New Jersey Attorney for Sexual Abuse Victims at School

If you have endured sexual abuse from a teacher in New Jersey, and your school allowed that abuse to happen, our New Jersey attorneys can help you get the justice you deserve.

In New Jersey, students sexually abused at school are well within their rights to file a lawsuit against the teacher responsible. While it can be more difficult to hold a school itself accountable for the sexual abuse you experienced while in its care in New Jersey, it is possible. In recent years, New Jersey’s statute of limitations was extended to allow child victims over three decades to file a lawsuit against the responsible parties. Despite that, it is still important to hire a compassionate New Jersey attorney for sexual abuse victims at school as soon as you are ready so that you can get the justice you deserve.

The Law Office of Andrew Shubin cares about holding schools and teachers accountable for sexual abuse. For a free case evaluation with the compassionate New Jersey attorneys for sexual abuse victims at school at The Law Office of Andrew Shubin, call us today at (814) 826-3586.

Suing a New Jersey School Teacher for Sexual Abuse

To many students, teachers are the very symbol of trust and compassion. When a teacher takes advantage of that trust and sexually abuses a student, they must be held responsible. In New Jersey, victims of sexual abuse at school can achieve justice by suing the teacher responsible.

Children often admire and revere their teachers, placing complete trust in them to do what is right. When teachers or school staff members sexually abuse students, it becomes even more difficult for victims to speak up. Children generally trust authority figures, which is why it is so hard for abuse victims to come forward to their parents or schools about sexual abuse.

If a teacher sexually abused you or your child while at school, you have every right to file a lawsuit against them. In New Jersey, parents of abused students can sue on the child’s behalf, or the student victim can sue in their own right once they turn 18. A New Jersey attorney for sexual abuse victims at school can help you hold individual abusers accountable for their actions and protect future students from their horrible behavior.

Suing a New Jersey School for Sexual Abuse

When sexual abuse happens at school, it is possible that more than one person is to blame. In some cases, schools themselves can be held responsible for the abuse done to students, especially if an academic institution was aware of reports or a school staff member’s behavior. If a school’s failure to report abuse allegations to the proper authorities resulted in continuing abuse, it could also be found liable in a lawsuit.

According to N.J.S.A. § 2A:61B-1(1)(a)(1), sexual abuse is defined as when people or institutions are also enable the sexual abuse of a child under certain circumstances. For example, schools can be sued for sexual abuse if they stand in loco parentis of a child and allow abuse to continue. Loco parentis is a legal term, which generally means a person or institution that stands in place of a parent. This can be attributed to schools in New Jersey, which are meant to offer care and protection to students.

That being said, if a lawsuit against a school for sexual abuse goes to trial, it is not guaranteed that a court or jury will side with the plaintiff. In some New Jersey lawsuits of a similar nature, courts have found that a school did not stand in loco parentis and thus was not responsible for a child’s sexual abuse.

Although sexual abuse has a specific definition under New Jersey law, parents or victims may be able to bring other actions against a school for their involvement in a sexual assault even if it does not fit the legal definition for sexual abuse explicitly. For example, if a school acted negligently in hiring an abuser or ignored abuse, it could be held responsible in a lawsuit.

Statute of Limitations for New Jersey School Sexual Abuse Lawsuits

Recently, New Jersey extended the statute of limitations for students to sue a school or teacher for sexual abuse. While the current statute of limitations may seem very long, it is still important to speak with a New Jersey attorney for sexual abuse victims at school as soon as survivors feel capable.

According to N.J.S.A. § 2A:14-2a, students who were sexually abused as minors while at school now have 37 years to file a lawsuit against an academic institution or individual abuser. The statute of limitations is tolled until a child victim reaches majority age, meaning a survivor can file a lawsuit until their 55th birthday. Also, according to the statute, child victims have seven years from the time of reasonable discovery to file a lawsuit. If the trauma associated with childhood sexual abuse at school prevented you from recognizing abuse until much later in life, you might still be able to sue past your 55th birthday. If you believe this portion of the statute applies to your experience, speak with a New Jersey attorney for sexual abuse victims at school for clarification.

In addition to the extended statute of limitations, New Jersey opened a temporary lookback window several years ago. While this window has since closed, it allowed victims of childhood sexual abuse at school under the previous statute of limitations to file a lawsuit against an abuser, regardless of their age.

Hiring an Attorney for a School Sexual Abuse Lawsuit in New Jersey

When hiring a New Jersey attorney for sexual abuse victims at school yourself or on behalf of your child, it is important to find a legal team you can trust. The Law Office of Andrew Shubin is dedicated to supporting victims and their parents through this difficult time and holding sexual abusers accountable.

It can be overwhelming for parents or survivors to speak with a lawyer about sexual abuse endured at school. Because of that, our attorneys approach each case with compassion and empathy. When publicly naming a teacher or school for sexual abuse, victims and their families require support from an experienced attorney so they feel confident in achieving justice.

We understand how difficult it can be to discuss sexual abuse and hold abusers responsible, so our New Jersey attorneys for sexual abuse victims at school prioritize creating a safe environment for victims and their families to proceed with litigation.

Call Our New Jersey Attorneys for Sexual Abuse at School Today

No child should have to endure sexual abuse at school or stay silent should such an awful experience occur. For a free case evaluation with the compassionate New Jersey attorneys for sexual abuse victims at school at The Law Office of Andrew Shubin, call us today at (814) 826-3586.