Abused at Camp or by a
Scout Leader
Injury Law Made Personal®
Camp is supposed to be the best week of the summer: the campfire, the cabins, the lake. Parents hand their children to leaders and counselors and trust that every adult there has been checked and is being watched. When one of them abuses a child, Illinois asks who hired him, who supervised him and who looked away. Ankin Law has fought for injured Chicagoans for over 35 years.
Call 312.600.0000 Free Case ReviewWhy What Happens at Camp Is Never a Child’s Fault
A Week Away From Home
Cabins by the lake and a fire at dusk, far from parents. The people who run a camp decide which adults are allowed near the children and how closely they are watched.
Trust Around the Fire
Children follow the adults in charge. Leaders and counselors hold that trust because the camp handed it to them, which is why the camp is responsible for who they are.
An Adult Steps In
A leader with children, out of sight of other staff. Rules against adults being alone with a child exist for this moment. Whether the camp had them, and enforced them, decides a great deal.
Is a Free Consultation Really Free?
Howard Ankin answers your questions directly.
What Illinois Law Says About Abuse at Camp
Every youth camp in Illinois must be licensed by the Illinois Department of Public Health before it opens, and the state can inspect it
Illinois requires many adults who work with children to report suspected abuse to the state, and a camp that hears a warning and does nothing has a great deal to answer for
for most lawsuits over the sexual abuse of a child in Illinois today. For other injuries, the usual deadlines are short, and claims against a public body have their own notice rules
Who Answers — and What Your Child Can Recover
The Camp
The camp answers for screening, training and supervising its staff and for acting on any complaint. Its applications, rosters and incident reports are the first things Ankin Law asks for.
The Organization Above It
Many camps and troops answer to a regional or national organization that sets rules on background checks and on adults being alone with children. Illinois asks whether those rules were followed.
What Your Child Can Recover
Counseling and medical care, now and as your child grows up, and what the harm actually costs — pain and suffering, emotional distress and loss of a normal life. Your child’s privacy comes first.
Why Ankin Law Is the Right Call After Abuse at Camp
The Records Tell the Story
Staff files, background checks, cabin assignments and earlier complaints show who knew what and when. The sooner they are asked for, the more of them still exist.
It Is Never Too Late to Tell
Children often do not tell for years. Waiting does not make it any less true, and in Illinois today it no longer closes the door on most child abuse claims.
No Fee Unless You Win
You pay nothing to start and nothing unless Ankin Law recovers for you. The consultation is free and confidential, and there is no obligation to hire anyone. Howard Ankin has been doing this for over 40 years.
Get Your Free Case Review
Was your child abused by a scout leader, a counselor or anyone else at camp? Contact us today for a free, confidential consultation with no obligation.
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