San Bernardino School Sexual Abuse Lawyer
San Bernardino School Sexual Abuse Attorney
San Bernardino has some of the most sought-after schools in the region. Yet even in this coveted school district, children can be subjected to sexual abuse that leaves them emotionally traumatized and psychologically battered. With legal representation from a San Bernardino school sexual abuse lawyer, you can hold the abuser accountable for the harm they caused. A successful claim can lead to justice through compensation for victims.
Legal Support for Survivors of School Sexual Abuse in San Bernardino
Sexual abuse within schools is a heartbreaking betrayal of trust that frequently leaves victims and their families devastated. At Easton & Easton, we are deeply committed to helping survivors in San Bernardino seek justice and hold those responsible accountable.
Our legal team understands the complexities of these sensitive matters, and we are backed by a proven track record of securing the compensation and justice our clients deserve after experiencing such traumatic events. We are determined to fight for the closure you need because every survivor’s voice deserves to be heard so they can reclaim their lives and move forward with confidence.
How Sexual Abuse Happens in San Bernardino Schools
San Bernardino County serves a large student population of 396,860 students. Tragically, many of those youths end up being abused. Recent reports from the San Bernardino County Children’s Network show that more than 32,000 referrals for suspected child abuse or neglect are made annually.
Sexual abuse in schools occurs often in hidden ways that can include inappropriate relationships, grooming, or unmonitored one-on-one interactions between staff and students. Offenders often exploit their authority to target vulnerable students who are less likely to report misconduct.
Schools can play a role in enabling sexual abuse when they fail to perform thorough background checks or ignore warning signs. In some cases, school administrators may even ignore complaints from parents or other teachers about potential misconduct occurring at school.
The most serious form of sexual abuse is assault. Although the age of the victims is not disclosed by the California Victim Compensation Board, in 2022, 3,082 people applied for compensation from the board after reporting being sexually assaulted.
Legal Rights of Students Harmed by Educators or Staff
Students who are sexually abused by teachers, coaches, or other members of staff in San Bernardino have the right to seek justice through the civil court system. California law allows survivors to file claims for financial compensation.
The state’s statute of limitations is among the most favorable for survivors. Someone who was abused as a child generally has until the age of 40 to take legal action if the abuse occurred before January 1, 2024. If the abuse occurred on or after that date, there is no time limit to file a claim.
There is also no time limit for filing in court if an organization or institution tried to cover up the abuse. Civil cases that go through the San Bernardino Superior Court can lead to potentially substantial compensation for victims.
Why Legal Representation Matters in School Sexual Abuse Cases
When a student is sexually abused by a teacher, coach, or school employee, the damage can be devastating. It is often also preventable. Schools have a legal and moral duty to protect children. When that duty is breached, a skilled sexual abuse attorney can uncover who failed to conduct background checks, ignored red flags, or allowed misconduct to go unreported.
An experienced school sexual abuse lawyer can guide survivors through the civil claims process in the San Bernardino County Superior Court. Legal counsel can also protect a survivor’s privacy, manage deadlines, and pursue compensation for medical costs, counseling, and emotional trauma.
FAQs
How Can Schools Support Children After Sexual Abuse?
Schools can support children after sexual abuse by ensuring access to counseling, limiting contact with the accused, and coordinating with parents and legal authorities. Administrators must take reports seriously and avoid retraumatizing the child during investigations. When schools fail to act or mishandle the situation, they may face civil liability for allowing further harm to occur.
What Are the Signs a Child May Be Experiencing Trauma After School-Based Sexual Abuse?
Signs that a child may be experiencing trauma after school-based sexual abuse include withdrawal, sudden changes in behavior, fear of attending school, sleep problems, and unexplained health issues. Children may avoid certain staff or classmates. These red flags should be taken seriously. If abuse is suspected, early reporting and documentation can help protect the child and support a potential civil claim.
Can a School Be Held Liable for Sexual Abuse by a Teacher?
A school can be held liable for sexual abuse by a teacher if it ignored warning signs, failed to act on prior complaints, or lacked proper hiring and supervision protocols. California law holds schools responsible when their negligence contributes to a child’s harm. Survivors may file a civil claim for damages related to the abuse and its long-term effects.
What Legal Rights Do Families Have After School Sexual Abuse?
Families have the right to pursue civil claims against the individual abuser and the school if negligence plays a role. These claims may seek compensation for therapy, emotional distress, and educational disruption. Schools that fail to protect students or mishandle abuse reports may be held accountable for the harm caused under California civil law.
How Long Do You Have to File a School Sexual Abuse Claim in California?
If the abuse occurred before January 1, 2024, you have until age 40 or five years from discovering the psychological harm to file a school sexual abuse claim in California. There is no deadline if the abuse occurred on or after January 1, 2024. Further, if the school covered up the abuse, there may be no deadline. These extended time frames give survivors a better chance to pursue justice, even if the abuse happened years ago in a San Bernardino school.
Take the First Step Toward Accountability With Easton & Easton
No student should have to fear being harmed or abused in a space for learning and growing. Justice can come in the form of financial compensation for survivors of sexual abuse at schools. Speaking up takes immense courage, and the court process can help prevent further acts of harm to children and teenagers.
When you feel there’s nowhere safe to turn, trust Easton & Easton to handle your case with compassion and care. The first step toward justice begins with a conversation with one of our attorneys.
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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 the LA Times Reader's Choice Poll as "The Best Personal Injury Law Firm in Orange County" for 2018.
Doug and Brian Easton have been selected as Top 100 Trial Lawyers for California each year since 2014 — honors given to less than 1% of attorneys.
Doug and Matt Easton have each been chosen as one of The Best Lawyers in America for Plaintiff's Personal Injury Litigation. Best Lawyers lists attorneys who have earned selection through exemplary legal work that attracts the notice of their colleagues. Lawyers cannot buy their way onto this list.
Brian and Matt Easton were recently honored for their efforts in securing a $1,850,000 verdict for a client in 2016, which was selected as one of the Top 50 Personal Injury Verdicts in California by TopVerdict.com.
Doug and Brian have each been selected by Super Lawyers, an honor given to less than 5% of attorneys. Matt Easton has been selected among Super Lawyers' Up-and-Coming Top 25 in Orange County and Top 100 in Southern California, an honor given to less than 1% of attorneys under 40 years old.
Easton & Easton is honored to have been chosen as one of the "10 Best Personal Injury Law Firms” in all of Southern California" each year Since 2015 based on client satisfaction — one of the highest honors we could ever hope to achieve.
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.
Doug and Matt Easton have each been featured as Premier 100 Trial Attorneys for California since 2015 — honors given to less than 1% of attorneys.
Brian and Matt Easton have each earned lifetime appointment to the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum — The Top Trial Lawyers in AmericaTM through the results achieved for their clients. This is 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.
Doug, Brian, and Matt Easton have all been chosen as one of the "10 Best" Personal Injury Attorneys in Southern California each year since 2015 based on client satisfaction, an honor given to less than 1% of personal injury attorneys - and Easton & Easton houses three of them.
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 Easton has been selected each year since 2014 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.
Doug and Matt Easton have each been chosen as one of The Best Lawyers in America for Plaintiff's Personal Injury Litigation. Best Lawyers lists attorneys who have earned selection through exemplary legal work that attracts the notice of their colleagues. Lawyers cannot buy their way onto this list.
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.
Matt Easton has been selected as one of the Top 10 Personal Injury Attorneys Under 40 in California for 2015 by the National Association of Personal Injury Attorneys — an honor given to less than 1% of personal injury attorneys under the age of 40.
Doug, Brian, and Matt Easton have all been selected by the National Association of Distinguished Counsel among the Nation's Top One Percent of Attorneys each year since 2017.
“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
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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