Newport Beach Sexual Abuse Lawyers
Sexual abuse is a devastating injury that happens to boys and girls, men and women, and some of our most vulnerable populations, including the elderly or people with developmental disabilities. Sexual abuse occurs at home; in the workplace; at school, including colleges and universities; and everywhere from daycare centers to nursing homes. If you or a loved one were sexually abused in Los Angeles or Orange County, the attorneys at The Garza Firm are here to help. Our firm is committed to obtaining justice for victims of sexual abuse, holding abusers and those who enabled them accountable, and making sure they pay for what they did and the harm they caused. Our attorney Sharyl Garza has been instrumental in obtaining significant results for sexual abuse victims in some of California’s and the nation’s most high-profile, largest and insidious cases. We are sensitive to the need for privacy and keeping victims from being forced to relive the trauma they suffered just to bring a case in court, while also aiming to achieve a full measure of justice and compensation in every case. No matter how large, powerful, or well-funded the opponent is, our team has the skills and dedication it takes to level the playing field and give you the advantage in litigation. Contact our experienced Newport Beach sexual abuse lawyers today.
Nonconsensual Sexual Activity Is Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse is defined as performing any unwelcome or nonconsensual sexual acts on another person. Any sexual act with a minor, with certain limited exceptions, constitutes sexual abuse, as children are considered to be too young to give consent. Adults can be victims of sexual abuse whenever their consent to a sexual act was not freely given, including if they are overly intoxicated or incapacitated by drugs or alcohol, or if their limited physical or mental abilities keep them from consenting to sexual acts, refusing them or resisting them.
The Garza Firm accepts cases of sexual abuse perpetrated on minors, adults, and elders by school teachers, coaches, administrators and staff; leaders and officials of youth organizations such as the Boy Scouts of America; members of the clergy, Sunday school teachers and youth group directors; co-workers, supervisors, managers, and customers in the workplace; or family members, romantic partners and friends/acquaintances; among others.
Abusive conduct does not have to amount to sexual assault such as rape or attempted rape to count as sexual abuse. Sexual abuse takes the form of many different kinds of unwelcome or nonconsensual sexual acts performed on another. Sexual abuse can include, for instance:
- Groping
- Molestation
- Viewing or taking pictures of another in a state of undress without their knowledge or consent
- Forcing a victim to watch sexual acts or pornography
- Exposing oneself to an unwitting or nonconsenting individual
- Forcing another to view or touch one’s genitals
Actions such as these can be traumatizing and emotionally devastating, even if no physical force or harm is imposed. A sexual abuse attorney can help you establish the facts proving abuse occurred, demonstrate the damage it has caused, and fight to hold all appropriate parties accountable through legal actions, including formal complaints, settlements, and courtroom litigation.
The Experience and Dedication You Need to Counter Sexual Abuse
In her legal career, attorney Sharyl Garza has been instrumental in obtaining record-level recoveries for sexual abuse victims against large, powerful, and well-funded defendants, including the University of Southern California and the University of California. Ms. Garza served as the lawyer for one of the lead plaintiffs in a sexual abuse lawsuit against student health center gynecologist George Tyndall and the University of Southern California. That lawsuit ended with an $852 million global settlement for Dr. Tyndall’s victims, and attorney Garza was recognized as 2021 Attorney of the Year by the Consumer Attorneys of California for her work on the case. In another case, The Garza Firm served as co-counsel representing sexual assault victims of gynecological oncologist James Heaps at UCLA. That case was resolved with a $243.6 million settlement for over 150 victims of Dr. Heaps. Just these two cases alone represent over a billion dollars for sexual abuse victims in California recovered by Sharyl Garza and The Garza Firm, and the firm continues to accept new cases in this vital area of the law.
Contact The Garza Firm Today
If you or a member of your family has suffered sexual abuse, The Garza Firm is ready to listen to your story, evaluate your case, hold the perpetrators accountable, and make sure you get the care and compensation you need and deserve to deal with the trauma and pain inflicted on you. Contact our experienced Newport Beach sexual abuse lawyers today.
