Juvenile Detention Abuse Lawsuit in New York

Yes. New York's Child Victims Act (CPLR 214-g) allows survivors of childhood sexual abuse to file civil claims until age 55 — or within 2.5 years of discovering a connection between the abuse and a psychological or physical injury. You may still have time to act.

Absolutely. Civil liability is entirely independent of criminal prosecution. Banville Law pursues claims based on the facility's own failures — negligent hiring, negligent supervision, and negligent retention of abusive staff — not on a criminal conviction.

Yes. Attorney-client privilege protects every communication from the moment you reach out. Nothing you share is disclosed without your consent. If you need immediate support, RAINN's National Sexual Assault Hotline is free and confidential at 800-656-4673, available 24/7.

That is completely understandable — coming forward takes real courage, and there is no obligation to share more than you are comfortable with at any stage. You decide next steps, at your own pace.

Your claim is against whoever ran the facility where you were held — a state-operated OCFS youth facility, a county-run juvenile detention center, or a private program the state placed you in. Because the lawsuit targets the institution responsible for your care, your eligibility does not depend on that facility still being open today.

Yes. The claim is against the facility for failing to protect you, not against one named individual, so you can be eligible even if you only remember a first name, a nickname, or a physical description. Detention records and staffing logs pulled during the case often help pin down who was assigned to your unit.

Yes. Your own juvenile record has no bearing on your right to hold a facility accountable for abuse you suffered in its custody. Being placed there — for any reason — never stripped you of the right to be safe while you were held.