Huntington Beach Sexual Abuse Lawyer
| Feher Law
- Top Rated Trial Firm
- Over $170 Million Recovered For Clients
- No Fees Unless We Win
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A civil case for sexual abuse is about accountability and about money for the treatment, lost work and lasting harm the abuse caused. It runs separately from any criminal prosecution, uses a lower standard of proof and can reach the school, church, employer, team or facility whose failures allowed the abuse to happen, not only the person who committed it.
Feher Law represents survivors in Huntington Beach and across Orange County. Our office is on Beach Boulevard, consultations are confidential and nothing you tell us is shared without your permission. The firm’s results in this area include a $2,700,000 verdict for a minor assaulted at work by a manager the employer should never have given unsupervised access.
If you were abused in Huntington Beach, recently or decades ago, California law very likely still allows you to file. This page explains the deadlines, the defendants and what a case involves.
Key Takeaways
- Childhood sexual assault on or after January 1, 2024 has no civil filing deadline under Code of Civil Procedure 340.1 as amended by AB 452. For abuse before that date, a survivor may file until age 40 or within five years of discovering that psychological injury in adulthood was caused by the abuse, whichever is later.
- Adult survivors have ten years from the last act, or three years from discovering an injury caused by it, under Code of Civil Procedure 340.16, and subdivision (e) of that statute revived otherwise-expired claims for assaults on or after January 1, 2009 if the case is filed by December 31, 2026.
- Institutions are defendants. A school district, youth organization, church, employer or care facility that knew or should have known of the risk and failed to act is liable alongside the abuser, and in childhood cases Government Code 905(m) exempts the claim from the government claim requirement.
- No conviction is needed. A civil case is proven by a preponderance of the evidence, and a survivor may be able to proceed under a Doe pseudonym.
- Confidential and contingent. You pay nothing unless we win.
Do You Have a Claim For Sex Abuse?
Determining whether you have a claim for sex crimes involves understanding key factors and ensuring proper steps are taken to support your case.
- Duty of Care:Â In the context of sexual abuse cases, duty of care refers to the responsibility of individuals and institutions to protect others from harm. This duty is especially critical in environments such as schools, workplaces, and care facilities, where there is an expectation of safety and protection.
- Breach of Duty:Â A breach of duty occurs when an individual or institution fails to uphold their responsibility to protect others from sexual abuse. This can include neglecting to implement adequate safety measures, failing to respond appropriately to complaints, or not providing a safe environment.
- Causation:Â Causation in sexual abuse cases involves establishing a direct link between the breach of duty and the abuse suffered. This means demonstrating that the failure to protect or act appropriately directly led to the occurrence of the abuse.
- Damages and Injuries:Â Damages in sexual abuse cases encompass the physical, emotional, and psychological harm suffered by the victim. This includes not only the immediate impact of the abuse but also long-term effects such as trauma, anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. Financial losses and costs related to medical treatment and therapy are also considered damages.
Types of Damages You Can Pursue in a Sexual Abuse Claim
Damages in a sexual abuse case compensate harms that often unfold over decades, and the claim is built with a treating therapist and a forensic psychologist rather than an orthopedist. The categories:
Economic damages
- Therapy and psychiatric care, past and future, including the years of treatment a forensic evaluation may project.
- Medical treatment for physical injuries and for the health conditions that follow trauma.
- Lost earnings and earning capacity, where the abuse disrupted schooling, a career or the ability to hold a job, which an economist quantifies.
- Out-of-pocket costs, from relocation to security to the expense of changing schools or jobs to get away from the abuser.
Non-economic damages
- Emotional distress, post-traumatic stress, depression and anxiety.
- Loss of enjoyment of life and damage to relationships, intimacy and trust.
- Humiliation and the separate harm of having the abuse concealed or disbelieved by an institution.
Punitive damages under Civil Code 3294 are available against an abuser for the intentional act itself, and against an institution whose officers or managing agents knew of the danger and covered it up or ignored it.
Survivors reach Feher Law in whichever way feels safer:
- By phone at (310) 340-1112. You speak with a member of our team, not a call center, and you decide how much to share in that first call. The consultation is private and free.
- Through the online form. A few sentences are enough. An attorney responds and arranges a time and a setting that is comfortable for you.
Why Survivors in Huntington Beach Choose Feher Law
Few personal injury firms try sexual abuse cases to verdict. Feher Law has, and that record changes how an institution’s insurer values a Huntington Beach survivor’s claim.
- Whipple v. U.S. Metro. We obtained a $2,700,000 verdict in Van Nuys for a minor who was assaulted after the employer, U.S. Metro Group, allowed a janitorial manager unsupervised late-night access to work sites. The case was tried, not settled, and it is the negligent supervision theory we use against institutions.
- Institutional accountability. The abuser is often uninsured and judgment-proof. The recovery comes from the school district, employer, organization or property owner whose failures made the abuse possible, and proving what they knew is the work we do.
- Trauma-informed representation. We limit how many times a survivor has to tell the story, prepare you for every deposition and hearing, pursue protective orders and pseudonym filings where available and coordinate with your therapist on the pace of the case.
- Trial lawyers. More than 50 jury verdicts. Institutions pay full value only when the alternative is a jury hearing what they knew and when they knew it.
What to Expect When You Work With Feher Law
- Confidential Case Evaluation:Â Contact Feher Law for a private, no-cost consultation. We review the circumstances of the abuse, explain your legal options, and answer your questions with sensitivity and discretion.
- Building Your Case:Â We gather medical records, therapy records, incident reports, and any available evidence of the abuse and identify all responsible parties including institutions.
- Filing Your Claim:Â We handle all legal filings on your behalf, including any required notices to institutions. Your identity can be protected through pseudonym filings where permitted.
- Negotiation:Â We negotiate with the responsible parties and their insurers for compensation covering medical care, therapy, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
- Litigation if Necessary: when the responsible parties will not accept accountability, the case is filed in Orange County Superior Court, with the protective orders and pseudonym filings that keep your privacy intact through trial.
Our Record in Abuse and Assault Cases
Our commitment to achieving justice for our clients is reflected in our impressive case results. Each success story demonstrates our dedication, expertise, and relentless pursuit of the best possible outcomes for those we represent.Â
Verdicts & Settlements
$170M+ Recovered for California Workers & Injury Victims
Real case outcomes from Feher Law across personal injury and employment matters, resolved under California law.
See what your case could be worth.
Free, confidential case assessment. Available 24/7.
Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Every case is evaluated on its specific facts under California law. View full results on our Case Results page.
Why Acting Fast Protects Your Case
The deadlines in a California sexual abuse case depend on when the abuse happened and how old you were. Childhood abuse on or after January 1, 2024 has no civil deadline under Code of Civil Procedure 340.1; earlier childhood abuse can be filed until age 40 or five years from discovery; adult survivors have ten years from the last act or three from discovery under Code of Civil Procedure 340.16; and the revival window in subdivision (e) of that statute for older adult claims closes December 31, 2026.
Even when the law allows a late filing, the case gets harder to prove every year:
- Institutional records, including personnel files, complaints and incident reports, are destroyed under routine retention schedules unless a preservation demand stops it
- Witnesses who could confirm what the organization knew retire, move away or die
- Electronic evidence, from text messages to building access logs, is lost when phones and systems are replaced
- Therapy records that document the connection between the abuse and your injuries are easier to build while treatment is current
Confidential consultations. No fee unless we win.
What Our Clients Say
Why California Clients Choose Feher Law
Super Lawyers 2022-2026 | Avvo 10.0 Superb | Gerry Spence Trial Lawyers College Graduate
Meet Our Team
Thomas Feher, Esq.
Founding Attorney
Stephen Wiard, Esq.
Senior Trial Attorney
Sandy Luu, Esq.
Associate Attorney
Alex Ballard, Esq.
Associate Attorney
Karen Parra, Esq.
Associate Attorney
Chase Nielsen, Esq.
Associate Attorney
Betsy Gomez
Managing Paralegal
Erica Feher
Chief of Operations
Brian Shimizu
Practice Support Manager
Marvin Rodriguez
Paralegal
Daniela Ramirez
Litigation Assistant
Alejandro Zelaya
Intake Specialist (Personal Injury)
Marcela Guzman
Intake Specialist (Employment)
Samantha Marquez
Legal Secretary
Omar Rosales
Pre-Litigation Manager
Sexual Abuse Cases We Take in Huntington Beach
Our expertise spans incidents involving both minors and adults in various environments, including workplaces, schools, public areas, and private settings. This encompasses, but is not limited to:
- Minors: Often targeted by trusted individuals, making the legal process particularly complex and emotionally challenging.
- Assault: Involves non-consensual sexual acts against individuals of any age. These cases need sensitive handling and a careful legal strategy to protect survivors’ rights and well-being.
- Sexual Harassment: Common in workplaces and educational institutions, where unwelcome advances, comments, or behaviors create hostile environments; workplace claims must be filed with the Civil Rights Department within three years under Government Code 12960. Our team is committed to holding perpetrators accountable and seeking justice for those affected.
- Institutional Abuse: Occurs in settings such as schools, workplaces, and religious organizations, where power dynamics can lead to exploitation and abuse. Skilled legal representation is crucial to navigating the complexities of these cases.
Rest assured, we approach these sensitive cases with the utmost care and professionalism. Contact us today to discuss your situation in complete discretion.
California Laws That Govern a Sexual Abuse Claim
Three sets of California law come into play in a Huntington Beach sexual abuse case:
- Civil liability. Civil Code 1708.5 creates a civil cause of action for sexual battery, and ordinary negligence law reaches the institution that failed to screen, supervise or respond. Civil Code 52.4 provides a separate claim for gender violence with its own damages and attorney fee provisions.
- Deadlines. Code of Civil Procedure 340.1 governs childhood sexual assault and Code of Civil Procedure 340.16 governs assaults on adults; both are explained in the deadlines section below.
- Workplace harassment and assault. The Fair Employment and Housing Act prohibits sexual harassment by employers of any size under Government Code 12940(j), with three years to file with the Civil Rights Department (CRD) under Government Code 12960. Where misconduct at work rises to assault, the FEHA claim and the civil sexual battery claim are brought together; our Huntington Beach sexual harassment page covers the employment side.
The Penal Code sections that define rape (Penal Code 261), sexual battery (Penal Code 243.4) and lewd acts with a minor (Penal Code 288) are criminal statutes. A conviction under them is powerful evidence in a civil case, but a civil claim does not depend on charges being filed, let alone on a conviction.
A Survivor's Rights Under California Law
If you are a survivor of sexual molestation or abuse in California, you have several important legal rights to protect and support you in seeking justice:
- Right to Report: You have the right to inform law enforcement about the abuse, which can trigger a criminal investigation and potentially lead to the perpetrator facing criminal charges.
- Right to Pursue Criminal Charges: If the abuse violates California’s criminal laws, you can press charges against the perpetrator. This could result in serious legal penalties like imprisonment and fines.
- Right to Seek Civil Remedies: independent of any prosecution, a survivor may sue the abuser for sexual battery under Civil Code 1708.5 and sue the institution that enabled the abuse for negligence, recovering therapy costs, lost earnings and damages for emotional harm.
- Right to Privacy and Confidentiality: Throughout the legal process, your privacy is protected, ensuring that your identity and personal details are kept confidential.
- Right to Support Services: Access to support services such as counseling and legal aid is available to help you deal with the trauma of abuse and navigate the legal system effectively.
At our law office, we are committed to championing the rights of abuse survivors with compassion and dedication. Our experienced attorneys are here to guide and support you every step of the way on your path to justice.
How Our Sexual Abuse Law Firm Can Help
If you’re dealing with the aftermath of a sexual abuse case in Huntington Beach, our dedicated team of attorneys is here to provide you with comprehensive support and advocacy. Here’s how we can assist you through this challenging time:
- Handling Medical and Counseling Costs: The expenses for medical and psychological treatment following sexual abuse can be substantial. We work to secure compensation to cover these costs, including therapy, counseling, and medical care, so you can concentrate on your healing process without the added stress of financial concerns.
- Compensating for Lost Wages: Sexual abuse can disrupt your ability to work, leading to lost income. Our team is committed to helping you recover compensation for any wages lost during your recovery period, including past and future earnings affected by your inability to work.
- Addressing Property Damage: While sexual abuse may not typically involve property damage, if there are any related losses or damages to personal belongings, we will assist in documenting and seeking compensation for those as well.
- Emotional and Psychological Support: We understand the profound emotional impact of sexual abuse. Our compassionate attorneys offer support throughout the legal process and can connect you with resources for mental health care. We also strive to secure compensation for emotional distress, pain, and suffering, acknowledging the personal toll the abuse has taken on your life.
Our goal is to advocate for your rights and ensure you receive the justice and compensation you deserve. With our experienced team by your side, you can focus on your recovery while we handle the complexities of your case.
What to Do After Abuse in Huntington Beach
Taking prompt and thoughtful steps is vital for ensuring your safety and preserving crucial evidence:
- Prioritize Your Safety: If you are in immediate danger or if the abuse is ongoing, get to a safe place and seek help from authorities or someone you trust as soon as possible.
- Seek Medical Attention: Even if you don’t have visible injuries, it’s important to see a healthcare professional quickly. They can provide necessary care, assess any hidden injuries, and collect evidence that might be important for your case.
- Preserve Evidence: Keep any clothing or items involved in the abuse without washing or altering them. Take photographs of any injuries or damage and document all details about the incident while they are still fresh in your mind.
- Report the Abuse: Consider reporting the incident to law enforcement or relevant protective services, especially if there’s a risk to others. This step is vital for initiating a formal investigation and preventing further harm.
- Consult a Lawyer: Reach out to a knowledgeable attorney from our law firm. We can offer guidance on your legal rights, and options, and help ensure that evidence is preserved and your case is handled properly.
Taking these actions will help ensure your safety, provide necessary medical care, and set the stage for seeking justice and accountability.
How Sexual Abuse Cases Are Valued in Huntington Beach
The value of a sexual abuse case depends less on the act itself than on who can be held responsible for it. Claims that reach an institution with insurance and a record of ignored warnings resolve in a different range from claims against an individual alone:
| Case Type | Typical Settlement | Severe / Class Action Cases |
|---|---|---|
| Single-Plaintiff Adult Survivor | $100,000 – $500,000 | $1,000,000 – $5,000,000+ |
| Childhood Sexual Abuse | $500,000 – $3,000,000 | $5,000,000 – $15,000,000+ |
| Institutional Abuse (church/school) | $1,000,000 – $5,000,000 | $10,000,000 – $50,000,000+ |
| Class Action / Multiple Plaintiffs | $5,000,000 – $50,000,000 | $150,000,000 – $1B+ |
The ranges in this table are general illustrations and not a prediction of what any case is worth. Every case depends on its own facts, the evidence, the law that applies, and the insurance available. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. This is not legal advice.
Deadlines For Filing a Sexual Abuse Claim
What Evidence is Needed to File a Sexual Abuse Claim?
How a Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Proceeds
What Can I Expect to Pay?
Confidentiality at Every Stage
Other Locations We Serve
Feher Law represents sexual abuse survivors throughout Orange County and Southern California. Our California sexual abuse attorneys page covers the statewide law, and these are some of the communities where we take cases:
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Speak to an Experienced Huntington Beach Sexual Abuse Lawyer Today!
If you’ve experienced sexual abuse, having a dedicated advocate is essential to navigating your path to justice. Our skilled attorneys in Huntington Beach specialize in sexual abuse cases, providing not only expert legal support but also a compassionate approach tailored to your needs.
We recognize the emotional and legal complexities you face and are here to fight for the justice and compensation you deserve.
Contact us today for a confidential case evaluation, and let us assist you through this difficult journey with care and commitment.
Notable Recent Settlements
Examples of California cases Feher Law has resolved on behalf of clients in this practice area:
- $929K – Car Accident
- $2.82M – Premises Liability – Foot Injury
- $2M – Trip & Fall – Brain & Back Injury
- $1.61M – Slip & Fall – Shoulder Injury
Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Every case is evaluated on its specific facts under California law.
Estimate your case value: Use our free California Personal Injury Settlement Calculator is built for injury claims and gives only a rough starting point for an abuse case; a Huntington Beach personal injury lawyer can give you a confidential assessment based on the facts.
Last reviewed by Thomas Feher, Esq. – November 2026
Services We Offer
When it comes to your recovery and peace of mind, it’s vital to have an expert by your side that really understands the bigger picture of personal injury law. Explore the full range of services we offer below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. A civil lawsuit is completely separate from a criminal case and has a different, lower burden of proof. You do not need a police report, a criminal investigation, or a conviction to pursue civil compensation. Many survivors choose to file a civil claim even when no criminal charges are filed or when charges were dropped.
It depends on the survivor's age and the date of the abuse. Childhood sexual assault on or after January 1, 2024 has no civil deadline at all under Code of Civil Procedure 340.1. Earlier childhood abuse can be filed until the survivor turns 40, or within five years of discovering that psychological injury in adulthood was caused by the abuse, whichever is later. Adult survivors have ten years from the last act or three years from discovering the injury under Code of Civil Procedure 340.16, and subdivision (e) of that statute revived expired claims for assaults on or after January 1, 2009 provided the case is filed by December 31, 2026. We confirm the deadline that applies to you in the first consultation.
Yes. Institutions including schools, churches, youth organizations, and employers can be held liable if they knew or should have known about abuse and failed to act, negligently hired or supervised the abuser, or created conditions that enabled the abuse. Civil claims against institutions can result in significantly larger settlements than claims against individuals alone.
Recoverable damages include past and future medical expenses, mental health counseling, lost wages, loss of earning capacity, and compensation for pain, suffering, and emotional distress. In cases involving egregious conduct or institutional cover-up, punitive damages may also be available.
In many cases, sexual abuse survivors can file lawsuits using a pseudonym such as "Jane Doe" to protect their identity. California courts have increasingly allowed this in sexual abuse cases. Feher Law takes confidentiality seriously and will discuss all available privacy protections with you during your consultation.
Seek medical and mental health support right away. Document what happened as clearly as you can, including dates, locations, and any witnesses. Preserve any physical evidence, communications, or records related to the abuse. Contact Feher Law for a confidential consultation - the sooner you speak with an attorney, the better positioned we are to protect your rights and build your case.
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