Los Angeles School Sexual Abuse Attorney

Any survivor of sexual abuse committed by a school employee, contractor, administrator, or volunteer at a Los Angeles public, private, or charter school can file a civil lawsuit. This includes adults who were abused as minors decades ago. Under AB 218 (2019), California eliminated the Government Claims Act pre-filing requirement for childhood sexual abuse claims against public entities such as LAUSD, removing a major procedural barrier. AB 2777 (2022) created an additional lookback window—open through December 31, 2026—for claims where the institution concealed or failed to prevent the abuse.

Yes. The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) can be held civilly liable when it negligently hired, supervised, or retained an employee who committed sexual abuse—or when administrators had notice of the risk and failed to act. AB 218 removed the Government Claims Act pre-filing requirement for childhood sexual abuse cases, meaning survivors no longer need to file a government tort claim before suing LAUSD. AB 2777 provides an additional revival window through December 31, 2026 for claims involving institutional concealment. Compass Law Group has represented survivors of LAUSD-related abuse throughout Los Angeles County.

Yes. AB 2777—the Sexual Abuse and Cover Up Accountability Act—reopened a three-year window for survivors to sue institutions that concealed, covered up, or failed to prevent sexual abuse. This applies to Los Angeles Unified School District, charter schools, private schools, and faith-based institutions throughout Los Angeles County. The window closes December 31, 2026. Survivors who previously missed filing deadlines or were turned away may now qualify. Contact a Los Angeles school sexual abuse attorney to assess your eligibility before the window closes.

California law allows survivors to pursue claims against multiple parties simultaneously:

• The individual abuser — directly liable for the assault
• The school or school district — liable for negligent hiring, negligent supervision, and negligent retention of the abuser
• Administrators and supervisors — personally liable if they had actual or constructive knowledge of the abuse and took no action
• Third-party contractors — vendors or contractors with unsupervised student access can be held to the same duty of care standard

Under California Penal Code § 11166, school staff who fail to report suspected abuse to law enforcement are also liable. Identifying all responsible parties is critical to maximizing your recovery.

Negligent supervision occurs when a Los Angeles school fails to exercise reasonable care in overseeing employees, contractors, or volunteers who have access to students. Under California Education Code § 44807, school districts have an affirmative duty to supervise students during school hours and at school-related activities. A school commits negligent supervision when it:

• Allows one-on-one unsupervised access between an employee and a student
• Ignores complaints or warning signs about an employee’s conduct
• Fails to conduct background checks or reference checks on staff
• Does not investigate reports of inappropriate behavior promptly

When negligent supervision directly enables abuse, the institution—not just the individual—is liable for the resulting harm.

Yes, and private schools face fewer procedural hurdles than public school districts. Unlike claims against LAUSD or other public entities, there is no Government Claims Act pre-filing requirement for private schools in Los Angeles. Survivors can file direct negligence, negligent supervision, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and ratification claims. Private schools, Catholic diocese schools, independent academies, and charter schools operating in Los Angeles County have all faced successful civil liability claims. AB 2777 applies equally to private institutions that concealed or enabled abuse, with the lookback window open through December 31, 2026.

California law provides three categories of damages in school sexual abuse cases:

1. Compensatory — Economic: Past and future therapy costs, psychiatric treatment, medical care, and lost earning capacity for survivors whose education or career was derailed by the abuse
2. Compensatory — Non-Economic: Pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and damage to personal relationships. Los Angeles courts have awarded millions of dollars in non-economic damages in school abuse cases against LAUSD and private institutions
3. Punitive Damages: Available under California Civil Code § 3294 when an institution acted with malice, oppression, or fraud—such as deliberately concealing known abuse to protect its reputation or avoid liability

Case value depends on several factors specific to your situation: the severity and duration of the abuse, whether the institution had prior knowledge of the abuser’s conduct, the strength of cover-up evidence, and your documented economic losses (therapy, lost wages, medical care). Settlements in Los Angeles school sexual abuse cases have ranged from six figures to tens of millions of dollars—particularly in cases involving LAUSD or institutions with documented patterns of concealment. Compass Law Group has recovered over $250 million for sexual abuse survivors across California. The only way to know what your case is worth is through a confidential consultation with an experienced attorney.

Yes. Under California Civil Code § 3294, courts may award punitive damages against a school or school district when the institution acted with malice, oppression, or fraud. This standard is frequently met in school sexual abuse cases where administrators:

• Received written complaints about an abuser and took no disciplinary action
• Quietly transferred the abuser to another school rather than reporting to authorities
• Settled prior complaints confidentially to avoid public disclosure
• Destroyed or concealed records related to abuse complaints

Punitive damages serve to punish the institution and deter similar misconduct—and can multiply the total award significantly beyond compensatory damages alone.

Take these steps in order to protect your child and your legal rights:

1. Ensure immediate safety — If abuse is ongoing or there is immediate danger, call LAPD at 911 or the LAPD Special Victims Division
2. Seek medical care — Request a SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) exam at a Los Angeles County hospital to preserve physical evidence and connect with trauma-informed support
3. Do not contact the school first — Notifying administrators before speaking with an attorney can trigger cover-up behavior and evidence destruction
4. Document everything — Save all school communications, incident reports, and your child’s statements in writing with dates
5. Call a Los Angeles school sexual abuse attorney immediately — Early legal intervention preserves evidence, identifies all liable parties, and protects your right to maximum compensation under California law

Most cases resolve through settlement within one to three years, though complex institutional cases involving LAUSD or multiple defendants can take longer. Key timeline factors include:

• Discovery phase: Document requests, depositions, and expert witness preparation typically take 12–18 months
• Mediation: Many Los Angeles school abuse cases settle at mediation before trial, often in year two
• Trial: Cases that proceed to jury trial in Los Angeles Superior Court may extend the timeline to three or more years

Compass Law Group works on a contingency basis and pursues the strongest, most efficient resolution for each survivor.

No. A police report is not required to file a civil lawsuit against a Los Angeles school or school district. Criminal prosecution and civil litigation are entirely separate legal actions in California—you can pursue one, both, or neither independently. That said, a police report creates a contemporaneous record that can strengthen your civil case. Note also that under California Penal Code § 11166, school employees are mandatory reporters who are legally required to report suspected abuse to law enforcement or Child Protective Services. Failure to report is itself a criminal misdemeanor and can support negligence claims against the institution.

California has eliminated the statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse claims entirely under AB 218—there is no time-barred cutoff based on the age of the abuse or the survivor’s current age. Separately, AB 2777 created a special three-year revival window for claims involving institutional concealment of abuse, open through December 31, 2026. Survivors who were previously told their claims were time-barred may now qualify under these laws. If the AB 2777 lookback window applies to your case, you must file before the December 31, 2026 deadline—contact a Los Angeles school sexual abuse attorney immediately.

Yes. AB 218 (2019) eliminated the statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse claims in California with no cutoff date—abuse that occurred in the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, or any decade can still support a civil claim today. AB 2777 provides an additional revival window through December 31, 2026 specifically for cases where a school, diocese, or institution concealed or enabled the abuse. Survivors who were turned away in prior years because of expired deadlines should seek a current legal evaluation—the law has changed significantly in your favor.

Call (213) 528-3173 for a free, confidential consultation with a Los Angeles school sexual abuse attorney at Compass Law Group. We represent survivors throughout Los Angeles County—including Hollywood, Koreatown, Culver City, Pasadena, Long Beach, the San Fernando Valley, and the Westside. All cases are handled on a contingency basis: you pay no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you. The consultation is free, confidential, and carries no obligation. If the AB 2777 lookback window applies to your case, the December 31, 2026 deadline makes acting now essential.