Breaking News: an assistant principal with the San Gabriel Unified School District is facing charges for sexual abuse of two teenagers that he coached over twenty years ago when he worked at Woodrow Wilson High School in El Sereno, California. He was arrested on November 13, 2023 and posted bond.
According to the authorities, Michael Guzman (57), who is currently an assistant principal at Gabrielino High School, is facing four felony counts of lewd acts with a child; he was also named in a civil lawsuit filed by the two accusers last year.
Guzman works with the San Gabriel Unified School District as of February of 2023. According to the district’s superintendent, Guzman was immediately placed on unpaid administrative leave and is barred from all district property.
The abuse allegedly occurred when Guzman was a basketball coach at Woodrow Wilson Highschool, which is a part of the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). According to the criminal and civil cases filed, the abuse occurred from 1997 to 2000 while Guzman was a teacher and basketball coach at Woodrow Wilson High School. The alleged victims were freshmen in high school, and Guzman was in his 30s.
The lawsuit claims that Guzman used his position to groom, manipulate, and sexually assault the two teenagers who were basketball players on the team that he coached. The lawsuit also names LAUSD as a defendant; they claim that the school district knew or should have known of the abuse and ultimately failed to protect the students. Allegedly, Guzman drove the girls to and from school and was caught spending time alone with each of the girls by other teachers, coaches, and security guards in his classroom, the gym, and throughout the high school. The abuse allegedly occurred in an attic at the school or in a hotel in the San Gabriel area.
Allegedly, Guzman told one of the victims that the school principal was aware of their relationship but was not concerned because he had information on sexual misconduct that involved the principal and another teacher at the school. One teacher apologized decades after the abuse for not doing more to stop what was happening.
Seek Legal Assistance: Many victims never come forward about the abuse that they experienced because they mistakenly believe that too much time has passed and that they no longer have the right to sue. However, California law gives victims of child sex abuse an extended timeframe to take legal action. If you are ready to speak with a lawyer and pursue a claim, contact us today.
Our legal team here at the Normandie Law Firm is more than ready to evaluate your claim and help you figure out the legal options available. We have decades of experience handling all sorts of claims, including sexual assault claims and child sex abuse claims. Our lawyers are not afraid to take on any party or entity to fight for the rights of victims. We are committed to getting our clients the justice that they deserve.
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The Consequences of Child Sex Abuse
Without a doubt, child sex abuse has long-lasting consequences. Child sexual abuse consists of any sexual contact with a minor – as a minor can never consent to any sexual contact. This can include rape, attempted rape, kissing, fondling, groping, touching, penetration with any object, masturbating in front of the victim, forcing the victim to masturbate, forcing the victim to touch the attacker in any way, making inappropriate comments/jokes, etc. Whether the abuse was a one-time thing or occurred multiple times, victims could be seriously harmed.
Although every instance of child sex abuse is different, victims could be left dealing with the following:
- Sexually transmitted infections
- Pregnancy
- Injuries to reproductive organs
- Injuries to genitals
- Fractures
- Lacerations
- Scrapes and bruises
- Post-traumatic stress
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Panic
- Increased risk of substance abuse problems
- Increased risk of self-harm and suicide
In some cases, the victims of child sex abuse may deal with the consequences of the abuse for many years and possibly even for the rest of their lives. Some victims might actually repress the traumatic memories only to be unlocked decades later. Of course, this is different for everyone.
Can I Sue for Child Sex Abuse?
Yes, you could sue for child sex abuse. In a case like the one described above, the school district could be found liable for the abuse that student suffer at the hands. This can be associated with negligent hiring, negligent training, negligent supervising, and more. In some cases, other school staff are aware of the abuse but fails to do anything to stop the abuse and protect other students.
You could be eligible to file a lawsuit for the harm resulting from child sex abuse. For more information about the legal options available to you, contact the experts here at our law firm as soon as possible. Our lawyers are ready to guide you every step of the way to ensure that you can file your claim and get justice.
Can I Recover Compensation?
Yes, you could be eligible to recover compensation for a child sex abuse claim. Although every claim is different, some of the compensation that you could be eligible to receive could include the following:
- Medical costs
- Lost income
- Pain and suffering
- Punitive damages
- Treble damages
- Legal fees
In general, child sex abuse cases involving schools and school districts tend to be high value cases. This is because of the extensive harm that occurs due to sexual abuse. It is also important to note that California law allows treble damages for cases of sexual abuse that were covered up. This means that if the school, district, or other liable entity knew of the abuse but covered it up, the claimant can be eligible to receive up to three times their damages. For example, if their case is valued at $1 million, the claimant will actually be awarded $3 million.
Here at our law firm, our experts are ready to fight for your rights and help you recover the maximum settlement available for your claim. For more information about the compensation that you could be awarded if your child sex abuse is successful, contact us today.
How Long Do I Have to File a Claim for Child Sex Abuse?
Under California law, victims of child sex abuse have until the age of forty (twenty-two years after turning eighteen) or five years from the date of discovery to file their lawsuits. So even if it has been decades since the abuse happened, victims can still file claims. This is extended timeline to file is important considering that it can be difficult for victims to ultimately decide to file a claim and that many victims suppress the abuse and may not remember what happened for many years.
What happens if I don’t file my claim on time? Victims of child sex abuse who fail to file their claims on time may lose their right to sue entirely. To ensure that you file your claim on time, we urge you to seek legal assistance as soon as possible.
Contact the Normandie Law Firm Today
It takes a lot of strength and bravery for victims of child sex abuse to come forward after decades and take legal action to hold their abusers and other liable entities accountable. Here at our law firm, our legal team is committed to doing everything necessary to fight for the rights of victims of child sex abuse and get them the justice that they deserve. To make the legal process as simple as possible to all, we offer free legal services. These include free consultations and free second opinions. During these free legal services, our lawyers will be available to answer all your questions and address all your concerns, ensuring that you have access to all the information that you need to either begin or continue your child sex abuse claim. These legal services are available as part of our Zero-Fee Guarantee, so you will never be required to pay any upfront legal costs for our legal services. Since we also work on contingency, our clients will not be responsible for legal costs unless their claims are successful.
If you are ready to speak with our child sex abuse lawyers, contact us today.
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