Attorney for Victims of Bellwood-Antis Wrestling Coach Tim Andrekovich

Parents trust schools and school officials to care for their children, but this is not always how things play out. A wrestling coach was recently convicted of sexual abuse at Bellwood-Antis Middle School, but other officials may bear responsibility, too.

Bellwood-Antis wrestling coach Tim Andrekovich and others were made aware that another coach, Ryan Blazier, was under investigation for sexual misconduct with kids. A safety plan was devised so Blazier would never be left unsupervised with kids. Unfortunately, Andrekovich failed to implement this safety plan, and Blazier abused young students. Although Andrekovich and others at the school might not have been directly involved with the abuse, they had a duty to intervene yet did nothing. Our team can help you file a civil claim for fair compensation. Keep in mind that civil claims must be filed by specific deadlines. These deadlines may vary from state to state. Damages may be significant. Juries often understand how heinous living with the effects of sexual abuse can be, and they may be willing to award substantial compensation.

Call our sexual abuse lawyers at The Law Office of Andrew Shubin at (814) 826-3586 for a free case evaluation to begin.

How Bellwood-Antis Wrestling Coach Tim Andrekovich Failed to Protect Students From Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse of any kind is a terrible thing, but there is something incredibly heinous about sexual abuse perpetrated against children by adults entrusted with their care. That is exactly what happened at Bellwood-Antis Middle School. The perpetrator of the abuse, wrestling coach Ryan Blazier, was recently convicted and sentenced to decades in prison. However, he is not the only one responsible for the abuse.

Another former wrestling coach, Tim Andrekovich, knew that Blazier was under investigation for sexual misconduct involving children. Andrekovich was put in charge of a safety plan to keep Blazier from being alone with any children at the school. However, Andrekovich did not enforce the plan despite knowing that Blazier was a suspected sexual predator. As a result, Blazier was able to get close to and sexually abuse students.

While Blazier has been rightfully convicted, he is not the only one who should be held responsible. Coach Andrekovich knew that young students were at risk of being abused by a suspected predator and chose not to do anything about it. In fact, on January 11, 2024, Andrekovich and former Bellwood-Antis athletic director Charles Burch were criminally charged for failing to protect students.

Criminal charges might not be enough to give victims and their families the sense of closure and justice they need. Our sexual abuse lawyers can help you file a civil claim against Andrekovich and others involved in the abuse at the school.

Getting Justice for Sexual Abuse Victims Who Were Not Protected by Tim Andrekovich

There is more than one way for injured victims to get justice through the legal system. While criminal charges might be pending against the person who caused your injuries, you can also file a civil case. Civil lawsuits exist entirely apart from criminal cases. Even if Andrekovich or others involved in the Bellwood-Antis sexual abuse claims are not criminally charged or found not guilty of their charges, they may still be held civilly liable.

Our team can help you file a civil lawsuit against the people responsible for the sexual abuse, including former wrestling coach Tim Andrekovich. Andrekovich may be held liable because, in his position as a wrestling coach, he owed a duty to keep the young kids in his care safe from harm. He failed to prevent children from being alone with a suspected predator, and children were hurt.

You can begin a case by speaking with an attorney about your situation as soon as possible. One of the biggest concerns in civil sexual abuse cases is evidence. The longer you wait to take legal action, the more likely it is that important evidence will be covered or lost. For example, witnesses who knew about the abuse might move away, or their memory of the events might become less clear.

The Deadline to File Your Civil Sexual Abuse Case Against Tim Andrekovich and Bellwood-Antis

The statute of limitations is another extremely important factor to consider in any civil lawsuit. This statute sets a strict deadline by which plaintiffs must file their civil lawsuits. Statutes of limitations may vary based on the type of claim and the state where the claim is filed. You must file your case by the relevant deadline to avoid losing your right to file the case at all.

Statutes of limitations for civil claims involving sexual abuse tend to be complicated. The deadline might vary depending on whether the plaintiff was an adult or a child at the time of the abuse. For example, in Pennsylvania, the state where Bellwood-Antis Middle School is located, the statute of limitations for sexual abuse where the victim was a minor is found under 42 Pa.C.S. § 5533(b)(2)(i). Under this rule, a potential plaintiff has until age 55 to file a civil lawsuit for the abuse.

The rule for an adult victim is different. If the victim was at least 18 but no older than 24 when the sexual abuse happened, they have until age 30 to file a civil lawsuit for damages.

Some states have statutes of limitations that are much stricter, giving abuse victims only a few years to get their claims into court. Other states have completely abolished the statute of limitation for sexual abuse claims, and victims may bring a case at any time, no matter how much time has passed.

Available Damages in Civil Claims for Sexual Abuse

Our legal team will help you file a civil claim so you get fair compensation for all your damages. Your damages may be based on economic losses and costs you incurred because of the abuse. They should also account for your pain, suffering, and trauma from the abuse.

After being sexually abused, victims are often badly physically injured and in need of medical care. This might amount to very high medical bills depending on the extent of the injuries.

The focus of many sexual abuse civil claims is non-economic damages. These damages are often based on personal experiences and physical pain rather than specific amounts of money. Abuse victims often live with psychological distress and emotional turmoil from their experiences for years, if not decades. Such suffering deserves substantial compensation.

Call Our Sexual Abuse Attorneys to Discuss Your Claims Immediately

Call our sexual abuse lawyers at The Law Office of Andrew Shubin at (814) 826-3586 for a free case evaluation to begin.