There are more than 60,000 children in the California foster care system, more than half of whom live in an approved foster home. Unfortunately, there is a shortage of oversight that can lead to children being placed in abusive homes. Hundreds of thousands of foster care abuse complaints are made each year, with a vast majority of them remaining uninvestigated.

There have been many cases where children were left in abusive homes, resulting in further abuse and even death. Gabriel Fernandez is one such sad story. Despite years of reported abuse, he was returned to his mother. Less than seven months later, Gabriel died from extreme abuse including burns and broken ribs. Another case involved Alexander, Juan, and Luis Fuentes, who were stabbed to death by their father despite being under the supervision of social workers before their death.

In a perfect world, the type of work that we do would not be necessary. Unfortunately, we live in a world in which reports of abuse have become almost daily occurrences.

We have seen the devastating effects of abuse on our foster clients. The emotional distress, shame and sleepless nights can lead to depression, drug abuse, failed relationships, problems at work and more. These effects often last well into adulthood for young victims.

Unlike a criminal case, a civil case allows you to initiate the process and puts you in control of your experience with the legal system. In criminal cases, a victim may be forced to testify against his or her will, but in a civil case, the victim has a choice about whether or not to proceed with a lawsuit.

Like a criminal case, a lawsuit can bring a sense of justice, closure, peace, or resolution to victims and their families. A criminal case is meant to punish the defendant, but a civil case is about restoring you. A civil case acknowledges your suffering and attempts to alleviate some of that through monetary compensation.

The effects of foster care abuse can be long-lasting and are sometimes expensive. You may need to regularly see a doctor or mental health professional. A civil suit can provide you with the money necessary to get you the care you need. Damages can include medical and therapy expenses, psychological damage (including damage to family relationships), and lost wages.

If the defendant thinks his or her behavior was acceptable, or is in denial, they may refuse to change their behavior. A civil case forces the abusers, and the institutions that enabled the abuse to occur, to be held accountable in court and to pay reasonable and fair money damages.

This not only helps our clients by compensating them for their financial and emotional losses, but it makes it less likely that others will be abused in the future. When institutions understand the high financial cost of allowing foster care abuse to occur, they start to get serious about preventing it.

We have handled many foster abuse cases in our 30 years in practice, and we have obtained many large recoveries for our clients. We know the experts that are needed. We often attempt to resolve cases through settlement, in order to avoid the emotional stress that a trial may impose on a sexual abuse victim. At the same time, we are always prepared to take every case to trial if necessary to obtain a fair verdict and just result. We leave no stone unturned in preparing your case.

For example, we obtained a $10,000,000 settlement for a young girl who was repeatedly raped while living with her biological mother. Although she was not in foster care at the time, social workers occasionally went to her home while the rape was ongoing, and we argued that those social workers should have known she was being raped and done something to put a stop to it.

During the legal process, we give each client personalized attention. Unlike with some larger firms, you will have a team of attorneys working on your case and walking through this difficult time with you. We are experienced California foster abuse lawyers who have won multiple lawsuits involving abuse, both in and out of the foster care system. We have the resources, expertise, and drive to win your case.