How Long Do I Have to File a Southwest Juvenile Hall Sexual Abuse Lawsuit?

You have 22 years from when you are the legal age of adulthood in California to file a Southwest Juvenile Hall sexual assault lawsuit. The age of majority (also known as the age of consent) under California law is 18, so it’s just a simple matter of adding 18 and 22 to get 40. But is the age of 40 truly enough time to understand that what happened to you is a crime, and that you’ve sustained serious harm from one of more incidents of sexual abuse?

If you can identify with this scenario, you are like many of the former juvenile hall inmates that call us to ask, “Can I sue Southwest Juvenile Hall if the statute of limitations has already passed?”

To help you with this dilemma, we have put together an article that’s focused on the statute of limitations to sue Southwest Juvenile Hall for sexual abuse. While this should prove to be a helpful resource, it’s not meant to replace the expertise of an experienced Southwest Juvenile Hall sexual abuse attorney. For detailed information on your right to sue for being sexually abused as a child, contact us to schedule a free case evaluation.

How Long You have to Sue Southwest Juvenile Hall for Sexual Abuse

Based on what we said earlier, you would assume that a lawsuit against Southwest Juvenile Hall must be filed no later than 22 years from the day you are 18 years old. This is a longer span of time that you would normally have for a personal injury lawsuit, which typically has a 2-year statute of limitations. But incidents of sexual assault are very difficult to talk about, and as a child, you may not even recognize that what happened to you is a crime.

Thus, it wouldn’t be fair to impose an age limit when it comes to a Southwest Juvenile Hall sexual abuse lawsuit. This is especially important to juvenile hall inmates, who are faced with the possibility of retaliation for snitching. Even if they are willing to take the chance, it’s likely that their allegations will be ignored or silenced by the people in charge of the facility.

Under these circumstances, it’s not surprising that so many people who are past the age of 40 reach out to us and ask if there is a way for them to file a lawsuit.

How to File a Southwest Juvenile Hall Sexual Assault Lawsuit if You are Older than 40

Even if you are beyond 40 years of age, there may be a way to sue for sexual abuse by a Southwest Juvenile Hall employee. This is based on the discovery rule, which effectively extends the amount of time you have to file a lawsuit against Southwest Juvenile Hall for sexual abuse.

The discovery rule is based on the fact that there is no specific time period for the recognition of sexual abuse that occurred during childhood. Furthermore, even if the physical injuries have healed, the emotional damage is much harder to understand, and for many adult survivors, these effects will stay with them for the rest of their lives.

Let’s look at an example of sexual assault against a minor who is detained at Southwest Juvenile Hall. A troubled teen is groomed by a probation officer, who begins touching her in a sexual manner after he lulls into a sense of security. By then, she feels that it’s too late to tell anyone, since she “allowed’ the situation to get to this point. She’s also aware of what happens to snitches at these facilities, and chooses protecting herself over complaining about the incidents of molestation.

The only recourse she has is to repress the feelings of guilt and shame and try to move forward as if nothing happened. But this has devastating consequences, primarily in the form of mental health issues that disrupt many areas of her life. In her later 40s, the former inmate is finally convinced to seek help from a therapist. With professional counseling, she realizes the injuries she sustained as a victim of sexual abuse.

At this point, she is unable to file a lawsuit against Southwest Juvenile Hall according to the 22-year statute of limitations. But since the discovery of abuse-related injury was delayed, she has 5 years to file a child sexual assault lawsuit.

Lawyer that can Help you File a Southwest Juvenile Hall Class Action Lawsuit

Have you thought about the option of filing a Southwest Juvenile Hall sexual abuse class action lawsuit? Would you like to learn more about the filing process for one of these lawsuits? If so, don’t hesitate to contact our law firm. We have a seasoned team of class action lawyers, who are ready to take immediate action on your case.

During a consultation with one of our attorneys, you can discuss the pros and cons of a class action lawsuit for sexual abuse and make sure that this is the path you want to take. Remember that you also have the option of filing a claim by yourself in the form of a personal injury lawsuit. Our ultimate goal is to honor your wishes and ensure that justice is served on behalf of you and your loved ones.

Call us to Obtain Free Legal Services

No matter what stage you’re at in the fight for justice, legal advice is critical to the recovery of compensation from a childhood sexual abuse lawsuit. The Southwest Juvenile Hall Sexual Abuse Lawyers are here to represent you at no upfront cost, which you can take advantage of by contacting us at your earliest convenience.

We have a contingency fee structure known as the Zero Fee Guarantee, where all of our expenses are recovered at the end of your case. Of course, we must win your lawsuit in order for this to happen, so if you don’t get paid from a Southwest Juvenile Hall abuse claim, then neither do we. Just give us a call to schedule to learn about your rights and legal options during a free, private consultation.