Seeking help after sexual abuse in California? Call (818) 988-7300 for a confidential consultation.

Support and resilience (non-graphic)

Sexual Abuse Cases

Sexual abuse is a profound violation of trust and personal safety. Survivors often carry lasting emotional, physical, and financial consequences — and it can be difficult to know where to start.

My office represents survivors and families in civil claims against individuals and organizations whose actions — or failures to protect — caused harm. A confidential consultation can help you understand your options and the next steps.

I represent clients throughout California, including Van Nuys, the San Fernando Valley, and surrounding communities.

  • Confidential, respectful consultation.
  • No fees unless we recover money.
  • I remain personally involved in your case and oversee all major decisions.
  • You never pay anything upfront — including fees or costs.
  • Straightforward advice about your options.

Do I Have a Case?

Get a Straight Answer From an Attorney

Submitting this form does not create an attorney–client relationship. Please do not include confidential or time-sensitive information.

What happens next

  • I’ll review your information as soon as I receive it
  • I will contact you to discuss the next steps

Abuse Cases Have Strict Deadlines

California abuse claims are governed by strict legal deadlines. Important evidence can also be lost if a case is not investigated early.

Institutions and insurers often continue “investigating” or “negotiating” while deadlines are quietly approaching. Once a legal deadline passes, your case may become worthless — even if the institution or insurer was still communicating with you when the deadline passed.

Part of my job is making sure deadlines are identified, evidence is preserved, and your rights are protected from the start — so you’re not pressured into a decision before you understand your options.

If you’re unsure what time limits apply to your situation, a free, no-pressure consultation can help clarify your options.

Confidential Support
You control what you share. We keep the process respectful and survivor-centered.
Explaining Your Rights
We explain your rights and options in plain language, including timelines and what a case would involve.
Accountability
Many cases involve businesses, organizations, or institutions that failed to prevent abuse or ignored warning signs.
Pursuing Justice
Abuse survivors can seek compensation for physical and emotional harm. Pursuing a claim can also help prevent future harm to others.

Sexual Abuse Cases We Handle

Every case is different. Here are some common situations where survivors may have civil legal options.

Schools and Youth Programs

Cases involving teachers, staff, coaches, mentors, or volunteers — including situations where supervision failures or ignored complaints enabled abuse.

Religious Organizations

Claims involving clergy or religious leaders, and organizational decisions that placed people at risk or failed to protect children and vulnerable adults.

Medical and Care Settings

Abuse by caregivers or staff in clinics, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, or other care environments — including negligent hiring or supervision.

Workplace Abuse and Exploitation

Cases involving abuse by supervisors or coworkers and employer failures to respond, investigate, or protect employees from known risks.

Abuse in Homes or Residential Settings

Claims involving landlords, property managers, or residential programs where negligent security, screening, or supervision contributed to harm.

Liability

Many abuse cases focus on both the abuser and the businesses and organizations that enabled the abuse through their policies, staffing decisions, or failures to act on prior warning signs.

What to Do After Sexual Abuse

If you feel safe doing so, these steps may help protect your well-being and preserve your options.

  1. Put your safety first

    If you are in immediate danger, call 911. If you can, get to a safe location and reach out to someone you trust.

  2. Seek medical and mental health support

    Sexual abuse can cause both physical and emotional harm. Prompt medical care and counseling can help address your health, provide support, and create professional records of your symptoms and treatment. Seeking care is about your well-being — not building a case — and it can be an important part of healing.

  3. Preserve messages or records

    Save relevant texts, emails, social media messages, incident reports, or communications with an organization.

  4. Be careful with statements and paperwork

    An organization’s insurer or representatives may want you to provide a statement or sign forms. I recommend speaking with an attorney before signing any documents or providing any statements.

  5. Talk with an attorney about your rights and options

    A confidential, no-pressure consultation with an attorney can help you understand your rights and what steps you should take to protect them.

Important Warning: Do Not Sign Anything

Organizations and their insurance companies sometimes contact survivors or families quickly and ask them to sign paperwork. This can be an attempt to resolve the situation quietly for far less than it is worth — or to limit accountability — before you understand your rights or have a chance to speak with a lawyer.

Once you sign a release or settlement agreement, your civil claim may be over — even if you later learn more facts or the impact is worse than you initially understood. Do not sign any documents until you’ve spoken with an attorney who can explain what you’re giving up.

A Quick Note About Calls With Insurance Companies

Insurance adjusters protect the insurance company — not you. If you’re asked for a recorded statement, it’s often better to speak to an attorney first so you better understand your rights and options.

Abuse Cases Often Focus on Institutional Responsibility

Many sexual abuse cases involve more than one wrongdoer. These cases are often brought against the abuser and schools, religious institutions, businesses, employers, youth programs, landlords, and other organizations that failed to protect people from known risks or ignored warning signs. A consultation with me can help identify whether an organization may be legally responsible.

Sexual Abuse Q&A

Clear answers to common questions about civil cases and next steps.

I want an attorney, but I don’t have money for one. What can I do?
I work on a contingency fee. That means you never pay anything upfront — including fees or costs — and you do not owe attorney’s fees unless money is recovered in your case. If there is no recovery, you do not owe me a fee.

Can I bring a case if the abuse happened years ago?
Often times, yes. Civil deadlines depend on many factors. A confidential consultation with an attorney can help determine your legal rights and options.

Is a consultation with you confidential?
Yes. Consultations with me are private, strictly confidential, and handled with care. You control what you share, and you are not required to provide graphic details to get basic guidance about your rights and legal options. I will not pressure you to share more than you are comfortable sharing.

Who can be held responsible in sex abuse cases?
These cases are usually brought against the individual who caused the abuse and, in many cases, against the business, organizations, or entities that failed to protect people through negligent hiring, supervision, retention, training, or safety policies.

If I pursue an abuse case, will I be required to face my abuser?
In these cases, survivors almost never have to face the abuser. Care is taken to protect survivors throughout the legal process.

If I am an undocumented immigrant, can I make a an abuse claim?
Yes. Undocumented immigrants can pursue abuse claims. Immigration status is not a defense, and the parties in the case generally cannot use the lawsuit as a way to inquire into immigration status.

What if I cannot travel to your Van Nuys office to sign up?
That’s not a problem. Most clients sign up remotely. We can review your situation by phone or video, and documents can be sent for electronic signature so you can retain our office without traveling.
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