When a coach sexually abuses a young athlete, the violation extends far beyond the physical act. Coaches occupy positions of trust and authority that predators exploit to manipulate vulnerable children. Young athletes depend on coaches for guidance, training, and mentorship. This trust relationship makes children susceptible to grooming, manipulation, and abuse.
At Dordick Law Corporation, we understand the profound trauma that coach sexual abuse inflicts on survivors and their families. We represent victims throughout Southern California who experienced sexual abuse by coaches in youth sports programs, high school athletics, college sports, and professional training environments. We hold coaches accountable and pursue justice against the organizations that failed to protect young athletes.
If you or a loved one experienced sexual abuse by a coach, you have legal options. Our Southern California sexual abuse attorneys investigate thoroughly. We identify all liable parties and pursue the compensation you deserve. We work on a contingency fee basis—you pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you.
Understanding Coach Sexual Abuse in Youth Sports
Sexual abuse by coaches takes many forms. These range from direct physical contact to non-contact exploitation. Understanding what constitutes abuse is essential for recognizing when a child has been victimized.
Contact abuse involves direct physical touching of a child’s genitals, breasts, or buttocks. It includes forcing a child to touch an adult’s genitals. This includes sexual assault, rape, and molestation. Non-contact abuse includes exposing genitals to a child. It also includes showing pornographic material, voyeurism, or online exploitation through explicit messages or images.
The coach-athlete relationship creates unique vulnerabilities. Coaches hold authority over playing time, team selection, training opportunities, and athletic advancement. Young athletes fear losing these opportunities if they report abuse. They worry about retaliation, being cut from teams, or losing scholarships. This power dynamic silences victims and enables perpetrators to continue abusing multiple children.
Research, including studies from the NSPCC and international sports bodies, indicates that youth athletes experience sexual abuse at rates ranging from 3% to 14%. Coaches occupy positions of trust that predators exploit, often using ‘grooming’ behaviors that can be difficult for parents to detect initially. When that trust is violated, survivors experience profound betrayal alongside physical and emotional trauma. If you suspect abuse, contact the National Child Traumatic Stress Network for resources and guidance.
How Sexual Abuse Occurs in Sports Settings
Coach sexual abuse typically develops through a process called grooming. Predatory coaches identify vulnerable children—those seeking attention, approval, or athletic advancement. They build relationships through special attention, compliments, and gifts. They create opportunities for isolation, such as one-on-one training sessions, private coaching arrangements, or travel situations.
Common scenarios include abuse during one-on-one training sessions when no witnesses are present. Locker room access provides opportunities for inappropriate touching or exposure. Travel situations—team trips, tournaments, overnight stays—create isolation from parents and other protective adults. Private coaching arrangements outside official team settings remove oversight and supervision. These environments enable institutional negligence and organizational failures.
Institutional failures enable this abuse. Many sports organizations fail to conduct thorough background checks on coaches. They don’t verify credentials or investigate complaints. Supervision is inadequate, with coaches left alone with children without accountability. Policies protecting children are absent or poorly enforced. When warning signs emerge—complaints from parents, concerning behavior, inappropriate comments—organizations fail to investigate or take action. This negligence creates liability for schools, youth organizations, and athletic facilities.
Who Can Be Held Liable for Coach Sexual Abuse
One critical advantage of civil claims is the ability to hold multiple parties accountable. You don’t pursue justice against only the coach. Instead, you identify and sue all parties whose negligence enabled the abuse.
The coach or perpetrator bears direct liability for the abuse. However, the coach’s personal assets may be limited. This is why pursuing organizational liability is crucial. Organizations can be held liable through multiple legal theories, including negligent hiring, negligent supervision, and negligent retention.
Sports organizations, leagues, and governing bodies can be held liable through negligent hiring claims. Organizations have a duty to conduct background checks, verify coaching credentials, and investigate applicants’ histories. When they fail to do so and hire a coach with a history of abuse or concerning behavior, they bear liability for negligent hiring. This principle applies to youth sports organizations, travel teams, and private coaching services.
Negligent supervision claims hold organizations accountable for failing to supervise coaches adequately. Organizations must implement policies requiring multiple adults present during training. They must prohibit one-on-one sessions and establish clear boundaries. When organizations fail to supervise and abuse occurs, they bear liability. Additionally, negligent retention claims apply when organizations become aware of concerning behavior but fail to investigate or remove the coach.
If an organization receives complaints, warning signs, or evidence of inappropriate conduct and does nothing, they bear liability for negligent retention. Schools, athletic facilities, and venues can be held liable for premises liability when they fail to implement safeguards on their property. Youth sports organizations, travel teams, and private coaching services bear liability for institutional negligence.
Institutional Negligence and Organizational Accountability
Organizations often prioritize reputation and financial interests over child safety. They cover up abuse, discourage reporting, and protect perpetrators. This institutional negligence compounds the harm to survivors. Holding organizations accountable through civil litigation creates incentives for systemic change—better background checks, improved supervision, clearer policies, and genuine commitment to child safety.
The American Bar Association recognizes that institutional accountability is essential for protecting vulnerable populations. Civil litigation serves as a powerful tool for creating organizational change and deterring future abuse.
Your Legal Rights and Compensation Options
Civil claims provide a path to financial compensation separate from criminal prosecution. Criminal cases are brought by the state and focus on punishing the perpetrator. Civil lawsuits are filed by survivors or their families to recover financial compensation for damages.
A critical distinction exists: civil cases use a lower burden of proof (“preponderance of the evidence”) compared to criminal cases (“beyond a reasonable doubt”). This means you can pursue a civil claim even if criminal charges were never filed or if a criminal case resulted in acquittal.
California’s statute of limitations governs your deadline to file. Under California Code of Civil Procedure § 340.1, survivors generally have 10 years from discovering the psychological injury caused by abuse to file a civil claim, or until age 28, whichever is later. Claims against organizations and institutions must be filed by age 40 unless the entity knew of risks or failed to implement safeguards. Assembly Bill 218 permanently extended the filing deadline to age 40. While a special ‘look-back window’ for older expired claims closed in 2022, the permanent age 40 rule applies retroactively to many cases. Additionally, AB 2777 currently provides a temporary window (open until Dec 31, 2026) for adult survivors of sexual assault to file claims for abuse that occurred on or after Jan 1, 2009, even if the original deadline expired.
Compensation in coach sexual abuse cases includes multiple categories of damages. Medical and psychological treatment covers past and future therapy, counseling, and psychiatric care addressing trauma and PTSD. Pain and suffering damages recognize the physical pain during abuse and emotional suffering that follows. Lost wages and earning capacity compensate for work time lost during recovery and reduced earning potential if abuse impacts your career. Loss of consortium damages compensate family members for loss of companionship and support. Punitive damages punish organizations for egregious conduct and deter similar violations.
Our attorneys work with medical professionals and economists to calculate the full scope of damages. We pursue maximum compensation reflecting the true impact of abuse on your life. Review our case results to see the range of settlements and verdicts we’ve secured for survivors. Our Southern California sexual abuse lawyers have recovered millions for abuse survivors.
Why Choose Dordick Law Corporation
Dordick Law Corporation brings 35 years of experience representing sexual abuse survivors. We understand the sensitive nature of these cases. We approach each matter with compassion, confidentiality, and unwavering commitment to justice. Our team includes award-winning attorneys recognized for their dedication to victim advocacy.
We conduct thorough investigations into coach abuse cases. We obtain police reports, interview witnesses, review organizational policies, and identify all liable parties. We retain expert witnesses—psychologists, sports safety professionals, and organizational consultants—to strengthen your case. Our attorneys have successfully prosecuted institutional sexual abuse cases against schools, youth organizations, and sports facilities.
We work on a contingency fee basis. You pay no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you. This arrangement ensures that financial constraints do not prevent survivors from accessing quality legal representation. Our lead attorney, Gary A. Dordick, has spent decades fighting for victims of abuse and negligence. Mr. Dordick is recognized as a Super Lawyer and has recovered over $1 billion in verdicts and settlements for his clients.
We handle all aspects of your case—from initial investigation through settlement negotiation or trial. We allow you to focus on healing and recovery while we pursue justice. Your family’s wellbeing and justice remain our priorities throughout the legal process. Our team includes experienced sexual abuse attorneys who specialize in holding institutions accountable.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do if I suspect a coach is abusing a child?
If you suspect a coach is abusing a child, report it immediately to law enforcement and child protective services. Contact your local police department or sheriff’s office. Call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at (310) 551-0949 for guidance. Report the concern to the sports organization, school, or facility where the abuse is occurring. Document any concerning behavior, comments, or incidents. Preserve evidence such as emails, text messages, or photos. Contact an attorney to discuss your legal options and protect the child’s rights. Do not delay—immediate reporting can prevent further abuse and preserve evidence. The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) also provides confidential support and resources.
How long do I have to file a claim for coach sexual abuse?
Under California Code of Civil Procedure § 340.1, survivors of childhood sexual abuse generally have until their 40th birthday to file a civil claim, or within 5 years of discovering the psychological injury caused by the abuse—whichever is later. (This is a significant expansion from the old ‘age 28’ limit). For sexual abuse occurring in adulthood (such as in college or professional sports), the deadline is generally 10 years from the assault or 3 years from discovery.
Can I sue the sports organization even if the coach is the direct abuser?
Yes. You can pursue claims against the coach, the sports organization, the school or facility where abuse occurred, and any other party whose negligence enabled the abuse. Organizations bear liability through negligent hiring, supervision, and retention claims. You may also pursue claims against organizations that covered up abuse or retaliated against reporters. Our attorneys identify all liable parties and pursue claims against each to maximize your recovery. We have successfully recovered compensation in cases involving institutional sexual abuse at schools, youth organizations, and sports facilities.
What evidence do I need to prove coach sexual abuse?
Evidence in coach sexual abuse cases includes medical records documenting injuries or treatment. It includes testimony from the survivor describing the abuse. Witness statements from other athletes or staff members who observed concerning behavior help establish the case. Communications between the coach and victim (emails, text messages, social media) provide documentation. Organizational records showing failure to investigate complaints or implement safeguards demonstrate negligence. Expert testimony from psychologists regarding trauma and grooming behaviors strengthens your case. Documentation of damages such as medical bills and therapy records supports compensation claims. We gather and organize this evidence throughout the litigation process. Our team works with trauma specialists to build compelling cases.
Will my case be kept confidential?
Yes. We maintain strict confidentiality throughout your case. We understand the sensitive nature of sexual abuse claims and the importance of privacy. We discuss confidentiality options with you, including the possibility of using pseudonyms in court filings and pursuing sealed settlements. Your privacy and dignity remain priorities throughout the legal process.
How much compensation can I recover in a coach sexual abuse case?
Compensation varies depending on the severity of abuse, the impact on your life, the strength of evidence, and the defendants’ financial resources. Cases may result in settlements ranging from tens of thousands to millions of dollars. Our case results demonstrate the range of compensation we recover for survivors. We pursue maximum compensation reflecting the true impact of abuse on your life. During your free consultation, we discuss realistic compensation ranges based on your specific circumstances. Our Southern California sexual abuse attorneys have recovered millions for abuse survivors.
Contact Dordick Law Corporation Today
If you or a loved one experienced sexual abuse by a coach, contact Dordick Law Corporation for a free, confidential consultation. Our Southern California sexual abuse attorneys are ready to discuss your case, answer your questions, and explain your legal options.
We represent survivors on a contingency fee basis—you pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you. This arrangement ensures that financial constraints do not prevent survivors from accessing justice.
Call us today at (310) 551-0949 or complete our online contact form to schedule your free consultation. Our attorneys are here to help you pursue justice and the compensation your family deserves.
Related Posts
- Understanding Institutional Sexual Abuse Claims
- Sexual Abuse in Youth Organizations: Your Legal Rights
- Workplace Sexual Harassment and Abuse
- Healthcare Provider Sexual Abuse: Holding Institutions Accountable
- Riverside Sexual Abuse Attorney
