At Arias Sanguinetti, our San Jose sexual abuse lawyers are dedicated to standing with survivors of sexual abuse, advocating fiercely for their justice. We understand the courage it takes to come forward and hold perpetrators accountable—not just for your journey towards justice, but to protect others from harm.
Our team of attorneys is committed to empowering survivors to take legal action, offering compassionate guidance every step of the way. In cases like the USC Tyndall case, we’ve fought tirelessly to expand opportunities for survivors to seek justice.
Our San Jose personal injury lawyers bring the same dedication to every case, ensuring your voice is heard, your rights are protected, and the path to accountability is clear. Call us today for a free consultation.
Understanding the California Child Victims Act
In 2019, Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB-218, also known as the California Child Victims Act, into law. This legislation significantly expands legal protections and opportunities for survivors of childhood sexual abuse.
Under AB-218, survivors can now file a civil claim until the age of 40, compared to the previous, much shorter statute of limitations. Additionally, if you’re older than 40, the law allows you five years from the time you discover the psychological harm of the abuse to file a claim.
Our San Jose sexual abuse attorneys can also explain the California lookback window that extends the statute of limitations for sexual assault lawsuits. We can determine your legal options and explain how we can help you seek justice.
Holding Multiple Parties Accountable
AB-218 also enables survivors to hold multiple parties accountable, not just the perpetrator. Survivors can take legal action against institutions, such as educational institutions and school districts, or other entities responsible for negligence, improper hiring, or failure to prevent abuse.
This broader accountability can lead to greater justice and financial recovery by allowing sexual abuse survivors to hold institutions accountable through civil lawsuits. Our team of attorneys serving Santa Clara County is here to support you throughout this legal process.
While no amount of monetary compensation can undo the harm of sexual abuse, holding an abuser accountable, as well as other liable parties, may provide a sense of justice and closure. Financial compensation can also cover medical care to help you access the treatments you need to heal.
Understanding Who Can Be Held Accountable for Sexual Abuse or Harassment
Individuals from various relationships and positions of trust or authority can perpetrate sexual abuse and harassment. Abusers can include:
- Family Members: Abuse by family members is one of the most frequently reported forms of sexual abuse, often occurring in environments where survivors should feel safe.
- Strangers: Sexual violence can also be committed by individuals with no prior connection to the survivor, such as in public settings or unexpected encounters.
- Coworkers: Abuse and harassment in the workplace can occur when individuals misuse professional relationships or workplace dynamics.
- Authority Figures: Teachers, coaches, clergy members, supervisors, and others in positions of power may exploit their authority to harm others.
- Friends: Abusers can be trusted friends who take advantage of personal relationships, leaving survivors feeling betrayed and isolated.
- Spouses/Partners: Sexual abuse can occur within marriages or intimate relationships, where one partner may use coercion, manipulation, or violence.
No matter who the perpetrator is, survivors have the right to seek accountability and justice. At Arias Sanguinetti, we are here to provide knowledgeable legal support and guidance so survivors can take meaningful steps toward healing and holding abusers responsible.
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Our San Jose Sexual Abuse Attorneys Hold Institutions Accountable
When you experience sexual abuse in an institutional setting, it can be especially traumatic. In these cases, there are usually various responsible individuals whose actions or inaction allowed the abuse to occur and continue. Cases involving residents of long-term care facilities may call for a San Jose Nursing Home Sexual Abuse Lawyer.
Taking civil action against an institution can be difficult, but holding these powerful institutions accountable can help put an end to systemic abuse.
Our San Jose sexual abuse lawyer can help you with the following sexual abuse claims, handling all legal matters with personalized attention and compassion.
Catholic Church Clergy
Sexual abuse within the Catholic Church clergy refers to instances where people, often children or other vulnerable individuals, have been subjected to sexual misconduct or assault by members of the clergy, such as priests or other religious officials.
Child sexual abuse within the Catholic Church has been a significant scandal that has shaken the trust and faith of many. People often suffer from severe emotional and psychological trauma as a result of the abuse they endured, which can involve various forms of sexual misconduct.
One of the most troubling aspects of child sexual abuse within the Catholic Church is the systemic cover-up and failure to address the issue adequately.
In many cases, reports of abuse were suppressed or dismissed, allowing perpetrators to continue their abusive behavior and leaving survivors without any measure of justice or support. Our clergy abuse lawyers can help you hold a religious institution accountable for sexual abuse.
Public Schools
Sexual abuse within public schools or other educational institutions involves instances where students have experienced sexual misconduct or assault by teachers, school staff members, or other individuals affiliated with the school.
The abuse within public schools can occur in various forms, ranging from inappropriate comments and advances to non-consensual sexual acts. Abuse by coaches and medical professionals and college campus assaults have been on the rise.
The perpetrators may exploit their positions of authority/popularity and manipulate vulnerable students through physical trauma, leaving them feeling violated, traumatized, and isolated.
This sort of abuse can happen in any type of school. From elementary to medical school and college, schools must be proactive in preventing abuse and campus sexual violence from occurring.
Boy Scouts of America
Sexual abuse within the Boy Scouts refers to cases where scouts have endured sexual misconduct or sexual violence by adult leaders, volunteers, or other individuals associated with the organization. These incidents have highlighted the need for increased vigilance and safeguarding measures to protect the well-being of scouts.
One of the concerning aspects of the sexual abuse within the Boy Scouts is the failure to address and prevent these incidents adequately. There have been allegations that the organization was aware of the abuse but failed to take appropriate action, allowing the responsible parties to continue their abusive behavior and putting more scouts at risk.
After you’ve experienced sexual abuse, reach out to a trusted family member or mandatory reporter whom you feel comfortable telling your story. Our team of sexual assault lawyers in San Jose can explain who is a mandated reporter in California and take legal action. We will do everything in our power to protect your safety.
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Damages Our Sexual Abuse Attorneys in San Jose Can Help You Recover
From job challenges and family struggles to parenting difficulties, mental health concerns, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the impact of sexual abuse can ripple through many areas of a survivor’s life.
Financial compensation can help survivors rebuild and recover. It can provide access to therapy, counseling, and medical care to address mental and physical health needs.
Compensation can also help alleviate financial burdens caused by missed work or reduced earning capacity, giving survivors the stability needed to focus on healing. Some of the economic and non-economic civil damages you can recover include:
- Medical expenses: You can seek reimbursement for any past medical bills you’ve incurred due to abuse, as well as ongoing mental health treatment, such as therapy, counseling, and other healthcare services related to the abuse.
- Pain and suffering: Damages for pain and suffering aim to reflect the emotional distress, trauma, and psychological impact you endured and continue to endure. It encompasses the mental anguish, anxiety, depression, and other negative effects you have experienced as a result of the abuse.
- Lost income and earning capacity: If the abuse has caused you to miss work, go to career counseling, lose job opportunities, or experience a diminished earning capacity, you may be eligible to seek monetary damages for job struggles you’ve faced or income you will continue to lose in the future.
- Rehabilitation and rehabilitation services: In cases where the abuse has resulted in physical or cognitive impairments, you may be entitled to damages to cover the costs of rehabilitation services, assistive devices, and necessary accommodations to aid in your recovery and daily functioning.
- Punitive damages: In some instances, punitive damages may be awarded in addition to compensatory damages. These damages serve as a form of punishment for the abuser or institution responsible for the abuse and are meant to deter similar misconduct in the future.
As a survivor of sexual abuse, our San Jose sexual abuse attorney at Arias Sanguinetti is ready to help you hold the abusers accountable. While you focus on your emotional recovery, we can take care of the legal process.
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Why Choose Our Sexual Abuse Lawyers in San Jose
At Arias Sanguinetti, we are committed to delivering exceptional legal representation for survivors of sexual abuse.
Extensive Trial Experience
Our attorneys are highly respected trial lawyers with decades of experience in the courtroom. We are fully prepared to take your case to trial if necessary, refusing to settle for offers that fail to provide the justice and compensation you deserve.
Many attorneys refer cases to us because they trust our ability to handle complex cases that are likely to go to trial. This reputation not only strengthens our litigation expertise but also gives us significant leverage during settlement negotiations.
Extensive Resources for Complex Cases
We have the resources to take on even the most challenging cases, including high-profile litigation. With over $1.5 billion recovered in damages for our clients, our firm has a proven track record of success.
We dedicate the time, finances, and expertise necessary to build a strong case, no matter how complex.
Active in Politics to Expand Survivor Recovery Options
Our firm is deeply committed to advocating for survivors beyond the courtroom. We actively work in local, state, and national politics to push for laws that expand recovery options for survivors.
Arias Sanguinetti’s team of attorneys has a history of making impactful changes for survivors. In the landmark USC Tyndall case that ended in a $215 million federal class action settlement, Mike Arias and our team were instrumental in opening a new statute of limitations for survivors of sexual assault.
Our San Jose sexual abuse lawyers have the experience, resources, and dedication to fight for your justice and recovery. We are here to stand with you every step of the way.
Our Sexual Abuse Attorneys Work on Contingency
At Arias Sanguinetti, we believe that every survivor deserves access to justice, regardless of their financial situation. That’s why our sexual abuse attorneys work on a contingency fee basis. This means you don’t pay any upfront fees or out-of-pocket costs to hire us.
This fee arrangement offers the following advantages:
- No fees unless we win: We only get paid if we successfully obtain compensation for you through a verdict or settlement. If we don’t win your case, you owe us nothing.
- Focus on your recovery: Working on contingency allows you to focus on your healing and recovery without the added stress of legal expenses.
- Accessible representation: By eliminating financial barriers, we ensure that survivors from all backgrounds have the opportunity to hold abusers accountable and seek the justice they deserve.
Our commitment to working on contingency reflects our confidence in our ability to fight for you and win. We take on the financial risk so you don’t have to, and we are fully invested in achieving justice.
If you’re ready to take the first step, contact us today for a free, confidential consultation. There’s no cost to speak with us, and you can trust that we are here to support you every step of the way.
How Arias Sanguinetti Goes Above and Beyond for Survivors
At Arias Sanguinetti, we are committed to providing exceptional legal representation while ensuring that survivors receive the support they need throughout the legal process. Here’s how we go the extra mile for our clients:
We Travel for Consultations
Our attorneys understand that survivors may not always be able to travel due to physical, emotional, or financial constraints. That’s why we’re willing to come to you. Whether it’s for an initial consultation, a deposition, or preparation for trial, our team is ready to travel to ensure you receive the representation you deserve.
We Help Clients Access Financial and Medical Assistance
Survivors often face financial and medical challenges during their journey to justice. To support you, we can help obtain medical liens, which allow you to receive the care and treatment you need now, with payment deferred until after your case is resolved. This ensures that your health and well-being remain a priority throughout the legal process.
We Perform Thorough Investigations
We approach every case as if it will go to trial. This means we conduct in-depth investigations to uncover all relevant evidence. From gathering documents and witness statements to analyzing police reports, our team leaves no stone unturned. Our advanced investigation allows us to build strong cases and hold abusers accountable.
Contact Our Team of Sexual Abuse Lawyers in San Jose to Seek Justice
At Arias Sanguinetti, our sexual abuse attorneys in San Jose are focused on providing assistance to survivors and forming meaningful relationships with our clients.
If you or someone you care about is a survivor of sexual abuse, know that you don’t have to face this journey alone. Our San Jose sexual abuse lawyers are here to stand by your side, relentlessly advocating for your rights and holding those responsible accountable.
Contact us today for a free, confidential consultation.
Call or text 310-844-9696 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form