Newport Beach Sexual Abuse Lawyer
Newport Beach Sexual Abuse Attorney
Sexual abuse is one of the most violating experiences, and its effects can last for years after the actual abuse has ended. It can harm a survivor’s mental health, relationships, careers, and overall sense of safety in the world. A Newport Beach sexual abuse lawyer can guide a survivor through their legal rights and help them pursue justice through a civil sexual abuse case if the abuse was caused by another’s misconduct or an institution’s failure to protect.
About Easton & Easton
Easton & Easton has earned a sterling reputation for successful results, founded on integrity and good judgment. With over a century of combined personal injury litigation experience, our extended family of attorneys only represents individuals and families who have been injured, permanently disabled, or killed as a result of someone else’s wrongful conduct.
We have recovered over $100 million for clients in recent years, and have been repeatedly recognized as among Southern California’s Super Lawyers, Best Lawyers in America, The National Trial Lawyers’ top trial lawyers, and the 10 Best Personal Injury Attorneys.
Understanding Sexual Abuse Laws in California
California has some of the most survivor-centered sexual abuse laws in the nation. Sexual abuse encompasses a range of actions, including nonconsensual sexual contact and sexual assault, as well as rape and molestation, which happen through force or power imbalance.
Civil sexual abuse claims are generally based on theories of negligence, intentional wrongdoing, or institutional liability. California Civil Code section 1708.5 and related statutes provide a cause of action for survivors to bring a sexual battery and other claims for wrongful conduct.
California has also expanded statutes of limitations for sexual abuse, especially childhood sexual abuse, to provide more opportunities for survivors who may not be able to come forward until years after the abuse.
One important point for survivors to know is that a civil sexual abuse claim does not require a criminal conviction or judgment. Survivors may be able to seek financial compensation even if criminal charges were not filed or did not lead to a guilty finding.
Liability in a Sexual Abuse Case
A significant national study found that only about 34% of all sexual assaults were reported to law enforcement, suggesting that most sexual assaults remain unreported. Furthermore, 14,346 completed and attempted rapes, roughly 36.8 per 100,000 people, were reported in California in 2022.
Sexual abuse cases are often complex and involve multiple parties that may be legally responsible. While an individual who commits sexual abuse may be liable for their actions, third parties may also be liable for negligence contributing to the sexual abuse.
Schools, school districts, churches, medical facilities, youth organizations sexual abuse, employers, property owners, and care facilities are all examples of third parties that may be liable in a sexual abuse claim. A Newport Beach sexual abuse attorney can work to identify all potentially liable parties in order to fully pursue all available compensation and hold institutions accountable.
Sexual Abuse Damages
Sexual abuse survivors in Newport Beach may be entitled to significant compensation through a civil claim. The purpose of damages is to compensate for the financial and emotional harm caused by sexual abuse. Damages may come in the form of:
- Medical expenses
- Long-term therapy costs
- Pain and suffering
- Lost wages from time off work
- Future expenses related to the abuse
- Loss of enjoyment of life
Punitive damages may also be available in cases of particularly outrageous or intentional conduct under California law. The impacts of sexual abuse can be long-lasting, so damages are determined with a full understanding of how the abuse has affected the survivor now and will continue to affect them in the future.
Hire a Sexual Abuse Lawyer
Coming forward is a deeply personal decision, and survivors are entitled to legal counsel that respects privacy, dignity, and control over the process. When you hire a sexual abuse lawyer, you have an advocate who can handle your case with care.
An experienced attorney knows how to navigate these sensitive cases, protect confidential information, and stand up to defense tactics that are designed to intimidate or discredit survivors. Legal representation also allows you to focus on your healing while an experienced team works to protect your rights.
FAQs
What Qualifies as Sexual Assault in California?
In California, sexual assault usually means nonconsensual sexual contact. It usually involves touching someone’s intimate body parts without their consent for sexual arousal, sexual abuse, or sexual gratification. Consent must be freely given and can be revoked at any time.
Sexual assault can happen when a person is forced to have unwanted sex, when a person is tricked or coerced into having unwanted sex, or when a person is unable to consent to sex due to age, intoxication, or incapacity.
How Many Sexual Assault Charges Get Dropped?
Sexual assault charges may be dropped for several reasons, such as lack of evidence, credibility of witnesses, or even prosecutorial discretion. These cases can be complicated and sensitive in nature, and the decision to move forward will vary depending on whether the prosecution has enough evidence to satisfy the burden of proof. Dropping a criminal charge does not prevent a survivor from filing a civil case.
What Evidence Is Required to Prove Assault?
Survivor testimony, medical evidence, forensic sexual assault exams, witness testimony, electronic records, and professional witnesses are all examples of evidence that can be used to prove sexual assault. Physical evidence, however, is not always necessary, especially in cases where the sexual assault did not result in physical injury to the survivor. In a civil action, the standard is that it is more likely that the sexual assault happened than did not happen.
How Much Evidence Do You Need to Be Charged?
In order to bring criminal charges, prosecutors must have a belief that there is enough evidence to demonstrate probable cause as well as a reasonable likelihood of conviction. It is not necessary to have proof beyond a reasonable doubt at the stage of charging. The evidence needed for filing charges differs from case to case based on the availability of testimony and corroborating evidence, along with the credibility of the individuals involved.
Contact Easton & Easton Today
If you were the victim of sexual abuse, you do not have to handle the aftermath alone. You can hold the perpetrator accountable. Easton & Easton can help. Contact us today for a free consultation.
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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.
No purchase was required for selection. Selection methodologies available upon request.
“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
“Client testimonials reflect individual experiences; results vary. No guarantee of outcome.”
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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