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Maryland Sexual Abuse Lawsuits

Miller & Zois’ sexual assault attorneys fight for victims in Maryland to hold these criminals who commit sexual assault and abuse and the organizations that supported them accountable.

The key to obtaining money damages for your suffering is usually finding an organization, like a church, Boy Scouts, or medical practice that is responsible for employing or, worse, assisting in the abuse and cover-up. Victims in these sex abuse cases can fight to get the maximum compensation Maryland law allows.

Our sexual abuse attorneys fight for victims in Baltimore and throughout Maryland. If you think you may have a claim, you want to contact an experienced sex abuse lawyer immediately. There is a sexual assault statute of limitations that our lawyers discuss below that imposes strict deadlines to sue.

You can call any of our sexual assault lawyers at 800-553-8082 for a confidential discussion of your case and your options. You can also complete this simple online form.


UPDATES ON SEX ABUSE LAWSUITS:

March 12, 2024: A group of 26 women have filed a legal complaint against various Maryland state departments for neglecting their duty to protect them from sexual abuse at Good Shepherd Services, where they were placed as children. Spanning from the 1970s to 2017, these allegations detail a horrifying pattern of abuse by facility staff, including priests and nuns, at this residential treatment center for troubled youth.

This sex abuse lawsuit, as so many of the lawsuits do, addresses the systemic failures that allowed such abuse to continue unchecked. These cases underscore the broader institutional disasters in safeguarding vulnerable populations in state care.  In this case, there is the additional lawyer of the plaintiffs’ struggles with mental health, disrupted lives, and the ongoing quest for justice and healing.

March 7, 2024: Judge Robin D. Gill Bright upheld Maryland’s 2023 Child Victims Act, a significant victory for sexual abuse survivors in the state. The ruling comes in sex abuse lawsuits against the Archdiocese of Washington, which contested the law’s constitutionality. The case may skip a step and go directly to the Maryland Supreme Court.

February 27, 2024: A sexual abuse claims package has been approved in the Archdiocese of Baltimore bankruptcy case. All victims of sexual abuse who are filing claims in the bankruptcy case are being asked to submit the completed claim package along with their proof of claim forms. The claim package contains 14 separate questions. In addition to requesting details about the nature, dates, and location of the alleged abuse, another major focus of the questions is whether anyone at the Archdiocese had specific knowledge of the abuse.

February 12, 2024: Sixty-three people have filed lawsuits against lawsuits against the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services alleging abuse during their time as incarcerated minors. The plaintiffs comprise 20 women from the former Thomas J.S. Waxter Children’s Center in Laurel, 37 men from the Charles H. Hickey Jr. School in Baltimore County, five men from the Baltimore City Juvenile Justice Center, and 25 adults from the Cheltenham Youth Detention Center in Prince George’s County.

February 7, 2024:  Individuals who have survived clergy sexual abuse have a deadline of May 31, 2024 to submit their claims against the Archdiocese of Baltimore, as agreed upon by attorneys and a judge on Monday.

In a federal court session in Baltimore, the deadline was set through a verbal agreement between the archdiocese’s attorneys, the survivors’ attorneys, and presided over by Judge Michelle Harner. It was anticipated that Judge Harner would officially establish this deadline following the hearing.

This deadline, known as a “claims bar date,” essentially functions as a de facto statute of limitations for potential lawsuits related to clergy abuse within the Baltimore diocese.

So survivors will need to complete a “proof of claim” form.

February  4, 2024: The Key School in Annapolis is facing four new lawsuits under Maryland’s Child Victims Act for alleged child sex abuse by faculty over 50 years ago. This raises the total to at least six lawsuits against the school.

The Key School in 2024 is a good school. It has to have to have mixed feelings defending these lawsuits.

January 21, 2024: There is still a battle to be fought over the Child Victims Act.  The challenge on the table now is from the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington. The archdiocese’s challenge, based on claims of vested rights and the distinction between a statute of limitations and a statute of repose, is flawed.  The legislature’s authority to amend laws should be without question. But it will be a battle we have to fight.

January 10, 2024: The Cheltenham Youth Facility in Prince George’s County is a  detention center managed by the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services will be a focus of many new Maryland sex abuse lawsuits.

Cheltenham has up to 72 male juveniles aged 12-18 from various counties, offering a structured behavior management program. This detention center has been the subject of recent lawsuits filed under the Maryland Child Victims Act of 2023. These lawsuits allege that numerous individuals were sexually abused as children while detained at the facility. The cases all point to a systemic failure to protect juveniles and seek justice and compensation for the survivors, highlighting the facility’s long-standing issues with abuse and oversight.

November 1, 2023:  A longstanding Catholic church in Baltimore is shutting down its services in the aftermath of its head priest, Father Paschal Morlino, being removed over a sexual misconduct allegation. Announced by the Archdiocese of Baltimore, the cessation of church activities starting November 15 comes after a complaint from 2018 resurfaced, claiming Morlino sexually harassed an adult churchgoer who died two years later.

Despite Morlino’s settlement of the claim for an undisclosed sum, his dismissal after a nearly 40-year tenure has led to the church’s inability to find a replacement. The Archdiocese and Saint Vincent Archabbey have decided to conclude church services but ensures that the Benedictines will carry on its community outreach efforts. As the church’s doors close, parish members are directed to other local parishes for their spiritual needs.

This closure coincides with the Maryland Catholic Church’s recent challenges, including facing numerous child sex abuse lawsuits brought on by a change in state law that eliminates the statute of limitations for such claims, a situation that prompted the Baltimore Archdiocese to file for bankruptcy in late September, influenced heavily by the legislative changes.

October 18, 2023: Father Paschal Morlino, a Benedictine monk, has been suspended from ministry by the Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore following revelations about a payment he made years ago to settle sexual harassment allegations. He was dismissed from his position as pastor of St. Benedict Church in Baltimore, a role he held for nearly 40 years after The Baltimore Banner informed the archdiocese about the settlement. Morlino, 85, known for his community efforts in poor neighborhoods, has returned to Saint Vincent Archabbey in Pennsylvania following his suspension. The case, involving alleged harassment of a deceased adult man, remains under investigation. Morlino admitted to a $200,000 settlement but denied wrongdoing, while the church prepares to appoint a new administrator for St. Benedict Church.

October 1, 2023: The Archdiocese of Baltimore filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy last Friday. The bankruptcy was filed to help protect the diocese from an anticipated wave of child sexual abuse lawsuits under the new Maryland Child Victims Act which went into effect today the weekend. Now the bankruptcy court will oversee a process by which a settlement trust fund is established to pay sex abuse claimants.

September 29, 2023: The Maryland Child Victims Act, which opens the door for many victims of clergy abuse to file lawsuits, will take effect soon, and it is anticipated that many survivors may file lawsuits against the diocese, potentially leading to bankruptcy as a means to protect the diocese and limit liability.

In the past, the Archdiocese of Baltimore has taken steps you would not expect from a church to protect its assets in case of legal challenges. They have transferred ownership of parish properties to legal entities controlled by high-ranking clergy members. These entities were to protect the Church from creditors in the event of bankruptcy or other legal challenges.

This new law might make bankruptcy a path for the Archdiocese of Baltimore.  We already have a roadmap for how this could play out.  Religious institutions have turned to bankruptcy as a strategic legal maneuver to protect themselves from financial liability, particularly in cases related to clergy sexual abuse allegations and lawsuits.  The results have been that the churches have been largely able to pay less and avoid juries.

In fact, the first thing would be more justice delayed.  When a church files for bankruptcy, an automatic stay goes into effect, which halts all legal actions, including pending lawsuits and collection efforts by creditors. This pause provides the church with temporary relief from litigation and financial obligations.

The Baltimore Sun has an article – a good article – today flushing out some of these issues.

September 27, 2023: A new, less-redacted version of the Maryland AG’s investigation report on sexual abuse within the Baltimore Archdiocese was released yesterday. This version of the report reveals the names of many individuals accused of committing abuse or taking part in covering it up. However, the names of 5 people within the church remain redacted because these individuals are still appealing the lower court ruling allowing their names to be published.

September 6, 2023:  Next month, a new Maryland law will go into effect allowing victims of child sex abuse that occurred decades ago to file civil lawsuits that were previously barred by the statute of limitations. The Baltimore Archdiocese is expecting to be named as a defendant in a wave of these sex abuse lawsuits and could face billions in potential liabilities. Earlier this week, the Archdiocese released a statement to its parishioners acknowledging that it is considering filing bankruptcy to deal with the impending sex abuse claims. Many other Archdioceses around the country have filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy when overwhelmed by sex abuse claims. Contrary to popular belief, filing bankruptcy would not mean that abuse victims get nothing. Rather, the bankruptcy court would establish and approve a trust fund. Victims would submit claims and get settlement offers paid out of the compensation fund.

August 21, 2023: Earlier today, news broke that a Judge in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City ruled that the names of all individuals accused of sexual abuse in the investigation report of the Archdiocese of Baltimore will soon be released to the public. The 463-page report details an exhaustive investigation by the Maryland Attorney General’s office into sexual abuse within the Catholic Church in Baltimore spanning several decades. The report identifies 156 clergy and other church officials who were implicated in acts of sexual abuse. When the report was first released earlier this year, however, 46 of those names were redacted. The recent court order will permit the Attorney General to reveal 43 of the 46 concealed names, but only after those individuals can file objections to the ruling.

August 16, 2023: Over 90 insurance companies are facing a lawsuit in the U.S. Northern District of Texas for opposing the Boy Scouts of America’s (BSA) $2.4 billion bankruptcy settlement related to 82,000 sexual abuse claims. Retired Judge Barbara J. Houser, trustee of the BSA Settlement Trust, filed the lawsuit. Despite insurance companies’ objections based on their policy terms, Delaware courts dismissed their concerns.

Some insurers have settled, with 29 paying more than $1.6 billion. Houser plans to dismiss related ongoing cases in Illinois and Texas. Prominent insurers like Allstate, Fireman’s Fund, and Liberty Mutual are among the defendants who have not stepped up and paid what many believe they owe.

May 17, 2023: The director of the Maryland State Boychoir, Frank T. Cimino, was forced to resign this week after it was uncovered that he was named as an alleged child sex abuser in the recently released report on sexual abuser within the Baltimore Catholic Church. When the Maryland Attorney General released its report on sex abuse within the Baltimore Archdiocese earlier this year, a large number of accused abusers from within the church were explicitly named. Ten of those names were redacted. Last week, however, the Baltimore Sun released a story revealing that Cimino was one of those individuals.


New Maryland Law Lifts Statute of Limitations for Child Sex Abuse Lawsuits

On April 1, 2023, a new law called the Child Victims Act of 2023 (CVA) was enacted in Maryland.  The new CVA makes it easier for survivors of childhood sexual abuse to file lawsuits. This new law enables survivors to file retroactive lawsuits even if their claims have expired under an existing statute of limitations. It also removes the statute of limitations for all future lawsuits based on childhood sexual abuse claims.

The new law does not create a time limit for survivors to revive their out-of-date lawsuits, unlike similar laws in other states that typically have a “lookback window.” Maryland’s approach to providing a permanent lookback is hoped to serve as a leader in allowing survivors to seek justice when ready. The CVA will go into effect starting October 1, 2023.

Baltimore Catholic Church Will Appeal Sex Abuse Lawsuits Under New Law

Maryland’s new Child Victims Act (CVA) lifts the statute of limitations on all civil lawsuits for child sex abuse. The CVA contains a provision written into the law that specifically permits anyone sued under the new law to file an immediate appeal challenging whether the CVA is valid under Maryland’s state constitution. Learn more about Clergy Sex Abuse Lawsuits.

When the CVA takes effect later this year, the Baltimore Archdiocese could face millions in liabilities from a wave of sexual abuse civil lawsuits. The Baltimore Archdiocese is expected to immediately challenge the constitutionality of the CVA in the Maryland appellate courts. Lawyers for the Archdiocese will initiate this challenge by invoking the provision in the CVA that allows for an immediate interlocutory appeal. The underlying civil lawsuits will be stayed pending the outcome of that appeal.

Maryland’s Attorney General, Anthony Brown, has already vowed to defend the constitutionality of the CVA effectively. When the state legislature considered whether to pass the CVA, Brown issued an opinion letter stating the legal argument for why the new law was valid under Maryland’s constitution.

What is Sexual Abuse or Assault?

Sexual abuse (or sexual assault) is generally defined as any type of unwanted or non-consensual sexual touching or contact. Contact or touching is “sexual” when it involves a person’s intimate body parts. Sexual abuse or assault can range from groping to forcible rape.

The critical element that defines abuse or assault is the lack of consent. If the sexual contact or touching is not consensual then it is assault. Anyone under the age of 18 is a minor. Minors lack the legal capacity to consent, so any sexual touching of a minor by an adult is considered abuse. All states have criminal laws which more precisely define what constitutes sexual abuse or sexual assault. For purposes of a civil lawsuit, however, the definition of sexual abuse is somewhat broader.

Bringing a Civil Lawsuit for Sexual Abuse or Assault

Sexual abuse or assault is a crime and it can be criminally prosecuted. Whether or not criminal charges are brought, however, victims of sexual abuse always have the right to bring a civil lawsuit and seek financial compensation. Anyone who has been the victim of sexual abuse can file a civil case.

Abuse victims can file a civil lawsuit even if the defendant was never charged with a crime or convicted. The evidentiary burden for proving sexual abuse in a civil lawsuit is significantly lower than it is in a criminal case. This means that it is much easier to prove sexual abuse in a civil case. So even if the abuser escapes criminal justice, they can still be held accountable in civil court.

The other significant advantage of a civil lawsuit for sexual abuse is that you can go after third parties in addition to the individual who committed the abuse. Another critical difference is that in civil cases, a victim is a party, not just a witness. This means they have more control over how the case proceeds, including stopping it from continuing.

Maryland Sex Abuse Lawsuits

Who Can You Sue in Sexual Abuse Lawsuit?

The most obvious defendant in a sexual abuse lawsuit is always going to be the individual who committed the abuse or assault. Bringing a lawsuit against the individual abuser is often pointless, however, because even if you win the case you probably won’t be able to get any money out of the abuser. In many cases, the abuser may be dead or in jail. Unless the abuser is very wealthy, bringing a civil lawsuit against them alone won’t get you very far.

The key to a successful sexual abuse lawsuit is going after third-party defendants like companies or schools. A third party such as a school, church, nursing home, hospital, or other companies or institutions, can sometimes be held liable in a sexual abuse civil lawsuit. If you can show that the school or church (or another third party) had a duty to protect the victim or could have potentially stopped the abuse, then that third party can be held liable for monetary damages to the victim.

EXAMPLE: Jane was sexually abused by her school guidance counselor John when Jane was a student at Acme Private School. Jane can bring a sexual abuse lawsuit against both John and Acme Private School.

Almost any third party (other than the abuser) can be held liable in a sexual assault lawsuit if the third party’s negligence allowed the sexual assault or abuse to occur. One of the most common examples of this is negligent security cases in which a property owner is sued for failing to provide adequate security (e.g., cameras, lighting, etc.).  

What Damages Are Recovered in a Sexual Abuse Lawsuit?

In a lawsuit, damages are awarded to a plaintiff to compensate for losses and pain caused by another. There are different types of categories of damages that plaintiffs are entitled to get in a successful civil case, including:

In a sexual abuse lawsuit, most of the damages a plaintiff will get will be for pain and suffering. Although sexual abuse or assault can cause physical injuries, the damages from this are primarily mental pain and aguish. In most sexual abuse lawsuits, pain & suffering accounts for more than 80% of the damages awarded.

What is the Statute of Limitations for a Sex Abuse Lawsuit?

The statute of limitations for filing a sexual abuse lawsuit varies by state. Some states have short limitations periods of 2 years or less. Other states have longer limitations of 4 years or more. The applicable deadline for filing a sexual assault lawsuit will also depend on whether the victim is an adult or a minor (under 18) at the time of the assault or abuse.

In Maryland, the statute limitations for sexual abuse lawsuits is 3-years. However, this is probably going to change very soon. The legislature is about to pass a new law that will remove the statute of limitations on civil lawsuits for child sexual abuse.

(a) When the Victim is an Adult

If the victim is an adult (over 18) when the sexual assault occurs, the statute of limitations on their civil claim will begin running from the date of the assault. Depending on what state the case is in, the limitations period could be anywhere from 1 to 6 years.   In Maryland, claims for sexual abuse or assault are subject to the general 3-year statute of limitations that applies to all tort claims. Md. Code Ann., Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-101.

This means that if Jane is sexually assaulted by John on Janaury 1, 2021, she has until 1-1-2024 to file a civil lawsuit against John for the assault. If Jane does not sue John before the three-year period expires on January 1, 2024,  she will be legally barred from ever suing him.

(b) When the Victim is a Child

When the victim of sexual abuse is a minor (under 18) when the incident(s) occurs, the statute of limitations on their civil lawsuit for the assault will not start to run until they reach the age majority (18). Under Maryland’s 3-year SOL for sexual assault claims, this means that when the victim is a minor, they have until their 21st birthday to file a lawsuit even if the abuse occurred when they were just 8 or 9.

Let’s say Jane is sexually abused by her youth group pastor, Reverend John, over a 3-year period beginning when she was just 7 years old and ending when she was 10. Jane was a minor when the abuse occurred, so she has until her 21st birthday to decide whether she wants to file a civil lawsuit against Rev. John (or the church).

In response to the clergy abuse scandals, 15 states have recently passed new laws that significantly expanded the limitations period for victims to file civil lawsuits. These states have either significantly extended or completely lifted their existing statutes of limitation to allow sex abuse lawsuits even when the abuse occurred decades earlier.

These new rules vary from state to state. Some states created 1 or 2-year “lookback windows,” during which childhood sex abuse victims would be allowed to sue no matter how many years had passed. Other states simply extended the limitations period for abuse claims.

New Report on Sexual Abuse Within Baltimore Catholic Church

Today, the long-awaited investigation report on sexual abuse within the Baltimore Catholic Church was released by the Maryland Attorney General’s office. The report is 456 pages long and its details 80 years of sexual abuse committed by 158 clergymen. The release of this report comes just as lawmakers in Annapolis are on the verge of passing a new law that will remove the statute of limitations on civil lawsuits for child sex abuse.

Sexual Assault Verdicts and Settlements

Below are examples of sexual assault lawsuits that resulted in verdicts and settlements in favor of plaintiffs. This gives you some idea of the potential range of settlement amounts and jury payouts in ex

You should not expect your case to get the same compensation – for better or worse – even if your case looks exactly the same. But they can help you get a sense of what is possible.

  • October 2023, West Virginia $100,000,000 Settlement: Former students alleged grave abuse at a West Virginia private boarding school, and the institution’s criminal attempts to cover up these allegations drew significant attention. The students’ complaints outlined numerous instances of mistreatment, notably being confined in small, windowless “quarantine rooms” in Salem, Harrison County. These confinements were especially disturbing as the rooms lacked basic amenities and were sometimes pitch-dark. Beyond the direct abuse, the school was accused of a systematic cover-up. This included destroying documents, altering the once-windowless rooms by installing windows, and promoting the institution as a reputable educational provider in West Virginia, all while charging tuition. Moreover, it was alleged that school staff, aware of the abuses, took no action to either prevent it or report it as mandated by law. After these allegations were brought to light, a settlement nearing $100 million was reached.
  • May 2023, Texas, $37,000,000 Verdict: A 29-year-old woman was in Houston for a conference at the George R. Brown Convention Center and was staying at the Hilton with her then-fiancé. She went out drinking with colleagues and was found incapacitated near the hotel early in the morning. A male colleague was seen on top of her with his pants unzipped, as a witness who testified in the case reported. The police came but left after the man told them the woman was staying with him. The hotel staff let the man take her upstairs without verifying if she was a hotel guest. He sexually assaulted her. The woman sued Hilton but it argued that the woman consented to sex. The jury gave its opinion with a $37 million verdict.
  • March 2023, Florida, $95,000,000 Verdict: The survivor, now in his early 60s, was 15 years old when former priest Foster P. Rogers abused him in his car in July 1979. The boy had no church affiliation; Rogers offered him a ride home in Rochester.  A jury awarded him $95 million. The award is one of the largest in New York since the Child Victims Act, which opened a window for lawsuits from past child victims of sexual abuse.
  • February 2023, Florida, $10,100,000 Verdict: A female passenger aboard a Carnival Cruise ship alleged that a crew member sexually assaulted her. The case was fraught with complexities. The plaintiff was heavily intoxicated and had engaged in a playful game of hide-and-seek and invited the crew member into a closet. The defense claimed that the sex was consensual but the jury arrived at a verdict guided by the understanding that flirtatious conduct does not equate to consent.
  • January 2021, California, $1,450,000 Settlement: A former figure skater accused former figure skating coach Richard Callaghan of sexual assault. His suit alleged the coach molested and sexually abused him as a teenager. Importantly, he sued the USA Figure Skating for failing to protect him and other young athletes from Callaghan. He accused the organization of knowledge about the allegations yet failed to investigate them. USA Figure Skating agreed to settle for $1.45 million.
  • December 2020, Washington, $2,000,000 Settlement: A 47-year-old woman accused her high school band teacher of sexual abuse that took place 30 years ago. Her molestation lawsuit alleged that he abused and manipulated her at his home, at school, and on band trips. She later became a music teacher herself. Sadly, she eventually left the job because it brought back traumatic memories that gave her severe anxiety. She hired a rape victim lawyer and filed a lawsuit against the school. The school district agreed to resolve her claim for a settlement amount of $2 million.
  • November 2020, California, $73,000,000 Settlement: Over 6,000 women accused former UCLA gynecologist James Heaps of sexual abuse over 35 years. They claimed he made lewd comments and inappropriately touched them during appointments. UCLA agreed to pay the women $73 million. The university also agreed to change its policies and procedures on doctors’ appointments and sexual abuse reporting.
  • October 2020, Ohio, $46,700,000 Settlement: Hundreds of former Ohio State athletes accused now-deceased team doctor Richard Strauss of sexual abuse that occurred between 1979 and 1997. They claimed Strauss groped them during physical examinations at campus athletic facilities, an off-campus clinic, or his home. The Ohio State University agreed to settle 185 survivors’ lawsuits for $46.7 million.
  • October 2018, California, $240,000,000 Settlement: Thousands of women accused former USC campus gynecologist George Tyndall of sexual abuse that occurred between 1997 and 2016. They claimed he made lewd remarks, inappropriately touched them, performed unnecessary procedures, and video recorded exams. The women alleged that USC knew of the allegations but failed to address them. USC agreed to pay $240 million, $215 million of which went to the victims.
  • May 2018, Michigan, $500,000,000 Settlement: Hundreds of women, including many Olympic gymnasts, accused former Michigan State University osteopathic physician Larry Nassar of sexual assault over 20 years. They claim he sexually assaulted them during medical examinations and procedures. Many of the victims at the time were minors. The women alleged that USA Gymnastics, MSU, and other institutions failed to protect them from Nassar. MSU agreed to a $500 million settlement, which went to over 100 women.
  • November 2019, Massachusetts, $90,000 Settlement: A man visits family in Salem, Massachusetts to celebrate Halloween. He has too much to drink. He leaves the water on and floods his hotel room. Someone calls the police. An officer responds. Soaking wet, the man changes out of his clothes and is wrapped in a blanket sitting on a chair. The law enforcement officer starts touching him and pulls him into a closet. Inside, the officer sexually assaults the young man while in protective custody. The plaintiff hires a sex abuse attorney who files a lawsuit. The lawsuit alleges that his civil rights were violated and that the police department negligently supervised and trained its officers. He experienced emotional distress as a result of the incident. The defendant officer claims it was consensual. The parties agree to a $90,000 settlement.
  • June 2019, Missouri, $8,200,000 Verdict: A woman uses Uber to get rides to and from an event. She uses the same driver both times. On the way back to her apartment, she is drunk. She gets inside the apartment, but her driver calls multiple times asking to use her bathroom. She lets him inside and he rapes her. As a result of the rape, she suffers emotional distress and PTSD symptoms, making it difficult to continue with her post-graduate program. Additionally, she claims that Uber knew about a prior incident with the driver, in which he was found guilty of domestic assault. In the end, charges against Uber were dropped, but the judge ruled that the perpetrator was responsible for 8.2 million in damages and punitive damages, which are damages intended as punishment for the man’s crimes.
  • June 2019, Florida, $900,000 Verdict: The plaintiff, a woman living in Pensacola, Florida, is raped in her apartment by a maintenance man. As a maintenance employee of the apartment complex, he had access to her room. She files suit against the perpetrator for battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress and the apartment for negligent hiring and retention. She is awarded $900,000 but she was forced to dismiss the claim against the apartment complex. This is one of those cases where the verdict is impressive but it is hard to imagine that there is insurance or other deep pocket to back up the verdict.
  • January 2019, California, $58,250,000 Verdict: A woman working as a production assistant begins to experience inappropriate behavior from the owner of her company. His conduct falls under harassment and unwanted sexual contact-a sexual offense. The abuse is happening every day and eventually makes her resign from her job. She becomes introverted and develops a depressive disorder and PTSD, both of which are expected to affect her for the rest of her life. In the trial, the jury finds the man committed sexual battery and awards the woman compensatory as well as punitive damages.
  • December 2018, New York, $27,500,000 Settlement: This case involves a serial child molester who was a religious instructor with the Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn. The assaults were many and happened for four years. The instructor was frequently left alone with the children. He would pick them up from school, bring them to a daycare center, and spend time with children when their parents were late. The instructor is serving a 15-year jail sentence. The plaintiffs file a sexual abuse suit against the diocese because it became clear that members of the institution knew that the instructor was predatory but did little to stop him from having contact with children. The lawsuit settles before trial, awarding the four plaintiffs an equal share of $27,500,000. The plaintiffs were between eight and twelve years old when they were assaulted.
  • June 2018, New Jersey, $35,000 Settlement: A woman is incarcerated at a New Jersey women’s correctional facility. She is forced into multiple sex acts by correctional officers, claiming that one officer would perform the acts while the other kept watching. She claims that though the officers were fired for the intentional touching of the victim, she continued to experience sexual assaults from other officers. These officers coerced other inmates to say good things about the staff to discredit her claims. She claims the administrator of the facility knew about the activity. She hires a sexual assault attorney and sues the New Jersey State Corrections Department, the administrator of the facility, and the officers for violating her civil rights, assault and battery, common law negligence, invasion of privacy, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and negligent hiring and retention.
  • January 2018, Maryland, $22,130,000 Verdict: This case underscores that men are victims, too. A 30-year-old man goes to the dentist with a cracked molar. He cracked his tooth while eating peanuts. The dentist informs his patient that he has to remove the tooth and sedates him with nitrous oxide so that he can do so. The man awakes from his unconscious state to discover that the dentist is forcing him into oral sex. For this and other sexual assault charges, the dentist goes to jail. The man files a lawsuit against the dentist and his practice, seeking damages for emotional distress and medical injuries associated with the cracked tooth.
  • July 2017, California, $60,000,000 Verdict: In this high-profile case, three female students sue their taekwondo teacher for the sexual abuse they experienced during the years they spent training with him. The girls were elite athletes and competed at events hosted by the US Olympic Committee and USA Taekwondo. They were assaulted when they were between the ages of 15 and 17, and though they were not physically hurt, they continue to experience extensive psychological trauma. Their coach would have them drink alcohol and have sex with him in hotel rooms while they were traveling for competitions. The coach was arrested and sentenced to four years in jail. The judge in this civil case awarded each girl $10,000,000 for past pain and suffering and $20,000,000 for future pain and suffering.

Getting Help from a Maryland Sex Abuse Lawyer

Again, if you are hesitant, we understand. Reach out to our lawyers for sexual assault victims. You do not even have to use your real name. Get information about your options and learn exactly how a case like yours would proceed and what it would involve. You also do not have to call just us. Call several lawyers to find the best sexual assault attorney for you.

Call our Baltimore sex abuse lawyers at 800-553-8082 for a free consultation. Is there someone you would rather speak to about your case? Look at our team and decide. Again, you can reach our attorneys for the sexually abused by reaching out online or by text at 410-835-4103.

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