Why Child Abuse Victims Deserve Personal Injury Compensation Now?
Can child-abuse survivors seek civil compensation? Yes, explains Oakland attorney Andrew Dósa—California lets survivors pursue damages for therapy, medical costs, lost income, and pain and suffering, often under extended filing deadlines. A civil claim can proceed even when a criminal case ends without conviction, and survivors may also seek accountability from institutions connected to the abuser, not just the individual.
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Answered by Andrew Dósa · Oakland, CA
Highlights
— how abuse survivors can pursue the institutions connected to an abuser
— the theory that an organization knew, warned, yet failed to notify others
— the employer-liability analogy for when an institution bears responsibility
— why these cases target different defendants, each with its own duty
— the statute-of-limitations reform that reopened the door for survivors
Frequently Asked Questions
Can child-abuse survivors seek civil compensation?
Yes—California lets survivors pursue damages for therapy, medical costs, lost income, and pain and suffering, often under extended filing deadlines, and a civil claim can proceed even when a criminal case ends without conviction.
Can survivors hold an institution responsible?
Yes—survivors may seek accountability from institutions connected to an abuser, not just the individual, particularly where an organization knew of a risk yet failed to warn others.
What's the basis for institutional liability?
An employer-liability analogy: when an institution was in a position to prevent harm and didn't, it can bear responsibility, so these cases target different defendants, each with its own duty.
What reopened the door for older cases?
A statute-of-limitations reform extended or revived the filing window, letting survivors bring claims that would previously have been time-barred.
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