Now that the Child Victim’s Act has become law in New York, it is anticipated that thousands of Catholic Church molestation cases could be named in individual claims. A recent news review found that as many as 2,500 victims in Catholic Church molestation cases plan to sue organizations across New York under the Child Victim’s Act after the window opens for lawsuits in August 2019.

It is likely that that number could also increase as more victims are encouraged to come forward after this initial wave of lawsuits hit. The Church could be facing significant financial liability because the cases are estimated to be worth tens of millions of dollars or more.

State officials share that the Archdiocese under New York has already begun to receive notice of lawsuits that will be filed in August as soon as the law becomes effective. Depending on how many clergy sex abuse lawsuits are filed, it could impact the Catholic Church’s ability to operate in New York as well as pay those claims from victims.

Catholic Church Sues Insurance Companies

As the opening for filing of lawsuits is just around the corner, the Catholic Church has sued insurance companies, demanding coverage and legal protection under the New York Child Victim’s Act.

According to the New York Daily News, the Archdiocese recently filed a complaint in Manhattan Supreme Court that has more than two dozen insurance companies as defendants, claiming that the insurance companies tend to deny, limit or dispute coverage for lawsuits and claims associated with physical abuse and sexual abuse.

The Archdiocese says that attempting to deny or dispute these claims would be a breach of contract for the insurance policies.

The Archdiocese says that they have met their terms of the contract by purchasing the liability insurance policies from the various insurance companies and making regular premium payments as required over the years. It is likely that the Archdiocese is expecting to rely on these insurance policies for significant support in the wake of potential lawsuits.

So far over 320 survivors of Catholic Church sex abuse have already participated in the compensation program set up by the Archdiocese in New York.

According to Lohud, those victims have received around $65 million in compensation as of April in 2019, but the financial damages and liability associated with further Catholic Church sexual assault claims brought through the Child Victim’s Act could be substantial.

What to Do If You’ve Been a Victim of Child Sex Abuse

It can be very hard for adults to come forward and share the stories of their childhood abuse. Many of these same victims might naturally be nervous about entrusting the compensation fund managed through the church to receive a settlement offer.

The good news is that no victim has to go through this process on their own. An adult victim who is interested in exploring their rights and next steps could set up a time to speak with a lawyer. Top Class Actions can help connect you with an attorney familiar with sex abuse cases.

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