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The U.S. Figure Skating Association has agreed to pay $1.45 million in a lawsuit settlement with a former skater who says he was sexually assaulted as a minor by his coach.
The “groundbreaking settlement” has not been filed in court yet, but lawyers for the plaintiff told Law360 that the agreement is finalized.
Top Class Actions is committed to helping right consumer wrongs by reporting on sexual abuse lawsuits and settlements. If you or a loved one was sexually victimized while participating in a youth organization or sport you may be able to join a free sexual abuse lawsuit investigation.
Plaintiff Adam Schmidt filed this lawsuit in California in 2019, accusing his former coach, Richard Callaghan, of sexually abusing him. Schmidt claims the abuse started when he was 14-years-old and that Callaghan continued grooming, secluding and sexually assaulting him for two years after that.
Schmidt says the U.S. Figure Skating Association did nothing to protect him from Callaghan, even though it was notified of other allegations against him. By dismissing the accusations against Callaghan, the lawsuit asserts that the association gave him the opportunity to potentially abuse other young athletes.
U.S. Figure Skating denies any wrongdoing saying it “fully supports all victims of sexual abuse and misconduct and encourages anyone who has been abused or suspects abuse or misconduct to immediately report it to local law enforcement, the U.S. Center for SafeSport or U.S. Figure Skating.”
Nonetheless, it agreed to settle this sexual abuse lawsuit along with Onyx Ice Arena in Michigan, who was named as a co-defendant in the lawsuit, which is where Schmidt used to train. The arena agreed to pay $1.75 million dollars in a global settlement to end the sexual abuse lawsuit.
Initially, Onyx declined to comment until it finished investigating the claims. Callaghan denied the accusations through an attorney, Law360 reported.
Schmidt isn’t the only former figure skater who sued the U.S. Figure Skating Association for failing to stop the sexual abuse of minors after it was allegedly alerted to the abuse. Plaintiff Craig M. filed a lawsuit in July 2020 alleging that he was also molested by Callaghan when he was just 14-years-old. His abuse allegedly lasted nearly a decade.
Craig’s civil complaint, filed in a New York court, also details sexual abuse allegations regarding grooming, isolation and manipulation.
What do you think about this sexual abuse settlement? Do you think $1.45 million is a fair settlement price? Tell us your thoughts in the comment section below.
Schmidt is represented by Manly Stewart & Finaldi.
The Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Settlement is John SA Doe v. Doe 1 et al., Case No. 37-2019-00041395-CU-PO-C TL, in the Superior Court of the State of California for the County of San Diego.
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