Anaheim Youth Sports Sexual Abuse Lawyer
Anaheim Youth Sports Sexual Abuse Attorney
Youth sports should be a time where kids not only learn sports skills, but also a time of team-building and a time to shape character and discipline. Sexual abuse in a youth sports program, by contrast, can lead to untold damage and lifelong trauma for young athletes and their families. An experienced Anaheim youth sports sexual abuse lawyer can help a family seek justice and work to protect children from further abuse.
About Easton & Easton
Easton & Easton represents victims of serious misconduct throughout Orange County as a family-owned personal injury law firm with staff that collectively holds more than 100 years of litigation experience. Our legal team has obtained more than $100 million for clients in recent years and received recognition as Southern California Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers in America, while also joining The National Trial Lawyers’ Top Trial Lawyers list repeatedly.
Our firm regularly practices in the Orange County Superior Court in Santa Ana. When youth sports programs or organizations fail in their duty to keep young athletes safe, Easton & Easton can help families seek justice.
What Is Youth Sports Sexual Abuse?
Sexual abuse in youth sports can happen when a coach, trainer, volunteer, or other adult authority figure sexually abuses a minor child who is playing on a sports team or at a sports club. These cases focus on young athletes who tend to follow adult figures who control their playing time and chances for advancement. These abuses can happen in a number of settings, including:
- Training sessions
- One-on-one sessions
- Travel games and tournaments
- Practice sessions
- Locker rooms
- Overnight stays
These situations often involve grooming and can look like a coach or other adult in authority giving preferential treatment to a player, showing favoritism, spending extended time with one player, or inappropriately touching a player in public or private. These adults often rely on using fear and manipulation to prevent the abuse from being exposed.
Youth Sports Sexual Abuse Laws
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)says at least one in four girls and one in 20 boys in the United States are sexually abused as children. Nine out of ten survivors of child sexual abuse were abused by a friend or acquaintance, a family member, or someone else the child or a family member knew and trusted, which includes those in sports programs.
California statutes require youth sports organizations to maintain legal responsibilities for protecting children from anticipated dangers. Youth sports organizations have a responsibility to screen coaches and volunteers effectively as well as adopt and enforce safety measures while supervising athletes and addressing any abuse complaints or warning signs.
California Code of Civil Procedure section 340.1 allows survivors of child sexual abuse to file civil claims well after they turn 18, as children generally do not report sexual abuse for years. The civil claim can target both the person who committed the abuse as well as the responsible youth sports organization that failed to stop it.
Steps to Take if Your Child Was Abused in Youth Sports
If you suspect your child has been sexually abused through a youth sports program in Anaheim, your first priority must be the protection of your child’s safety and welfare. Both counseling and medical treatment might be essential after abuse occurs, and authorities should be alerted to help ensure the safety of other young athletes. From a legal perspective, however, it is also important to speak with an Anaheim youth sports sexual abuse attorney as soon as possible.
Hire a Youth Sports Sexual Abuse Lawyer
Survivors and their families benefit from an Anaheim youth sports sexual abuse attorney who understands both the legal process and the specific circumstances of such cases. An experienced attorney can help investigate a coach, volunteer, or youth sports organization for negligent supervision, training, or background screening, among other issues.
When you hire a sexual abuse lawyer, they can help hold the responsible parties accountable. In many instances, failing to report known abuse is against the law for those in certain positions of power, according to mandatory reporting laws in the state. This ensures that those accountable receive the necessary youth sports sexual abuse penalties. Above all else, a lawyer can help a family seek accountability, financial recovery, and positive change.
FAQs
How Long Do You Have to Report Sexual Abuse of an Athlete?
Reporting timeframes vary based on the circumstances and the age of the athlete. Suspected abuse of a minor must be reported to law enforcement or child protective services immediately. Civil reporting and filing deadlines are subject to California law, which provides an extended time period for survivors of childhood sexual abuse to file a claim.
What Are the Appropriate Responses if an Athlete Discloses Sexual Abuse?
The recommended response is to listen calmly, believe the athlete, and thank them for disclosing. Do not pry for more information or promise more than you can deliver. Take steps to protect the athlete from immediate danger and report their disclosure to designated authorities or mandated reporters. Help the athlete obtain counseling services and legal guidance for themselves and their family.
What Is Considered a SafeSport Code Violation?
Sexual abuse, sexual misconduct, grooming, abuse, intimidation, hazing, and retaliation in youth or amateur sports are all considered SafeSport Code violations. Coaches, trainers, volunteers, and other people in positions of authority may be involved. Physical acts, improper communication, or actions that put athletes in a dangerous or abusive environment are examples of violations.
Can a Youth Sports Organization Be Held Accountable for a Coach’s Abuse?
Yes, depending on the circumstances. A sports organization can be held liable if it failed to screen, train, or supervise a coach properly, or if it ignored warning signs or prior complaints. The responsibility of a sports organization depends on whether they ignored existing risks they knew about or should have been aware of without protecting athletes.
Contact Easton & Easton Today
When a child is sexually abused in a youth sports organization, it breaks the trust of not only the individual but the organization as a whole. Easton & Easton can help hold these individuals and institutions accountable for neglect. Contact us today to begin fighting for justice.
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Easton & Easton has been recognized by TopVerdict.com Top 10 Motor Vehicle Accident Settlement in Los Angeles for 2025, for the case Bicyclist v. Inattentive Driver — recognized more than 75 times by TopVerdict.com over the past 5 years — including fifty-eight #1 recognitions, and a recognition that arrives in the firm’s 35th anniversary year.
Easton & Easton holds an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau — the highest rating available. Trust is earned. We've earned it.
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 was voted #1 in 2026 (People's Choice Award). This recognition means the most to us — because it comes from the community we serve. Voted #1 in 2022, 2024, 2025, and 2026 — four #1 wins, including three years in a row
Doug, Brian, and Matt Easton were selected to the National Trial Lawyers Top 100 — an invitation-only organization recognizing the nation's premier trial attorneys. Selection is based on case results, leadership, and reputation. When you need attorneys who are ready for the courtroom, you want a team that's already proven they belong there.
All five partners of Easton & Easton — Doug, Brian, Matt, Travis, and Gabe — were selected to Best Lawyers in America® 2027. This is the oldest and most respected peer-review publication in the legal profession. Selection is based entirely on peer review, representing the consensus opinion among leading lawyers in the community. When other attorneys are asked who they trust, they name us.
Our $4.5M settlement in Dump Truck Operator v. Equipment Rental Co. has been recognized as #1 in California for 2025 in two categories: • #1 Paraplegia Settlement in California — 2025 • #1 Rollover Accident Settlement in California — 2025
Our $4.5M settlement in Dump Truck Operator v. Equipment Rental Co. has been recognized as #1 in California for 2025 in two categories: • #1 Paraplegia Settlement in California — 2025 • #1 Rollover Accident Settlement in California — 2025
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.
Easton & Easton was named a Tier 1 firm in Southern California by U.S. News & World Report — the highest ranking a law firm can achieve. Selection is based on client feedback, peer reputation, and professional excellence. When independent evaluators rank the best, we're at the top.
Gabe Mendoza, Alexandro Garza, Billy Seidlitz, and Aaron Sinfield were selected to Super Lawyers Rising Stars — honoring the top 2.5% of attorneys 40 or younger in California. Three attorneys — John, Billy, and Aaron — were selected for the first time in 2026. The next generation of Easton & Easton is already among the best in the state.
Easton & Easton was voted "Best Personal Injury Law Firm in Orange County" by readers of the Los Angeles Times in 2018, 2019, and 2020. Three years in a row — chosen by the people we serve
Doug, Brian, Matt, Travis, and Saul were selected to Super Lawyers — a distinction earned by only 5% of California attorneys. Selection is based on peer nominations, independent research, and professional achievement. Doug Easton has been selected for 19 consecutive years. Matt Easton was also named to the Top 50 Orange County Super Lawyers for 2026. When you hire Easton & Easton, you're hiring attorneys in the top 5%.
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 exceptional client satisfaction reviews.Our clients don't just hire us — they recommend us.
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 are lifetime members of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum — a distinction held by less than 1% of U.S. attorneys. Membership requires securing a verdict or settlement of $2 million or more. When you hire Easton & Easton, you're hiring proven results - because Results Matter.
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, based on the legal profession's oldest peer review rating system — dating back to 1887. When your peers have trusted your ability and integrity for over three decades, that says everything.
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 proven track record of jury trials as lead counsel and approval by a majority vote of the ABOTA board. Membership isn't given — it's earned in the courtroom.
Travis Easton, Gabe Mendoza, and Brenda Kocaj were selected to the National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40 — an invitation-only honor recognizing the nation's top young trial attorneys. At Easton & Easton, experience and ambition work side by side.
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 skill, experience, results, peer evaluations, and client reviews. A perfect score. No room for higher.
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.
20+ prestigious awards and recognitions. Exposed to the harshest scrutiny. Earning the highest honors. Recognized by every major legal organization — year after year.
Awards/recognitions noted are from organizations recognized within the legal profession as bona fide.
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*Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
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