The San Pasqual Academy, located at 17701 San Pasqual Valley Rd, Escondido, CA 92025, is a unique “residential education campus” that was specifically designed for youth in the foster care system. Serving as a foster care placement option for kids 12 to 17 years old, the facility is a live-in program that’s operated by the San Diego Office of Education and a group of private and public entities.
Places like San Pasqual Academy are essential for sheltering youths who are removed from their homes due to abuse and neglect. Some children are placed in private homes, but most end up in group residential facilities that are approved by the California Department of Social Services. Ultimately, the goal is to reunite the child back with their family or find them an adoptive family, but in the meantime, they need schooling, structure, emotional support, and a safe place to live.
Tragically, what should be a place of healing and growth can turn into a nightmare due to abusive behavior by adults at the facility. This includes sexual exploitation and assault, which occur at an alarming rate at foster homes and group homes for children that placed in foster care. If you or someone you know was sexually abused at the San Pasqual Academy, you may be interested in filing a lawsuit and demanding justice from the people who failed to look out for you. If you are interested in learning the legal actions that are available to you, contact a San Pasqual Academy sexual abuse lawyer at our office.
Our Recent Verdicts and Settlements
$2.5 Million
$600,000
$1.5 Million
$54 Million
$525,000
$1.2 Million
Can I Sue for being Sexually Abused at the San Pasqual Academy?
Yes, you have the right to file a lawsuit for the monetary losses and emotional trauma you sustained from being sexually abused at San Pasqual Academy in Escondido, California. Aside from the predatory adult that committed the abuse, you may have grounds to sue the County of San Diego. This is due to the fact that San Pasqual Academy is managed and supervised, in part, by the county’s Health and Human Service Agency. However, the county has partnered with various private organizations, like the San Diego Center for Children and Access, Inc. to provide specific services. So, it’s possible that you can also file a lawsuit against a private organization, in addition to suing San Diego County.
Neglect in the form of poor leadership, lack of supervision, and failure to hold employees accountable is often at the heart of why children are abused in foster care residential facilities. In some cases, county officials commit criminal offenses, like destroying evidence of sexual assault or finding other ways to obstruct an investigation into allegations of child sexual abuse.
Due to these and other circumstances, it’s important to discuss your case with a sexual abuse lawsuit attorney, who will get to the root of why you were subjected to abuse of a sexual nature while you were in the foster care system. With their help, you can uncover evidence, form a strong legal argument, and build a solid case for monetary damages against the county of San Diego.
Case Value of a Foster Care Group Home Sex Abuse Lawsuit
A San Pasqual Academy sexual abuse lawsuit will probably settle for an amount between $1,000,000 and $5,000,000. Cases involving extreme neglect and prolonged suffering to the victim that resulted in severe injury can sometimes reach values of $10,000,000 or more, but most cases will settle in the 7-figure range. At the end of the day, how much you can receive as a sexual abuse victim depends on many details that are unique to your case. That’s why some cases are worth around $500,000, while others result in payments of several million dollars. To get a sense of the amount you are entitled to from a lawsuit against the San Pasqual Academy, don’t’ hesitate to give us a call.
Reaching a Settlement – How Long Does it Take?
Lawsuits involving sexual abuse against a minor can take between 1 and 3 years to settle. Some lawsuits for sexual abuse are settled in 6 to 8 months, but overall, it takes at least 12 months in order to negotiate a fair amount of compensation for the victim. Please note that these cases are almost always settled without the need for a trial. In the rare event that your case is tried in court, it can take over 3 years to obtain a jury verdict, but again, this is exceptionally rare.
How Much Time Do I have to File a Lawsuit?
Minors who are sexually abused have until the age of 40 to sue for their harm and suffering. That means you have 22 years following your 18th birthday to file a claim for child sexual assault and/or exploitation.
So, does that mean you are prohibited from suing San Diego County if you are over 40 years old? Not necessarily, depending on when you discover a physical or emotional injury caused by child sexual abuse. As you can imagine, foster care children are unlikely to tell someone they are being abused physically or sexually. Frankly, they are simply trying to survive in an environment that is new and unfamiliar to them, and it’s understandable that they feel uncomfortable talking to anyone about a sexual assault or abuse incident.
Victims that are forced to repress traumatic incidents typically suffer from one or more mental health issues that compromise their quality of life. These are examples of injuries from sexual abuse, but many years can go by until the victim comes to this realization. Once they discover the injuries that resulted from sexual abuse at San Pasqual Academy, they can file a lawsuit for monetary damages within 5 years. It does not matter if you are over 40 at the point of discovery, so in actuality, you may be eligible for a foster care sexual abuse lawsuit no matter how old you are.
Free Legal Services from a Foster Care Sexual Abuse Attorney
As a victim of sexual assault and abuse while you were in foster care, you may have the option of seeking justice through the civil court system. We have an experienced team of foster care sexual abuse lawyers who are ready to advise you of your rights and fight for the compensation you deserve.
Legal fees are covered by San Diego County as a part of the settlement from your lawsuit, so you pay nothing upfront if you decide to hire us. In addition, we don’t believe in getting paid unless you receive compensation. That’s why we have a Zero Fee Guarantee policy, so you don’t have to worry about paying us if we don’t win your case.
We look forward to speaking with you during a free consultation, so please contact us if you were sexually abused during your stay at the San Pasqual Academy.
Other Pages on Our Website Related to This Topic
Sexual Abuse at Camp Erwin Owen – Lawyer for Child Abuse Victims
Central Valley Juvenile Hall Sexual Abuse and Assault Lawyer
Tuolumne County MLRJDF Sexual Abuse Attorney
