$660M Settlement Reached in L.A. Archdiocese Case

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Jul 16th, 2007

$660M Settlement Reached in L.A. Archdiocese Case

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles has agreed to settle the ongoing clergy abuse case.

In the settlement, which is the largest payout to date in a stream of sexual abuse suits made against the church, the Archdiocese has agreed to pay $660M to the victims allegedly affected by the scandal.

Files to be Exposed

Documents will expose whether archdiocese leaders covered up for priests who have been abusive to members of the church throughout the years.

“For those of us who have been involved in this for more than five years, it's a huge relief,” says attorney for the archdiocese Michael Hennigan. “ But it's a disappointment too that we didn't get it done much earlier than this.”

Public Reaction

Vivian Viscarra, who attends church at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles, says the victims of the potential sexual abuse deserve the payout even though it could prevent the church from delivering important services in the future.

“I am disappointed and it's making me reevaluate my views of whether people in the ministry should be married. People do have needs,” Viscarra comments.

Cases in Waiting

Although the L.A. Archdiocese has paid more than $114 million to settle claims against them, more than 500 lawsuits are still unresolved.

Spokeswoman for the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests Mary Grant says although the settlement is a relief, it hasn't ended the suffering of the victims affected in the scandal.

“This is not over,” states Grant. “Church officials would like to think that this settlement means everything is okay, but this is not a magic wand.”

(Source: Forbes)

Have you or someone you know been the victim of sexual abuse? Please contact us today to speak with an attorney who will evaluate your case and help you move forth to receive the compensation you deserve.

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