Anaheim School Sexual Abuse Lawyer
Anaheim School Sexual Abuse Attorney
School should be a place where students and parents feel a high level of safety for their children. Schools have a duty to protect children while they are in their care. Unfortunately, this is not always the case, and abuse sometimes happens. When it does happen, an Anaheim school sexual abuse lawyer can help families fight for justice and hold the abuser, the institution, and other responsible individuals accountable.
About Easton & Easton
A family-owned personal injury law firm named Easton & Easton serves Orange County’s most vulnerable victims and has operated for decades of experience. We are a Newport Beach law firm that regularly practices in all matters related to the Orange County Superior Court, Newport Beach Justice Complex, and surrounding jurisdictions.
Our firm possesses more than 100 years of combined trial experience and is recognized for upholding integrity while demonstrating exceptional trial ability and striving for justice. When schools fail to protect children, we seek justice for families through compassionate advocacy and an unyielding pursuit of accountability.
School Sexual Abuse in California
Sexual abuse at school can be defined as sexual misconduct toward a student, which may be facilitated by a lack of supervision or failure to intervene. The abusive actions may originate from teachers as well as coaches and staff members and volunteers, or other students. School sexual abuse cases in Anaheim stand out as particularly severe due to the mandatory responsibility schools have to protect students from foreseeable harm.
California law does allow for civil claims against school districts and private schools in certain cases. Institutions could face civil liability for not protecting students because they either knew or should have recognized the risk of abuse and then neglected to take appropriate preventive actions.
Liability in a School Sexual Abuse Claim
At least one in four girls and one in 20 boys in the United States experience sexual abuse as a child, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Roughly 90% of all child sexual abuse is perpetrated by someone the child or a member of their family knows and trusts, with a large percentage of those occurring in schools. Liability for a school sexual abuse claim is rarely limited to the individual abuser. Additional responsible parties include:
- Individuals directly involved in the abuse
- Institutions that failed to respond to abuse
- Employers who did not perform background checks or knowingly hired an abuser
- Visitors on school property
- Schools with poor safety measures in place
These cases require thorough investigation to identify both the abusers and those who helped enable the abuse or hindered justice afterward.
School Sexual Abuse Laws
California has numerous statutes that address schools’ involvement in sexual abuse, including mandatory reporter laws that can place a duty on teachers, administrators, and other school personnel to report suspected abuse. When schools neglect their legal responsibilities, they risk facing civil liability.
California also allows survivors of child sexual abuse to bring civil claims decades after the initial abuse occurred. Understanding that a victim of abuse may be unable to report or act on the issue while it’s happening, the state’s laws provide a means of holding schools liable when they cover up abuse while either actively preventing reports or allowing abusers to work with children. Institutions can be responsible for damages that result from their actions.
Hire a Child Sexual Abuse Lawyer
If you suspect that your child has been the victim of sexual abuse at school, or if your child has already been abused, it is important to hire a school sexual abuse lawyer as soon as possible. The correct legal action can assure evidence preservation and additional protection for your child’s legal rights.
A survivor in California can now initiate a legal claim for past abuse because changes in state law have been implemented. An Anaheim school sexual abuse attorney can carefully review your case and present your legal options with understanding and empathy.
FAQs
What Is Considered Sexual Misconduct in School?
Sexual misconduct in school means unwelcome sexual behavior that affects a student’s education or safety. Examples are unwanted touching, sexual remarks or jokes, requests for sexual favors, online harassment or exploitation by other students, school staff, or authority figures. It does not have to be physical. It can take place on school grounds or in connection with school activities.
What Is Title IX in Schools in California?
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is a federal civil rights law that applies to all schools that receive federal funding, including California public and private educational institutions. Title IX is sex-based discrimination, and schools must take action to prevent sexual harassment and sexual violence, respond to complaints, and support students. Schools can be penalized for not complying with these responsibilities.
What Are the Four D’s of Sexual Assault?
The four D’s are a bystander intervention prevention strategy that includes: Direct – intervene or respond to a situation or behavior that is of concern, Distract – interrupt a situation that is occurring, Delegate – get assistance from someone else or authorities in handling a situation, Delay – follow-up with someone who has been the target of a situation to ensure that they are safe.
What Falls Under Sexual Misconduct?
Sexual misconduct is a wide range of unwanted sexual behavior. It includes sexual assault, sexual harassment, sexual exploitation, sexual coercion, nonconsensual sexual contact, and other misconduct and relationships that have a sexual nature and include a power differential.
It may be verbal, physical, or digital, for example, lewd messages or forwarding nude images without consent. In general, what makes it sexual misconduct is that it is nonconsensual or otherwise violates the safety, dignity, or rules of an institution.
Contact Easton & Easton Today
School should be a safe space for a child. When it becomes a place of abuse, this right is violated. Not only are individual abusers responsible, but institutions that did not do their due diligence to ensure safety should also be held accountable.
This is where Easton & Easton can help. We believe in pursuing justice when individuals and institutions are negligent in protecting against sexual abuse. If your child was sexually abused at school, contact Easton & Easton right away to begin fighting for your rights.
Anaheim, CA School Sexual Abuse Resources
Anaheim, CA School Sexual Abuse Resources
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The superior client service Easton & Easton provides has earned the firm an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.
Easton & Easton is honored to have been chosen anew each year since 2014 by U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers as one of the "Best Law Firms" for the Southern California Metro Area.
Easton & Easton is honored to have been chosen by OC Register Voters as "The Best Law Firm in Orange County” each year since voting began in 2022.
Doug, Brian, and Matt Easton have all been selected as Top 100 Trial Lawyers for California by the National Trial Lawyers — a membership organization limited to less than 1% of attorneys.
Doug, Brian, Matt, Travis and Gabe have each been selected to "Best Lawyers" for Plaintiff's Personal Injury Litigation. Best Lawyers selects the Top 5% of attorneys based on peer voting and client reviews.
We were recently honored for our efforts in securing a $32,000,000 settlement for our client, which was selected as the #1 Bicycle Accident Settlement in California in 2024 by TopVerdict.com.
Doug, Brian, and Matt Easton have each been selected by Super Lawyers, an honor given to less than 5% of attorneys. Travis, Gabe and Brenda have all been selected among Super Lawyers’ Rising Stars in Southern California.
Easton & Easton was recently honored for securing a $26,000,000 settlement for our client, which was selected as a Top 10 Personal Injury Settlement in California in 2023 by TopVerdict.com.
Easton & Easton received the “People Love Us On Yelp” award in 2016 due to the exceptional client satisfaction reviews given by our clients over the years.
Easton & Easton was recently honored for securing a $32,000,000 settlement for our client, which was selected as one of the Top 20 Personal Injury Settlements in the entire United States in 2024 by TopVerdict.com.
Brian, Matt, and Travis Easton have each earned lifetime appointment to the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum — The Top Trial Lawyers in America™ through the results achieved for their clients (an honor given to less than 1% of attorneys in the United States).
Doug Easton has held the “AV Preeminent” Rating for over 30 years and Matt Easton received this prestigious distinction in 2015. The "AV Preeminent" rating is the highest possible rating for both legal ability and ethical standards, and is based on the legal profession’s oldest peer review rating system, dating back to 1887.
We were recently honored for securing a $26,000,000 settlement for our client, which was selected as a the #1 Personal Injury Settlement in Los Angeles County in 2023 by TopVerdict.com.
Brian Easton was selected to the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) in 2015. ABOTA is one of the most premier associations of trial attorneys and judges, requiring a certain number of jury trials as lead counsel and approval by a majority vote of the ABOTA board.
Matt, Travis, Gabe and Brenda have all been selected at some point as one of the Top 40 Trial Lawyers Under 40 for California by The National Trial Lawyers — an honor given to less than 1% of attorneys.
Easton & Easton was honored for securing a $20,000,000 settlement for our client, which was selected as one of the Top 10 Personal Injury Settlements in the entire United States in 2019 by TopVerdict.com.
Both Doug and Matt Easton have been selected as Top Personal Injury Attorneys by Avvo with scores of 10 out of 10 based on their skill, experience, results, peer evaluations, and client reviews.
Easton & Easton was honored to have been chosen by the LA Times Reader's Choice Poll as "The Best Personal Injury Law Firm in Orange County" for 2018-2020 (each year the voting took place).
We were recently honored for our efforts in securing a $1,850,000 verdict for a client, which was selected as one of the Top 50 Personal Injury Verdicts in California in 2016 by TopVerdict.com.
Awards/recognitions noted are from organizations recognized within the legal profession as bona fide.
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“We look for the human story behind every injury or wrongful death. We prepare our cases for trial; reaching out to the jury with the most compelling evidence possible for the best verdict possible. Insurance companies know this and come to the table prepared to negotiate in good faith. Call us to see how we can turn your story into fair compensation.”
Partner W. Douglas Easton
What Our Clients Say
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Coming out of my first auto accident as an adult, a very difficult and scary time to navigate and understand, I was so incredibly thankful to have been put in contact with Easton & Easton. I honestly was lost with how to handle paperwork, doctors, medical costs and what next steps were, and from the moment I spoke with Travis Easton and my case manager Katie, my mind was put at ease. They have made the entire process stress free for me as I recovered, and I am so grateful for them and their genuine care for my case. Communication from the start has been fantastic, especially making clear what my expectations for the entire process would look like, and I truly believe they have my best interest at heart. 100% I would recommend their firm for anyone that is needing representation! Read more…
My experience with Easton & Easton has been amazing! Gabriel Mendoza and my case manager Katie have been so helpful and taken so much stress off my plate. They’ve been super informative and honest and given me very clear expectations. They’ve taken such a terrible experience (my accident) and eased my mind about the outcome. I can’t thank them enough!! Read more…
Ive used them twice and never been disappointed. Read more…
The Easton & Easton Law Firm is amazing! The entire team is very helpful and caring. They were always there to answer all my questions. They directed me through the entire process and stayed with me every step of the way. This team is outstanding and were wonderful to work with. Because of the tremendous effort they put on my case they were able to win my difficult personal injury case. I couldn’t have asked for a better law firm to handle my case. They are the Best! Thank you for your patience, professionalism, & guidance! I definitely recommend this firm to handle your case. They go out of their way to fight for your rights. THANK YOU… Read more…
I could not be more pleased with the services provided by the Law Offices of W. Douglas Easton. The senior partner Mr. Easton took the time to meet with me and my wife while I was still in the hospital, where he gave my family hope that there was light at the end of a very long, and very dark tunnel. Matt Easton then worked my case, and because of his dedication, experience and expertise I received a settlement that was larger than I EVER thought possible. It was truly astounding! Matt and the entire team at Easton & Easton looked out for me throughout my recovery, and in the end they gave me my life back. Five stars is not enough. Thanks Matt! Thanks Easton & Easton! Read more…
Brian and everyone at Easton and Easton are simply the BEST at what they do. Brian is thorough, easy to talk to, and truly cares about his clients. If you want a family of attorneys with perseverance and determination to fight for you, give Easton and Easton a call. I am glad I did. Read more…
What an amazing law firm, talk about going above and beyond to make such a painful experience go so well. I have referred a co-worker and a family member to them as well and everyone had such a great experience as I had. Read more…
I can’t say enough amazing things about my experience with Travis Easton at Easton & Easton. Travis and his entire team (Katie, Amy, Dee, Michelle, & Araceli) are phenomenal. It provided me a lot of comfort to know I was being so well taken care of. I was especially impressed that every document for the case was perfectly written and specific to me. Nothing was generic, which shows the level of care and attention they put into each individual case. I had such a great experience and would highly recommend Travis Easton and his firm to anyone going through a personal injury. Travis took a bad situation and made the best of it for me. Thank you again, I’m forever grateful!!
-Allee
Retaining Easton and Easton was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made! From the initial consultation to our final meeting, they were nothing short of exceptional. I was forced to retain their services after firing my previous attorney for not handling the case properly. I dealt with Gabriel and Brian (partner) exclusively throughout the case. They did as promised and were great communicators throughout the entire process. I will recommend them to anyone I know going through a personal injury case. They were ultimately able to untangle the mess caused by my previous lawyer and get a result that I was extremely happy with. Their staff is exceptional as well and provided top notch customer service. Amera was also extremely helpful and easy to deal with as well.
I was in a pretty bad car accident and decided to have Easton & Easton represent me, Travis Easton to be specific. Travis Easton and his paralegal made the whole process effortless. They were so understanding and helpful! The entire thing was a gigantic mess, yet Travis managed to make it run like clockwork. I would HIGHLY recommend Easton & Easton! If you are ever in need of a personal defense attorney Easton & Easton is the firm to represent you!
They are the best law firm in Orange County period. Choosing them to represent me was the best decision of my life.
My life changed in a matter of seconds after a catastrophic spinal cord injury that left me disabled. Brian Easton and his team worked on my case non stop for 3 years and provided me the justice I deserved. I couldn’t have been more content.
I was treated with utmost respect and I felt like I was being represented by a close family member. The responses to my questions were quick and clear. What E & E has done for me is phenomenal.
My sincere thanks to Brian, Matt, Travis, Doug, Gabriel and Amera. They are what they are because of their dedication to provide high quality and professional service to their clients.
Brian Easton and his team, Gabe Mendoza and Amera Hajali, helped me during a very difficult time in my life. I had a significant injury from a car accident, and wound up seeking out Easton & Easton when I was having difficulties getting help from my doctors. The Easton team took a lot of stress off of me while acting as my advocates to help me get the care I needed, and saw my case all the way through to a healthy settlement.
They are the BEST!
I have nothing but good things to say about Easton and Easton. Brian handled my case professionally and communicated with me effectively throughout the process. He made sure that the process was effortless and as hands free as possible. This was super important for my busy schedule. I highly recommend Easton and Easton if you are ever found in a situation that you need an attorney.
I would highly recommend Easton & Easton.
I was rear ended on my home and pushed into a semi-truck. I was not sure how to go about even using an attorney.
Brian, Gab and Amera were so good about helping me thru the process and representing me.
I was able to concentrate on getting myself better knowing they had my back, taking care of the details and keeping me informed along the way
The best Law firm by far. I would highly recommend Easton & Easton, LLP and ask for Gabriel Mendoza and staff. He and his colleagues did and exceptional service. Thank you for everything. Job well done!
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