Los Guilicos Juvenile Hall Abuse Lawyers

If you or a loved one were abused at Sonoma County Juvenile Hall – also known as Los Guilicos Juvenile Hall – you could have the right to file a lawsuit. Unfortunately, abuse is very common in juvenile halls throughout the state. Detained youth suffer abuse at the hands of juvenile hall staff as well as at the hands of other detained youth. This abuse can include physical abuse and sexual abuse; some might even suffer both at the same time.

Over the past few years, there has been a lot of attention towards juvenile halls in the state, as victims have come forward and spoken up about their abuse. If you were abused at Sonoma County Juvenile Hall, it is important that you seek legal assistance as soon as possible. You could have the right to file a lawsuit and recover compensation.

For more information about the legal options available to you, contact the Kenmore Law Group today. Our team has decades of experience and is ready to provide you with the guidance that you need to fight for your rights and get the justice that you owed. If you are ready to speak with our juvenile hall abuse lawyers, reach out to our legal team as soon as possible.

About the Los Guilicos Juvenile Hall

The Sonoma County Juvenile hall opened in December 2005. It is located at 7425 Rancho Los Guilicos Road, Santa Rosa, CA 95409. The facility provides detention for youth determined to be “beyond the normal controls of the community,” according to the County’s web page. The youth in this facility can be pending court hearings, serving short-term commitments, or waiting placement in a group home, foster home, or another institution.

Physical Abuse at Juvenile Halls

Physical abuse is very common at juvenile halls. It can occur at the hands of staff, including guards and officers, as well as at the hands of other detained youth. This can include being pushed, shoved, thrown against walls, thrown onto the floor, punched, kicked, cut, burned, etc. Physical abuse can happen at any time essentially anywhere in the juvenile hall, although it often occurs in communal areas in front of others. In cases in which the abuse occurred at the hands of other detained youth, the abuse often occurs in front of guards who essentially allow and sometimes even encourage the abuse to happen.

Sexual Abuse at Juvenile Halls

Sexual abuse is likely to happen in juvenile halls, both at the hands of other detained youth and juvenile hall staff. Youth can be pulled out of their beds during the night, attacked during showers, pulled into closets, touched during examinations, etc. No matter where or how the sexual abuse happens, minor victims can suffer significant injuries. These injuries could include injuries to genitals, injuries to reproductive organs, sexually transmitted infections, unwanted pregnancy, pregnancy-related complications, chronic pain, nerve damage, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, fear, anxiety, increased risk of self-harm, increased risk of substance abuse, etc. The sexual abuse can include attempted rape, rape, sodomy, groping, fondling, kissing, touching, making inappropriate sexual comments, making inappropriate sexual jokes, etc.

Can I Sue for Abuse at Los Guilicos Juvenile Hall?

Yes – you can sue for abuse that occurred at Los Guilicos Juvenile Hall or Sonoma County Juvenile Hall. Whether you are pursuing a claim for physical abuse or sexual abuse, you could pursue a claim. Your right to sue is based on the duty of care that the county owes to all detained youth. In the case of harm at the hands of juvenile hall staff, the county has a duty to ensure that they are subjecting all employees to thorough background checks, extensive training, and supervision. In addition, the juvenile hall must have the appropriate policies and procedures related to reporting and investigating abuse. In the case of harm at the hands of other detained youth, the county has a duty to identify and address abuse between youth and taking the necessary actions to prevent harm (whether it is by increasing security, separating youth, etc.). When these juvenile halls fail to keep youth safe, they can be liable for all resulting harm – and they could be sued.

If you have any questions about your right to sue, please do not hesitate to reach out to the experts here at our law firm as soon as possible. Our team is ready to guide you every step of the way.

How Long Do I Have to Sue?

All claims are subject to a statute of limitations – or a deadline to sue. When claimants fail to file their claims on time, they can lose their right to sue entirely. So, how long do you have to pursue a claim for abuse that occurred at Los Guilicos Juvenile Hall? The answer to this question depends on the type of abuse that occurred. In cases of physical abuse, victims usually have two years after the age of eighteen to submit their claims. In cases of sexual abuse, victims have until the age of forty – or twenty-two years after the age of eighteen – to submit their claims; there is also a five-year discovery rule that allows victims five years from the date of discovering the harm caused by the abuse to file their claims.

It is also important to note that government claims are subject to a much shorter six-month statute of limitations.

As mentioned, failing to file your claim on time could result in losing the right to sue; therefore, we urge victims to come forward and pursue their claims as soon as possible.

Can I Recover Compensation?

Yes – you could be entitled to receive compensation if your Los Guilicos Juvenile Hall abuse lawsuit is successful. Although every juvenile hall abuse claim is different, victims could be entitled to receive some of the following categories of compensation:

• Medical expenses
• Pain and suffering
• Punitive damages
• Treble damages
• Legal costs

How much compensation can I be awarded? Based on the facts surrounding your claim, including the type of abuse, the type of injuries, the extent of the injuries suffered, the mental/emotional harm caused by the abuse, etc., juvenile hall abuse claims could be worth anywhere from $150,000 to $3 million. In some cases, these cases can be worth even more.

Here at our law firm, our team is committed to getting our clients the maximum recovery available for their claims. Whether we have to negotiate a settlement or take the claim to trial to reach a verdict, you can trust that our team is ready to go above it all to secure the highest payout available for your claim. For more information about the possible value of your claim and the compensation that you could receive, contact us today.

Contact the Kenmore Law Group Today

Were you or a member of your family abused at the Los Guilicos Juvenile Hall or Sonoma County Juvenile Hall? If so, you could have the right to file a lawsuit against the county. If you are ready to explore the legal options available to you, contact us today. Here at the Kenmore Law Group, our juvenile hall abuse lawyers are ready to provide you with the guidance that you need to fight for your right to justice. We believe that every victim of juvenile hall abuse deserves to be heard. We are committed to handling each claim effectively and getting our clients the maximum payout available.

We offer free consultations and free second opinions, meaning that our team will be available to answer all your questions, address all your concerns, and essentially provide you with all the information that you need to begin or continue your claim. Whether you want to begin your claim or switch lawyers, our team can help you! These are available as part of our Zero-Fee Guarantee, which ensures that our clients will never have to pay any upfront legal costs for any of our legal services. In addition, we work on contingency, so our clients will not have to pay anything if they do not win their claims.

If you are ready to speak with the juvenile hall abuse experts here at the Kenmore Law Group, contact us today.