If your child was hurt by a teacher, coach, priest, or other abuser, your first step should be to report it to law enforcement or Child Protective Services (CPS). Your second step should be to contact an experienced child abuse attorney in Long Beach, CA.Â
As legal advocates for victims of childhood abuse, The Cifarelli Law Firm is proud to help families hold abusers accountable for the harm they caused. Our child abuse lawyers will fight for your rights, seek the maximum compensation under the law, and treat you with respect and compassion during the entire process.
To learn more about your legal options, call us today at (949) 502-8600 to set up a confidential free consultation.
What Types of Child Abuse Are There?
While abuse takes many forms, there are four main categories of child abuse.
1. Physical Abuse
A common type of abuse, physical abuse involves harm to a child’s body. Abusive actions include hitting, punching, throwing, beating, and shaking. Physical injuries range from bruises to broken bones and even permanent brain damage.
2. Sexual Abuse
Child sexual abuse refers to the use of a child for sexual gratification. It includes any sexual contact with someone under the age of 18 (the age of consent in California). It can also include exposing a child to sex acts, exploiting a child to create pornography, or engaging in child sex trafficking.
3. Emotional Abuse
While a child may not bear any physical scars from emotional abuse, the effects are often just as traumatic. Emotionally abusive patterns include excessive criticism, insults, threats, humiliation, confinement, and withholding of affection.
4. Child Neglect
Just as actions can be abusive, so can inaction. Failing to care for a child appropriately constitutes neglect. Children whose basic needs — such as food, clothing, medical care, education, and supervision — aren’t being met are experiencing neglect.
Who Is Liable for Child Abuse?
When someone is abused, more than one party may be legally responsible. Your child abuse attorney in Long Beach, CA, can help you file a lawsuit against the following:
Individuals
- Clergy members
- Foster parents
- Friends, neighbors, and relatives
- Teachers, troop leaders, and coaches
- Doctors, counselors, and physical therapists
You can sue the abuser even if they were found not guilty of criminal charges. While a robust child abuse defense may save a perpetrator from a criminal conviction, the standard of proof is less strict in civil cases. The Cifarelli Law Firm’s experienced child abuse lawyers will help you gather and prepare evidence to support your side and maximize your chances of success.
Organizations
Although the abuser is the one who harmed your child, the organization employing them also has certain responsibilities to prevent such activities. Therefore, you may also file a lawsuit against the following:
- Childcare providers
- Religious organizations
- Foster care agencies
- Medical and treatment facilities
- Schools and educational institutions
- Government entities, including the military
- Youth organizations (like the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts)
Employers can be liable for failing to protect children, including having negligent hiring practices, failing to investigate abuse allegations, or even covering up the abuse to hide from financial liability.
What Compensation Can I Seek in a Child Abuse Lawsuit?
Civil lawsuits seek justice by pursuing financial compensation from the at-fault party. California law allows child abuse victims to request compensation for the following:
Economic Losses
- Medical expenses (past and future)
- Lost income (past and future)
- Prescription medications
- Mental health care, including counseling and psychiatric treatment
Non-Economic Losses
- Physical pain and suffering
- Mental anguish and emotional distress
- Mental health conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Loss of quality of life
- Loss of consortium (the intangible benefits of a relationship)
Punitive Damages
Although rare, punitive damages are intended to punish the defendant rather than compensate the victim. Courts impose punitive damages in particularly egregious cases to discourage defendants from engaging in the same behavior again.
Who Can Sue for Child Abuse?
When an adult is the victim of someone else’s wrongful action, they can file a lawsuit on their own behalf. But what happens when the victim is a minor? In this case, there are two options:
- The parent or guardian can file for their minor child.Â
- The child can file a lawsuit after they turn 18.Â
Whether you are an adult survivor of childhood abuse or the parent of an abused minor, The Cifarelli Law Firm can represent you in settlement negotiations and court proceedings in California. When we successfully resolve cases on behalf of minors, we work to ensure the money is protected for their future benefit.Â
What’s the Time Limit To File a Child Abuse Lawsuit?
The answer to this depends on the type of abuse the child suffered and who you are suing.Â
Child Abuse
Legal actions stemming from injury to a minor must typically be filed within two years after the child turns 18. This applies to both physical and mental abuse. However, if the child abuse happened at school, you only have six months to file a claim against the government for personal injury. If the claim is denied, you have another six months to file a lawsuit.
Child Sex Abuse
California law recognizes that childhood sexual abuse may take years for victims to recognize and report. For that reason, the state gives survivors longer to sue their abusers.
- Sexual abuse occurring before January 1, 2024: Survivors have until their 40th birthday or five years after realizing their injury (such as a mental health condition) was due to the abuse — whichever is later.Â
- Sexual abuse occurring after January 1, 2024: There is no time limit on claims for sexual abuse against minors in California.
That means even if you suffered childhood abuse decades ago, you may still be able to seek compensation.
How Can a Child Abuse Attorney in Long Beach, CA, Help Me?
Child abuse cases are complex claims involving sensitive subjects. They can be challenging to prove, especially if a lot of time has passed. The guidance of a knowledgeable and compassionate child abuse attorney is invaluable.Â
At The Cifarelli Law Firm, we provide the following services for our child abuse clients:
- Protecting your legal rights: We will inform you of your legal options, offer sound advice to your legal questions, and work to ensure that no one violates your rights. We can also protect your identity if you prefer to remain anonymous.
- Gathering evidence to support your case: Medical records, police reports, and other documents help support your claim. As many child abuse injuries are psychological, we may also need psychiatric evaluations and professional testimony to prove your case.
- Identifying potentially liable parties: We will investigate your case to see who may be legally liable, including individual perpetrators, administrators, local school districts, or national organizations.
- Taking your case to court: If we can’t negotiate a settlement beforehand, our dedicated attorneys will represent you at trial. We will file all the needed paperwork, thoroughly prepare you for court, and hire professional consultants to support your claims.
- Fighting for maximum compensation: Although predicting settlement and award amounts is impossible, we will pursue the maximum economic and non-economic damages available in your case.
Importantly, your child abuse lawyer will take some of the heavy weight off your shoulders. We handle all the paperwork, witness interviews, and negotiations with the other side to minimize the emotional impact on you. We will also work to ensure you and your family have all the psychological support you need.
Contact a Child Abuse Attorney in Long Beach, CA, Today
The Cifarelli Law Firm provides skilled legal representation to child victims of abuse and their families. We have secured several multi-million dollar settlements on behalf of child abuse and molestation victims.
Call us today at (949) 502-8600 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation with an experienced child abuse attorney in Long Beach, CA.
