After decades of silencing victims and covering up egregious cases of sexual assault, the Roman Catholic Church is finally being brought to justice for its despicable actions against thousands of victims.
To date, thousands of Catholic Church settlement cases have been brought against many dioceses, and over $3 billion has been awarded to victims of sexual assault and abuse by priests and clergy.
Still, there’s much work to be done. Thousands more have yet to come forward with their own cases, and the church still has plenty of funds to spare.
Many of these victims are scared or hesitant to take action. Victims often wonder what they will get out of a lawsuit, and whether it is worth reflecting on past trauma.
If you were abused by a member of the Catholic Church, you might be internally struggling with difficult questions.
How much money will I get?
How much time will it take to complete?
Is my lawsuit worth the pain of reliving the past?
The truth is that no amount of money can undo what has been done.
Still, many victims find the freedom that comes with financial compensation worth the difficult journey of opening these old wounds.
What is the average Catholic Church lawsuit settlement?
Across the board, clergy sexual abuse lawsuits have a high potential settlement value.
According to BishopAccountability.org, the average settlement for clergy sex abuse victims is approximately $268,000.
This is just the average. Please remember that your compensation could vary significantly from the average.
Especially if you choose to take a settlement without legal representation, in which case, your payment will likely be much lower.
Why You Need a Church Sexual Assault Lawyer
It’s proven that victims who move forward without their own legal representation receive less money on average than victims who have a lawyer.
Catholic Church compensation programs like the NJ IVCP or Philadelphia IRRP try to convince victims that it is unwise to have their own legal representation.
These programs emphasize that it takes longer to get compensation when you have your own lawyer. They also often promise to provide you with a lawyer, free of charge.
While it may sound like a good idea to go forward alone, this is just another tactic used by the church to silence victims and pay out as little as possible.
The reason it takes longer to settle when you have a lawyer is because the church likes to drag its feet. If you meet up with the church’s legal team without representation of your own, a lawyer paid by the church will give you an amount of money deemed “appropriate” by the church. Without your own representation, it’s hard to argue against them, and you’ll likely be forced to settle for less than you deserve.
When you retain the services of an experienced, formidable law firm like Merson Law, the church is backed into a corner, so to speak.
We’ll argue on your behalf for an amount that you deem appropriate, and though it will take longer this way, you’ll be able to earn more compensation with our help.
Give us a call today, or fill out our contact form now to start your initial case evaluation.
