The full extent of sexual abuse against children by members of the clergy is still unknown. However, it is clear that this abuse has been widespread and that the church often took action to bury allegations and protect abusers.
If you or a loved one suffered from abuse, a San Francisco clergy sexual abuse lawyer can help you take legal action.
In addition to any criminal charges that may be brought against your abuser, you may pursue a civil lawsuit to recover damages and hold both your abuser and the religious institution accountable.
At Arias Sanguinetti, our experienced San Francisco sexual abuse lawyers are here to help. Contact us today to schedule a free case review.
Liable Parties in Clergy Abuse Cases in San Francisco
Survivors of clergy abuse often mistakenly believe they can only take legal action against the clergy member who committed the act of sexual abuse. However, the truth is that the religious organizations that protect abusers can also be held accountable.
Pursuing a civil lawsuit against a religious institution in addition to your abuser can have a far greater impact in preventing further abuse while also providing you with a better path to recovering monetary compensation for your losses.
Some of the parties that can commonly be held accountable in these cases include:
- Priests
- Deacons
- Bishops
- Archbishops
- The Church
- The Diocese
- The Archdiocese
While filing a claim against your abuser alone can help shed light on their misconduct and potentially protect others from their direct sexual abuse, pursuing legal action against the institution can help eliminate cover-ups and promote accountability within the organization. Our skilled San Francisco personal injury lawyer can help guide you through the entire process.
The Statute of Limitations for Pursuing Compensation After Enduring Clergy Sexual Abuse in San Francisco
California has passed several laws to protect survivors of sexual abuse and ensure they can come forward with a claim in their own time. With the majority of clergy sexual abuse cases involving minors under the age of 18, Assembly Bills 218 and 452 dictate the filing windows in most of these cases.
Under AB 218, survivors have until their 40th birthday or within five years of discovering that they suffered sexual abuse to file a lawsuit. Meanwhile, AB 452 eliminated the statute of limitations for any sexual abuse against minors that occurred on or after Jan. 1, 2024.
If your case involves sexual abuse that occurred after you turned 18, you will generally have 10 years to pursue a legal claim or three years from the date of discovery.
Furthermore, AB 2777 created a lookback window allowing adult survivors of abuse to pursue claims that had previously been time-barred until Dec. 31, 2026.
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Damages a Clergy Sexual Abuse Attorney in San Francisco Can Help You Pursue
Survivors of clergy sexual abuse have the right to pursue compensation from their abusers and anyone who allowed the abuse to occur. The damages you are eligible to pursue will vary depending on the particular details of your situation.
Economic Damages
Clergy sexual abuse can result in significant financial losses. Depending on the details of your abuse, you could incur various medical expenses and the cost of ongoing therapy.
Additionally, your abuse could cause you to miss time from work or impact your future earning ability. You can recover compensation to cover all of these expenses.
Non-Economic Damages
Sexual abuse by clergy is devastating and can have a lasting impact on survivors. This abuse can affect the way survivors develop relationships with those in their lives, often making it difficult to build trust and intimacy, especially when it occurs at a young age.
The impact of sexual abuse on your quality of life can be severe and hard to quantify.
An experienced clergy sexual abuse attorney serving San Francisco can help you recover significant compensation for these losses and hold your abuser and any enabling parties accountable for their actions.
Punitive Damages
Punitive damages are also often available in clergy sexual abuse cases due to the malicious and intentional nature of the abuse. Punitive damages focus on punishing the abuser and preventing future harm, as opposed to compensatory damages, which are all about compensating the abuse survivor for their losses.
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Our Clergy Sexual Abuse Lawyers Work on a Contingency Fee Basis
When dealing with the aftermath of clergy sexual abuse, the last thing you need to worry about is the cost of hiring a lawyer. That’s why our experienced legal team at Arias Sanguinetti does not charge any upfront fees for retaining our services or bill our clients at an hourly rate.
Instead, we work on a contingency fee basis, which means we only get paid if we obtain compensation on your behalf. Should we fail to get you money for your losses, you won’t owe us a penny.
When we successfully recover compensation on your behalf, the payment we receive comes directly out of the settlement or court-ordered payout, which means you never pay anything out of pocket.
This fee structure allows us to provide experienced legal representation to anyone, regardless of their financial situation.
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Get Help From an Experienced Clergy Sexual Abuse Lawyer Serving San Francisco Today
After suffering clergy sexual abuse, coming forward takes tremendous strength and courage. At Arias Sanguinetti, we understand the challenges you face and are committed to supporting you and protecting your rights as we pursue compensation for your losses. Our team of lawyers has extensive experience handling clergy sexual abuse cases.
Contact us today by giving us a call or completing our online contact form, and schedule your free confidential consultation. We are here to help you get the justice you deserve.
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