, please give us a call.
Contact a Child Sexual Abuse Lawyer
The sexual abuse lawyers of Normandie have decades of experience with lawsuits against government entities, like the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family. Whether you were abused at school, a foster care group home, juvenile detention center, or anywhere else by a social worker, we are here to fight for your rights and the compensation you deserve.
Our law firm’s commitment to you includes protecting your finances from start to finish, which is why we charge you $0 if you decide to file a lawsuit. We take your case on contingency and only get paid if we successfully recover you payment. If not, the Zero Fee Guarantee is our promise to you that you won’t have to pay a single penny in legal fees.
For legal advice from a social worker sexual abuse lawsuit attorney, contact us today.
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