Devereux operates school-based, community-based, and residential facilities providing services to children and teens with behavioral, developmental, or intellectual challenges. The company has been the subject of multiple investigations into sexual abuse by staff members against the young residents. There are now several Devereux Pennsylvania sexual abuse lawsuits that have been filed or are in the planning stages.
If you suffered sexual abuse while a resident in a Devereux facility or a participant in one of their programs, you may be eligible to participate in the lawsuits. The attorneys at Phillips Law Group are gathering evidence against the facility and speaking with survivors who are ready to seek justice.
The Allegations Against Devereux
Devereux is a company that operates residential facilities across the country, providing juvenile detention services, behavioral health programs, and care for young people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. It also operates many school- and community-based programs for children and youth with autism.
However, there have been widespread allegations of sexual abuse at its Pennsylvania facilities. A 2020 article in the Philadelphia Inquirer alleged that more than 40 children had been subjected to abuse at Devereux facilities since 1995. The allegations included:
- Staff soliciting nude photos of children
- Staff grooming residents and demanding sexual favors from them
- Failing to protect children from sexual abuse and assault by other residents
- Ignoring residents’ complaints of abuse
There are also reports that management made concerted efforts to suppress and minimize the allegations rather than taking effective action to improve conditions for the residents.
Anyone who suffered similar abuse while a resident in a Devereux facility or participant in a day program may have grounds to file a lawsuit. The attorneys at Phillips Law Group offer skilled, sensitive, and effective representation for survivors of institutional childhood sexual abuse in Devereux, Pennsylvania. They can discuss a survivor’s situation with them and explain the legal options available.
The Complications of Legal Time Limits
The law once required survivors of childhood sexual abuse to file a lawsuit before their 30th birthday. If a survivor was over 18 when the abuse occurred, they had only two years to bring a lawsuit. However, it often takes many years for survivors to come to terms with what happened to them; therefore, a new law was enacted.
Now, under 42 Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes § 5533(b), for acts of sexual abuse occurring after November 26, 2019, a survivor who was under 18 when the abuse occurred has until their 55th birthday to file a lawsuit. Furthermore, someone who was between the ages of 18 and 24 when the abuse occurred has until their 30th birthday to file a lawsuit.
In some cases, federal law may offer a more favorable statute of limitations. The attorneys at Phillips Law Group understand these complex statute of limitations issues in Pennsylvania and can advise a childhood sexual abuse survivor whether a lawsuit against Devereux is possible in their specific case.
Potential Damages in an Institutional Sexual Abuse Case
Childhood sexual abuse may have devastating impacts on a survivor’s ability to thrive and reach their potential. Financial compensation cannot make up for these losses, but it can offer empowerment to survivors.
Survivors of sexual abuse at Devereux facilities and its programs can seek compensation for their past, current, and future medical expenses related to the abuse. This includes mental health treatment, medications, and therapy. They can also seek damages for pain and suffering, thereby receiving acknowledgment of the physical and emotional impact of the abuse on their quality of life.
Additionally, a Pennsylvania attorney from Phillips Law Group may seek punitive damages in the Devereux sexual abuse cases. Punitive damages could be awarded to punish Devereux for failing to protect the children in its care.
Contact Phillips Law Group if You Were Sexually Abused at a Devereux Pennsylvania Facility
There is ample evidence that abuse occurred at Devereux facilities for decades. Survivors are seeking to hold the institution accountable through Devereux Pennsylvania sexual abuse lawsuits.
If you suffered sexual abuse while a resident at a Devereux facility or when participating in a day program there, contact Phillips Law Group to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation. Their attorneys provide trauma-informed and effective legal advocacy for survivors of institutional sexual abuse.
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