Personal Injury Law

Boy Scouts Settle Sexual Abuse Case

Justice - 6, Boy Scouts - 0 could have been the score for a recent Oregon court ruling that settled a years' long sexual abuse case. Six men who accused their leader of sexual molestation agreed to a settlement that may figure in the millions. A need to have it over and to get on with their lives was part of the motivation to settle.

These men, all members of the same troop, claimed that they were abused by a former leader back in the 80's. Their attorney says he hopes the ruling will give other victims of abuse the courage to speak up and be heard. One of the plaintiffs was awarded $20 million back in April for compensatory and punitive damages with The Boy Scouts of America to pay the vast majority of that amount. A jury found that the Boy Scouts failed to protect the plaintiff from a pedophile assistant scoutmaster. This was the largest award to a single victim of sexual abuse in the nation's history. The likelihood of an appeal by the BSA led to the settlement.

One bright note, six weeks after the verdict, the BSA implemented major changes to their youth program designed to keep children safer. These changes include volunteers undergoing mandatory youth protection training and hiring a former San Antonio police detective with experience in sexual abuse investigation to oversee the youth protection program.

Full post as published by Tennessee Law Blog on September 08, 2010 (boomark / email).