Were you sexually abused by a classroom teacher, PE teacher, teaching assistant, or any other staff member of the Soledad Unified School District? Are you the parent or guardian of a child who was subjected to sexual assault or harassment at one of these schools?
- Rose Ferrero Elementary School
- Jack Franscioni Elementary School
- Gabilan Elementary School
- Frank Ledesma Elementary School
- San Vicente Elementary School
- Main Street Middle School
- Soledad High School
- Community Education Center
The sexual abuse of students continues to be a problem at public and private schools throughout California. Due to these incidents, many children are permanently traumatized and struggle with a variety of physical and mental injuries. In particular, child sexual abuse victims have trouble managing sleep disorders, PTSD, suicidal thoughts, drug addiction, and many other mental health disorders.
Sadly, most of these kids were failed by the school system that was supposed to protect them. For the most part, there are steps that district officials can take to prevent sexual abuse on their premises, but instead, they choose to look the other way or engage in willful misconduct to protect the abuser instead of the student.
If you are in need of a sexual abuse law firm with a proven track record of settlements, please contact our office. That way, we can go over any questions you have during a free, private consultation.
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Sexual Abuse of Minors by Employee of the Soledad Unified School District
The sexual abuse of children includes any type of physical contact or interaction between adults and minors that results in sexual gratification for the adult. When we say “children,” we are referring to those who are under 18 years old, which is the age of consent under California law. Thus, if you are younger than 18, you cannot legally consent to sexual activity. In other words, even if you did not say no to your abuser, you are still a victim of child sexual abuse.
Below, we have provided examples of sexual misconduct that can occur between students and school employees:
- Exchanging or asking for sexual content, like nude pics and video footage
- Sexual conversations in person, over the phone, or through texts / messaging app
- Sexual grooming, i.e., befriending a minor for the purpose of sexual exploitation
- Sexual groping, fondling, kissing, etc.
- Rape or attempted rape
- Oral sex and sexual intercourse
- Attempts to coerce or blackmail the student, like threatening to give them bad grades or release video / photos of them if they refuse to sleep with them
As we mentioned before, there are preventative measures that can keep students safe from sexual abuse. School districts, for example, must thoroughly screen all prospective employees prior to hiring. They must also provide training that can help these workers recognize the signs of child abuse. If there are allegations of sexually inappropriate behavior, it must be reported to the authorities immediately. School administrators must fully comply with the resulting investigation and place the accused staff member on leave in order to protect the student.
If there are indications that the Soledad Unified School District was negligent in their duties and you were sexually abused as a result, please give us a call. We will take immediate action on your case and bring you the settlement you deserve from a student sexual abuse lawsuit.
Can I Sue the Soledad Unified School District for Sexual Abuse?
Yes, you can sue a school district for sexual abuse if they failed in their duty of care to you as a student. Generally, this involves failing to take certain actions that are required by law upon finding out about or suspecting the abuse of a minor on their premises. But it can also include lax hiring practices or insufficient training and/or supervision of students and staff members.
It should be noted that California has a mandatory reporter law that requires school admins and employees to report child abuse incidents, including sexual assault, solicitation and harassment. Not reporting these events to the proper authorities is punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 and 6 months in jail.
Individuals that are considered mandatory reporters under California law include, but are not limited to:
- Teachers
- Teacher’s aides or teaching assistants
- Principals and vice-principals
- Office staff, like school secretaries
- Guidance counselors and social workers
- School security guards
- Coaches and PE teachers
- PE teachers / coaches
- Bus drivers
- Janitors
- After school and recreational program operator
- Employers and owners of day care programs
Along with criminal prosecution, school districts that fail to take immediate action on behalf of an abused child can be sued by the victim or their family members. For more information on suing Soledad Unified School District for sexual abuse, speak to a school sexual assault lawsuit attorney.
Amount of Compensation from a School Sexual Abuse Lawsuit
The average value of a Soledad Unified School District sexual abuse case is $2,500,000 to $5,000,000. However, case values are higher for incidents of child sexual assault, which are settled for around $3,000,000 to $10,000,000. For cases of sexual harassment, the value of a SUSD school district lawsuit may be around $450,000 to $2,000,000. However, the type of abuse is one of many factors that determine how much you can receive from a sexual abuse claim.
You must also keep in mind that these are estimates, and not necessarily the amount you will receive from a lawsuit against Soledad Unified School District. To find out the value of your settlement for sexual abuse by a teacher or other school employee, contact our law firm as soon as possible.
How Long will it Take to Settle a Molestation / Child Rape Lawsuit?
Lawsuits for the sexual abuse of a minor take 1 to 2 years on average, though some cases may be settled within 4 to 6 months. Then again, we also have school sexual assault lawsuits that take over 3 years. Longer timelines are typically associated with cases that go to trial. However, less than 5% of all Soledad Unified School District lawsuits are tried in court, so we anticipate that a settlement will be reached through private negotiations. How long this will take is not something we can predict ahead of time, but we would say that the process takes at least 12 months for the vast majority of cases.
How Much Time Do I have to File a Lawsuit against Soledad Unified School District?
If you were below 18 years old when you were sexually abused, you have 22 years following your 18th birthday to file a lawsuit. Thus, the statute of limitations for a child sexual assault lawsuit is based on your 40th birthday. But those who are older than 40 can also sue the Soledad Unified School District if they discover a physical or emotional injury that was caused by sexual abuse during childhood. Upon the date of discovery, you have 5 years to sue the school district for monetary damages.
What happens, though, if you were 18 or older when a coach, administrator, etc., took advantage of you in a sexual manner? In that case, you have 10 years from the date of abuse (or date of the most recent abuse incident) to file a lawsuit for school sexual abuse.
At this point, you may be confused about the amount of time you have to file a sexual assault claim against SUSD. Don’t worry, since we have an experienced team of school sexual abuse attorneys, who can confirm the deadline to sue Soledad Unified School District.
Contact a Soledad Unified School District Sexual Assault Attorney
No matter how old you are, the impact of sexual abuse can have a devastating effect on your life. In particular, those who are abused by a teacher or another trusted adult are afflicted by emotional and physical injuries that will never fully heal. However, going after the school system that failed you and obtaining compensation is a powerful step in the recovery process.
To ensure that you can succeed in a lawsuit, it’s best to work with a sexual abuse law firm that specializes in lawsuits against school districts. That’s why we urge you to contact us and receive a free case evaluation or free second opinion from one of our attorneys. If you choose to hire us, you are protected by the Zero Fee Guarantee, so you will never pay out of pocket for the cost of legal fees. The only way we get paid is by winning your case and receiving a percentage of your settlement award.
We look forward to hearing from you and fighting for the justice you are entitled to if you were sexually abused as a student of the Soledad Unified School District.
Other Pages on Our Website Related to This Topic
Camp David Gonzales – Juvenile Hall Sexual Abuse Lawyer
Eastlake Juvenile Hall Sexual Abuse Lawyer
San Bernardino County being Sued by Man Who was Sexually Abused at a Juvenile Hall
