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When children are harmed by the people and institutions trusted to protect them, the damage can last a lifetime. California law gives survivors and families powerful tools to pursue accountability, from individual abusers to the schools, churches, and organizations that enabled them.
Attorney of the Year — California Lawyers Association No fee until we winCalifornia CCP §340.1 gives childhood sexual abuse survivors until age 40, or 5 years from discovering the psychological harm was caused by the abuse, whichever is later. Many survivors still have viable claims.
Schools, churches, youth organizations, and foster care agencies face liability when they knew or should have known about an abuser and failed to act. Institutional defendants typically have far greater resources than individual abusers.
When an organization is found to have concealed abuse or moved known abusers to protect its reputation, California law allows courts to award up to three times actual damages.
California courts permit survivors to file under pseudonyms (Jane Doe / John Doe). Settlements can include confidentiality protections for the survivor's identity throughout the case.
Every survivor's situation is different. What unites our cases is a commitment to holding both the individual abuser and the institution that enabled them fully accountable.
Teachers, coaches, clergy, scout leaders, foster parents, and youth organization staff who exploit positions of trust.
Schools, daycares, group homes, juvenile facilities, and residential programs where children are harmed by staff.
By daycares, summer camps, group homes, and foster care providers who fail in their duty of care.
Organizations that concealed abuse, moved known abusers, or failed to respond to prior complaints, triggering treble damages under California law.
Survivors who are only now connecting current psychological harm to childhood abuse. California's discovery rule may still give you time to file.
There is no single right way to begin. These cases are built carefully and with the survivor always at the center.
Before contacting the institution or making any statements, let us understand your situation. How your first steps are taken can affect your options.
Write down as much detail as you can recall, approximate dates, locations, the abuser, and any adults you told at the time. Notes you make now are valuable evidence.
School records, medical records, therapy notes, and any written communications from the relevant period may be important evidence.
Other survivors, family members who noticed warning signs, or adults who may have been aware, each can contribute to building your case.
California's extended statute of limitations means many survivors who believe they are too late still have viable claims. Let us evaluate before you assume you can't act.
All consultations are completely confidential. We will listen first, move at your pace, and never pressure you to proceed before you are ready.
Not only was Arya easy to communicate with, incredibly intelligent with how he planned to achieve the goals, but he was also very warm and caring. I really enjoyed working with Arya. Warm, ethical, and intelligent is a great combo!
I cannot recommend L&F Brown highly enough. From the start of my case they were professional, talked me through the process and genuinely cared about my situation and concerns. My case went far longer than any of us expected, and I was ready to just accept the first settlement, but Arya and Curt fought to get me what I was entitled to. All in all, they went above and beyond at every step and I felt supported throughout my experience with them.
My husband was involved in a car accident back in February, and now that everything has been resolved, I just wanted to say how grateful we are for this amazing team. Everyone was incredibly kind, organized, and easy to communicate with. They always kept us updated, answered every question we had, and made sure we understood what was happening every step of the way. Having someone we could trust took so much stress off our shoulders during an already difficult time.
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California law provides meaningful remedies for survivors, including damages designed to hold institutions accountable, not just individual abusers.
Long-term therapy, counseling, and psychiatric care needed to address the effects of abuse.
Compensation for the lasting psychological impact of the abuse on the survivor's life.
Where trauma has affected the survivor's ability to work, advance in their career, or maintain employment.
In cases involving institutional concealment, California law allows courts to award up to three times actual damages.
For particularly egregious conduct by the abuser or institution.
Often recoverable under California law in civil survivor cases.
