Summit Academy is a private facility for youth aged 13 to 19 who are either at-risk or have been adjudicated through the juvenile justice system. While their stated mission is to provide a safe home to rehabilitate these young people, there are extensive reports of sexual abuse throughout the history of the school.
In response to these traumatic crimes, numerous former residents and survivors have filed Summit Academy sexual abuse lawsuits against the facility and former employees. They argue that the culture of abuse and refusal to address the issues made problems worse over time. If you or a loved one experienced abuse at Summit Academy, the attorneys at Phillips Law Group are ready to help you seek justice.
Over the years, numerous lawsuits have highlighted allegations of sexual abuse at Summit Academy. As early as 2013, a consulting physician who worked at the facility in the 2000s admitted to sexually abusing students while working there.
In 2023, former residents of Summit Academy filed a class action lawsuit based on allegations of sexual and physical abuse. The pleadings highlighted the extent of the abuse and how the facility strictly limited survivors’ interactions with outside people, which made it difficult to report the abuse to someone not directly involved in it. The pleadings also allege that any effort to report the abuse was ignored and often led to retaliation, which led to additional trauma from the experience.
In 2024, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that the administration was aware of the culture of abuse but opted to ignore it. In each case involving Summit Academy, the allegations were reported to authorities but never acted upon.
The attorneys of Phillips Law Group understand what goes into a successful sexual abuse case against an institution such as Summit Academy and have a proud history of holding abusers accountable. When a lawsuit is successful, it can result in financial compensation for a variety of losses, including medical bills, therapy costs, emotional distress, pain and suffering, and other losses related to the abuse.
A deadline—known as the statute of limitations—applies to anyone seeking compensation for an injury claim. While these deadlines apply in cases involving child sexual abuse, it is important to understand that they operate very differently compared to most negligence claims if the abuse occurred in recent years.
Since 2019, survivors have been granted an extended period of time to seek justice, which is much longer than the statute of limitations for almost all other types of civil claims. For abuse that occurred after January 1, 2019, survivors who were children at the time have until age 55 to file a lawsuit. Even adults aged between 18 and 24 can file a case until their 30th birthday.
The statute expires much faster for older claims. However, it is never a good idea to assume a claim is impossible. An attorney can answer questions about the specifics of the legal deadline for lawsuits regarding Summit Academy sexual abuse.
If you are considering legal action, it is vital that you act quickly. You have limited time to pursue a claim, and any delay will work against you. Let Phillips Law Group serve as your advocate. Reach out right away to discuss Summit Academy sexual abuse lawsuits today.
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