Swimming is a fun activity that’s enjoyed by both adults and children, and there are many classes to help people learn how to swim. Most of these classes are for children, and they are available in many settings, including public pools, community centers, and fitness centers. Kids also participate in swimming teams at their high school under the instruction of a swimming coach.
No matter where a child learns to swim, it’s essential that are taught and supervised by an experienced swimming instructor. Unfortunately, there are coaches who use their position of authority for statutory rape of a minor. These incidents are much more common that most people realize, and in the last decade or so, there has been a surge of victims coming forward and seeking justice for rape and other acts of sexual abuse by sports coaches and instructors.
Were you subjected to sexual abuse and assault at a swimming class by a private teacher or school teacher? Did a swimming instructor engage in sexual conversations with you outside of class and eventually convinced you to meet them for sex? Were you forcibly raped or sexually assaulted in some other way by someone that was teaching you to swim?
The swimming class sexual assault attorneys of Normandie are ready to hear your story and talk to you about you rights and legal options. Our lawyers have decades of experience in litigating cases for child sexual abuse and securing maximum payment on behalf of our clients. Contact us today and schedule a free, private case review if you were sexually assaulted by a swimming instructor while you a minor.
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Who is Liable when a Child is Sexually Abused?
This is critical question when a child is abused by a teacher or instructor, in both private classes and school settings. Obviously, the party that’s guilty of sexual assault is the person that committed the crime. But things are not so black and white when the individual is employed by an entity that also has a duty of care to the student.
Schools have a legal obligation to investigate allegations or suspicion of a sexually inappropriate relationship between students and their staff members. The same can be said for businesses that offer private swimming classes that parents pay for, so that their child receives extra time and attention. The owners, administrations, officials, etc. at these organizations are usually aware that something is going on. Either they were told by other kids and employees, or the parents of the child who is being abused. Or, they notice clear indicators of child abuse in the student, but they continue to act like nothing’s wrong.
Please note that a failure to investigate signs or allegations of child sexual abuse constitutes negligence under California law. Additionally, not contacting the police and/or child protective services when there are known or suspected instances of child abuse is a misdemeanor, punishable by fines and up to 6 months in jail. Here at Normandie, our focus is on civil claims for sexual abuse during childhood and bringing you justice in the form of monetary compensation. To that end, we know that liability for sexual assault by a swimming teacher typically involves numerous people and organizations that ignored a child’s cries for help.
While the lawsuit process can be frustrating and difficult at times, we promise that we are with you every step of the way.
Average Case Value for a Swimming Instructor Sexual Abuse Claim
There is no way to state one singular value that can be described as an average settlement for those who were sexually abused by a coach or instructor. What we can say is that the majority of our clients receive between $1,500,000 and $5,000,000 if there were physical incidents of sexual abuse (oral sex, sexual groping, intercourse, etc.). If the abuse involved sexual exploitation, like sexting and soliciting the minor for sexual favors, a lawsuit may be settled for anywhere from $400,000 to $1,000,000.
Having a sense of average case values is helpful, but it can only serve as general information at the end of the day. For an accurate evaluation of the amount you are entitled to, please talk to a swimming class sexual abuse attorney at our office.
How Long is the Settlement Process?
Lawsuits involving child sexual abuse can take anywhere from 1 to 3 years to settle. This is our estimate based on the cases that were successfully resolved by our attorneys. In the event we cannot negotiate a settlement and the case is tried in court, receiving payment from a swimming class sexual assault lawsuit normally takes over 3 years. Keep in mind, however, that around 95% of these cases are settled privately between attorneys, so there is very little chance that your case will be tried before a judge and jury.
Statute of Limitations – Deadline to File a Child Sexual Assault Lawsuit
As a survivor of sexual abuse by a swimming instructor, you have until your 40th birthday to file a lawsuit. To put it another way, the statute of limitations for a child sex abuse lawsuit is 22 years from when the victim is legally an adult.
Alternatively, you have 5 years to file a lawsuit starting from when you discover an injury related to sexual abuse as a minor. It’s quite common for children to keep incidents of abuse to themselves and internalize the feelings of guilt and shame. Doing this for a number of years can lead to all sort of mental health conditions that impact the victim’s life in negative ways. The point of realizing that these problems are due to sexual assault during childhood can take many years. This is why there is a 5-year window for victims if they wish to sue their abuser and other entities.
Keep in mind that you can base on your deadline for a swimming class sexual abuse lawsuit on whichever dates come later. Due to the confusion that exists on this subject, we recommend that you verify how long you have for a sexual abuse lawsuit with one of our attorneys.
Contact Normandie Law Firm
By contacting our office, you can receive advice and guidance from an experienced sports coach sexual abuse lawyer. But that’s not all, as we offer a Zero Fee Guarantee if you are decide that filing a lawsuit is right for you. Essentially, we agree to represent you on contingency, so our legal fees are paid by the defendant at the same time as your settlement. There is on other way for us to get paid, so if we don’t win your case, you owe us $0.
To schedule a free case evaluation with a swimming coach sexual abuse attorney, please take a moment to contact our law firm.
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