Dozens of lawsuits filed against New York’s Albany Diocese in mid-June claim that priests and nuns sexually abused young parishioners over several decades. A total of 52 lawsuits were filed concurrently, with the oldest alleged incident occurring 63 years ago.

Survivors are coming forward often decades after being abused because of New York’s one-year lookback window (extended by an additional five months due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic) for sex abuse victims to pursue litigation, even when the alleged abuse happened far outside the statute of limitations for these kinds of lawsuits.

Through the Child Victims Act (CVA) signed into law in February 2019, New York extended the statute of limitations to permanently allow victims of child sex abuse to file a civil lawsuit up to age 55, and pursue criminal charges until age 28. Previously, the statute of limitations required both civil and criminal charges to be filed by age 23.

The CVA resulted in a flood of litigation, with 1,333 claims filed across New York in the first six months, according to Newsday.

Albany Diocese Previously Sued

The new allegations against the Albany Diocese claim that like many others, the diocese has a long history of covering up sexual abuse committed by both priests and nuns and of failing to protect children. Many of the alleged incidents in the recent complaints purportedly occurred in the 1960s and 1970s.

“The diocese takes all allegations of sexual abuse seriously,” said Mary DeTurris Poust, director of communications for the Albany diocese, in an emailed statement.

“Behind every claim is a suffering person who needs our compassion and assistance. The diocese has not yet been served in any of the 52 cases filed today. Once that occurs, the diocese will review the documents and allegations and take whatever actions may be necessary to inform and safeguard the public. Bishop Scharfenberger remains committed to providing assistance to survivors while allegations are being investigated and beyond.”

This is not the first time the Albany Diocese has been accused of clergy sex abuse. In fact, it has been dealing with these issues since the early 2000s, when allegations of sex abuse by Catholic priests across the country led to a national scandal that has been making headlines ever since. Not only were individual clergy members accused of sexually abusing children, but church officials were also alleged to have helped cover it up for decades.

Since the signing of the Child Victims Act, survivors of childhood sexual abuse who have been ineligible to pursue litigation due to statutes of limitations have been able to come forward. Lawsuits have been filed against both the alleged abusers and the organizations that allowed the abuse to go unchecked.

If you were a victim of childhood sexual abuse, even if it happened years or even decades ago, you may be able to file a lawsuit and pursue compensation. Of course, filing a lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering you experienced, but it can at least help to provide monetary compensation for your suffering, as well as hold those responsible for your pain accountable.

Filing a lawsuit can be a daunting prospect, so Top Class Actions has laid the groundwork by connecting you with an experienced attorney. Consulting an attorney can help you determine if you have a claim, navigate the complexities of litigation, and maximize your potential compensation.

This article is not legal advice. It is presented
for informational purposes only.