Lakewood Public Schools Sexual Abuse Lawsuit

Compensation for Victims Sexually Assaulted at Lakewood High School

Lakewood Public Schools sexual abuse leads to long-lasting trauma, including post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. Our Michigan sexual abuse attorneys will fight to hold abusers accountable for sexually assaulting students and other staff. 

We take a trauma-informed yet aggressive approach to legal advocacy, standing up for victims and ensuring they receive fair financial compensation. Contact us today for a free consultation about your rights after unwanted sexual contact. 

Lakewood High School Sexual Assault Claims

Educator sexual assault is devastatingly common. A master’s thesis at John Jay College of Criminal Justice found that 25% of educator misconduct reports were related to sexual abuse, and that 9.6% of children in grades eight through 11 reported educator sexual misconduct. 

However, not all sexual contact occurs between teachers and pupils. Support staff, like campus security officers, coaches, and janitors, can also abuse and assault children. Cases at Lakewood High School demonstrate the danger children are in from those other than teachers and administrators. 

Chad Curtis

Former Major League Baseball player Chad Curtis was accused of repeated sexual contact with several girls between 2011 and 2013. Curtis lived near Lake Odessa in western Michigan and volunteered as a strength and conditioning coach at Lakewood High School. He had retired from baseball after a successful nine-year career, where he played for six different major league teams.

During his time at the high school, he would invite female students to a windowless training room and offer massages, which then became sexual assault when he inappropriately touched them. Multiple girls accused him of touching their breasts or genital areas, claiming that it was to ease muscle pain. 

The Lakewood Police Department began investigating the incident in 2011, and he was convicted of committing sexual assault on school grounds in 2013. Further investigation revealed that he had also molested other girls. Sadly, the girls were subjected to severe bullying from their peers, and even adults in the area cast doubt on their claims. 

His victims later sued Curtis for the severe emotional harm and disruption to their education. He was ordered to pay $1.8 million to one young victim, while the other girls settled for $10,000 each. 

Rubel Martinez

In 2024, the Lakewood Police Department announced on Facebook that a student at Lakewood High School had complained that 10 years prior, she was subjected to repeated sexual contact by Rubel Martinez. Further investigation discovered probable cause to arrest Martinez, who was then taken into custody at the Jefferson County Jail. 

Martinez worked as a campus security officer at Jefferson Jr./Sr. High School and Lakewood High School from 2006 to 2022. He also ran an after-school clown club at Lakewood High School. Additional investigation by the police determined that he served as a pastor at Breakthrough Ministries in nearby Dracono. 

This is an ongoing case that has not yet gone to trial. Those with further information are encouraged to speak to Lakewood Police Detective Boyd to share more details. 

How Long Do Victims Have to File Claims Against Lakewood High School?

In Michigan, victims have up to 10 years to file a civil claim for criminal sexual assaults, even if there was no conviction (MCL § 600.5805(6)). Additionally, there is a delayed discovery rule that allows victims up to their 28th birthday or three years after discovering the injuries were due to sexual assault, whichever is later (MCL § 600.5851b).

Lawmakers are working to provide further protection for victims through the Justice for Survivors Act (SB 257–SB 261, 2025 Session). Some of the protections that this bill would include are:

• Extending the statute of limitations to 10 years after the sexual assault, seven years after the victim discovered their injuries were due to sexual abuse, or until their 42nd birthday, whichever is later;
• Eliminating the statute of limitations if the perpetrator is convicted for committing sexual assault;
• Opening a one-year lookback for victims whose claims expired;
• Eliminating the civil statute of limitations if a state department is involved, such as the Department of Education or a public school like Lakewood High School.

What Damages Can Be Recovered?

Child victims and adult survivors of unwanted sexual contact can secure a variety of damages to compensate them for the tremendous harm that being sexually assaulted can cause, both in the present and in the future. These include:

• Medical bills
• Future medical treatment
• Lost wages and loss of future income
• Mental health treatment
• Out-of-pocket expenses like medication or relocation
• Physical pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Loss of normal life

If your case goes to trial, the court may award exemplary damages. These are meant to acknowledge the severe emotional harm caused by molestation and ensure that victims have the funds they need to recover. 

How Injury Lawyer Team Can Help

A school sexual abuse lawyer is crucial to a successful civil case, particularly if the perpetrator was not arrested or the school refused to intervene. These cases can be challenging due to the severe psychological harm, trauma, and anxiety that pursuing a lawsuit can cause.

Additionally, investigating a sexual assault claim requires cooperation with third parties, such as the Lakewood Police Department, Lakewood High School, and the public school system. A lawyer may need to interview students and staff, subpoena social media sites like Facebook, or secure employment records to demonstrate that the school had prior knowledge of the assault but chose not to intervene.

Our highly skilled attorneys will aggressively negotiate with Lakewood High School and other entities to ensure that you receive fair compensation. While it is not always necessary to go to court, we are prepared to take your case to trial if the school fails to uphold its responsibilities toward children.

Injury Lawyer Team is highly familiar with case law surrounding sexual assaults in Michigan schools, such as Michigan v. Thorpe, which governs the type of expert testimony that witnesses can provide. 

For example, experts cannot claim that children never provide false testimony or definitively claim that a child was assaulted without physical evidence. By understanding and applying case law, we can ensure you have a strong case. 

We work on a contingency fee basis, meaning that you owe us nothing unless we earn you compensation. If you or your loved one has been sexually assaulted on school grounds or by a Lakewood High School employee, contact us today for a free consultation.