Foster homes are supposed to be safe havens. Tragically, far too many children suffer foster care abuse, including sexual abuse, physical violence, chronic neglect, and relentless emotional cruelty while wards of the state.
Long after the bruises fade, survivors often struggle with post-traumatic stress, depression, substance abuse, and chronic health issues. Conversion disorder, and Groups A, B, and C personality disorders have also been shown to follow survivors of foster home abuse for decades, and sometimes for life.
While the abuses perpetrated on children can lead to a host of serious and chronic conditions that last well into adulthood, for years, adults who suffered foster care abuse as children faced serious obstacles when taking legal action against their abusers. Now, in Washington State, the statute of limitations for victims of childhood sexual abuse has been eliminated, allowing survivors to bring a civil suit against their aggressors no matter how long ago the abuse took place.
Of course, money can’t erase the pain of foster care abuse, but a civil lawsuit can:
- Expose predators and negligent institutions.
- Secure funds for therapy, medical bills, and lost opportunities.
- Give survivors the power to say, “What happened to me was wrong, and it was not my fault.”
Even if it is past your 21st birthday, you may still have the option of seeking damages through legal action. The Washington foster care abuse lawyers at Fuller & Fuller are here to listen to your story, help you understand your options, and guide you towards the solution you deserve.
Schedule a Free and Confidential Consultation Today
To schedule your FREE and confidential consultation with one of our Washington foster care abuse lawyers, call Fuller & Fuller at 800-570-4878 today. We maintain offices in Tacoma and Olympia. We protect and fight for survivors of foster care abuse throughout Washington.
Washington’s Statute of Limitations for Civil Claims
For most personal injury cases (car crashes, slip-and-falls, non-sexual assaults, etc.), the statute of limitations in Washington is three years from the date of the incident. However, because children cannot bring a civil suit while they are still minors, Washington tolls (pauses) this statute until the age of 18 for victims of foster care abuse. This means that a child who is physically abused while a ward of the state can seek compensatory damages up until their 21st birthday.
Under most circumstances, non-sexual foster care abuse, such as beatings, excessive restraint, starvation, and emotional cruelty, falls under the standard three-year statute of limitations, which kicks in on the victim’s 18th birthday. If action is not taken by the 21st birthday, survivors may no longer have the option of seeking damages through legal action.
Exceptions to Washington’s Statute of Limitations for Victims of Childhood Sexual Abuse
Survivors of childhood sexual abuse often need years, sometimes even decades, to process the trauma and feel safe enough to speak out. In 2024, the Legislature passed HB 1618, rewriting R.C.W. 4.16.340 and eliminating the time limit for civil cases involving:
- Childhood sexual abuse (acts occurring on or after June 6, 2024).
- Non-sexual physical abuse that happened concurrently with sexual abuse by the same perpetrator.
- Sexual abuse that continues into adulthood if it was part of a pattern that began in childhood.
HB 1618 removes the time limits for civil proceedings regarding abuse that took place on or after June 6, 2024. Older sexual abuse claims are still viable if filed within three years of discovering the link between abuse and your injuries. Essentially, this can keep the courthouse doors open for many adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse, even if it occurred decades ago.
Unfortunately, purely physical or emotional abuse without a sexual component remains subject to the standard three-year window after turning 18. However, the discovery rule comes into play here as well.
As with survivors of sexual abuse that occurred before June of 2024, the statute of limitations only begins once the damage from the abuse is understood. Guilt, fear, anxiety, and humiliation can all conspire to silence victims for years. If the full effects of your abuse are only diagnosed later in life, you may still be entitled to file suit and seek compensation for the damages you have faced.
Fuller & Fuller Is Here to Help on Your Path to Healing
Fuller & Fuller has been standing up for injured Washingtonians for more than 50 years. A family-operated law firm, Fuller & Fuller has and will only ever represent survivors, never their abusers. We believe survivors of abuse who have the courage to speak up deserve tireless advocacy, and that’s exactly what we deliver.
When you come to us:
- We will listen. We provide a safe and supportive space for you to share your experiences. You control how much you share and at what pace.
- We will investigate discreetly. We respect and protect the privacy and anonymity of survivors of childhood sexual abuse. Our team will gather records, interview witnesses, and work with trauma-informed experts to build a compelling case without re-victimizing you.
- We will not back down to powerful interests. Whether the defendant is an abusive foster parent, a private agency, or the Washington Department of Children, Youth, and Families, we will fight for full accountability and maximum compensation.
- We will work on a contingency basis. We advance all costs and charge no fee until after we have secured a settlement or verdict.
Survivors of foster care neglect and abuse should not be forced to deal with the consequences of their experience without support. Adults who were victimized sexually, physically, or emotionally during childhood deserve compensation for the myriad ways they have suffered. At Fuller & Fuller, our Washington foster care abuse lawyers are here to help make sure that happens.
Contact a Washington Foster Care Abuse Lawyer for FREE
To schedule your FREE and private consultation with one of our Washington foster care abuse lawyers, fill out our confidential contact form or call our Tacoma or Olympia office today. We are here to help you reclaim your voice, your power, and the direction of your future.
