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LAWSUITS NEWS & LEGAL INFORMATION

Boy Scouts of America Sex Abuse Settlement – For and Against

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A reorganization plan to settle sexual abuse claims against the Boy Scouts of America has some victims for and others against the settlement fund.

Los Angeles, CAVoting a settlement of almost $1.9 billion to compensate over 82,000 Boy Scouts of America sexual abuse victims has begun with a December 14, 2021 deadline to vote for the Plan. But many survivors and their attorneys oppose the current proposal.

82,000 Victims


The number of claims two decades ago. By 2019 over 12,000 victims – and 7,819 suspected sexual predators—had been identified by a researcher hired by the Boy Scouts to analyze its internal records. Of more than 92,000 claims submitted, 10,000 were deemed invalid or duplicates.

The $1.887 billion Proposal


The current survivors’ compensation trust has grown to $1.887 billion, which includes an $850 million settlement with Boy Scouts of America and local councils, and settlements with and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for $250 million. The Salt Lake City church, commonly known as the Mormon church,  was the largest single sponsor of Boy Scout troops before its longtime partnership with the organization ended early last year.

Hartford Financial Services Group has agreed on $787 million and in exchange for the payment, the Boy Scouts and its local councils will fully release Hartford from any obligation under policies the insurance company issued to them.

More settlements are expected including  the Boy Scouts’ other major insurer, Century Indemnity, according to The Associated Press.

Those Opposed


The Official Tort Claimants' Committee (TCC) announced that it continues to oppose the proposed Modified Fifth Amended Plan of Reorganization ("Plan") of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) for a variety of reasons.

The Tort Claimants Committee contends that the proposed settlement is “grossly unfair.” Among other things, it says the plan fails to tap more than $1 billion in cash and assets held by the local councils and requires Hartford to pay only “a small fraction of the coverage” it is obligated to provide. The Committee, which comprises nine survivors of sexual abuse in Scouting, was appointed to represent the interests of victims, but it does not speak for all of them.

“It is an insult to every survivor,” said John Humphrey, Chairman of the TCC. “The 82,200 known survivors deserve better. Some have been waiting over 50 years to see the Boy Scouts held responsible and to do better in protecting Scouts today.”

The committee has estimated the actual damages from the abuse at more than $100 billion. Humphrey said the BSA’s plan seems large “but they ignore the fact that the settlements will only compensate survivors on average less than $21,000 per survivor." He went on. "This much ballyhooed settlement represents a fraction of what the settling parties should and can pay to the tens of thousands of survivors based on the Boy Scouts', Local Councils', and The Hartford's financial exposure and available assets…As Chairman of the TCC, I cannot in good conscience support a plan that leaves survivors woefully undercompensated."

Attorneys opposed to the plan include Jason Amala, whose law firm represents about 1,000 claimants. Amala said that many of his clients would receive a pittance under the proposed plan and he recommends they vote no. “With the money on the table now, some survivors are estimated to get at little as $19 before they pay their attorney fees,” Amala told the Los Angeles Times.

Tim Kosnoff, founder of the group “Abused in Scouting” is also is telling his 17,000 clients to vote no on the plan, which he said “is grossly inadequate and is a re-victimization of survivors.”

Those in Favor


The ad hoc group called The Coalition of Abused Scouts for Justice, which is urging a yes vote, has said that most claimants will receive between $3,500 and $2.7 million. On October 18, the coalition successfully negotiated with the BSA to appoint a Boy Scouts sexual abuse survivor to its National Executive Board as part of the Bankruptcy Reorganization Plan.

The Hartford settlement came about with negotiations that included attorneys representing the Coalition. Law firms affiliated with the group represent more than 60,000 sex abuse claimants. “These are very significant developments,” said attorney Ken Rothweiler, whose law firm is affiliated with the coalition and represents roughly 16,800 abuse claimants.

In a press release issued by the Coalition, an Eagle Scout from Texas said, "When I have the option, I will vote yes, in favor of resolution, certainly to gain an element of closure, but more so because I see a clear future for the BSA, in which it comes back better and safer than before, to benefit young people across the country and through the years.”

Those Undecided


Paul Mones, a Los Angeles attorney representing several hundred claimants, said he will let his clients decide for themselves. But he said the plan is “far from adequate,” and has little faith the Boy Scouts will do right by those who were abused. “These guys have been waiting a long time and they deserve their justice, but the plan leaves a lot to be desired,” he told the Los Angeles Times.

“The $1.887 billion is just the start,” said attorney Rothweiler. “Current negotiations with insurers and chartered organizations are ongoing, and if appropriate settlements can be reached, they will add significant funds to compensate survivors.”

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READER COMMENTS

Posted by

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My name is Will Reed and I for one would like to know if there are snu programs possibly maybe group online discussions where men get together to discuss a thing or two about a thing or two. I'm apart of the ongoing lawsuit with the BSA. I was 5 years old when the abuse began, 6 years old when it ended. Thank God my mom didn't make me go back. I have had problems witrh the way I percieved male figures in my life since my experience.. And menn are everywhere.
Cash Tag $Wilbur84

Posted by

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I am a plaintiff in this case, and I have had significant media contact, NBC News, Front page Burlington Free Press, People mag and others. I am strongly opposed to this settlement. The amount the survivors would receive is woefully inadequate. Larry Nassers victims received about 800k each, yet this settlement is less than 5% of that. What is the problem here? is it because it was boys rather than girls who were abused? something is definitely wrong, and the assets that are being shielded make no sense. I am glad I'm represented by a firm who sees the inequity here, and is fighting for a fair settlement, not the pocket change that is being offered.

Posted by

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My name is Richard you know was abused back in the 70s in the Los Angeles County area I don't know about anybody else but I know but with myself ever since this has been brought up a little over three years ago I have been struggling with this and I've gotten to the point where I just don't care anymore I've lost jobs lost my home and about ready to lose my freedom. All I can say is that I wish this would all just end this is all just really pathetic and every day that I gotta live with this and see this brought up it just hurts me more and more all the time in the more and more I just don't want to be around anymore and I have daughters and granddaughters they miss me and don't see me as much anymore because I've been isolating myself and they don't deserve that as I'm sitting here breaking down crying please just end this all I know we all have suffered a lot in the past but we can't bring back the past and change it we need to move forward. I thought I had buried this 40 something years ago and forgotten all about it until they had brought it up but it took me six months to even get the courage to even talked to someone about it 'cause I had never talked about it or told anybody about it ever nobody knows what it really feels like or how it is to be abused like that and nobody deserves it that's why I was so protective of my daughters and granddaughters and still are but I want to be there for them but if this continues the way it is I don't see myself being here for very much longer because I can't take it.

Posted by

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When will the lawsuit be settled? My Attorney told me that I would only get $3500, if I new that I would not have file..

Posted by

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They are trillionaires why are they denying abused victims enough compensation for there suffering, man hoods ripped apart. They don’t wanna admit guilt because it’s going to continue. Basically if they hit the mark alot of insurance company’s. Are going to jump out completely. So they are low balling to keep there backing. BSA alone should have put up $1 Billion dollars that’s the first argument.
And so on and so forth .

Posted by

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So is it to late for me to join in this suite? I was a boyscout who attended summer camp and had an incident while i was there. Needless to say i never agin attended summer camp yet I also never spoke of said incident. I can provide my troop number and the year i was at summer camp my scout leader and whatnot if needed.

Posted by

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No amount of money will ever undo what has been done we have to live with this every day and will continue to live with it for the rest of our lives how do you compensate that.

Posted by

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payment not good enough for me I was raped when i was in the camp in a tent in the morrning wake up layed across a table yellow stuff comeing out of my but them takeing pictures of me thritten to hurt my mom if I said anything from i went to doctors said i had a collaps right side collen i have to take meds just too go too the bathroom even now this a life long prosses 5 million not enough some people should be going to jail stronger laws no one should have to be made parchel cripple permanetly and mently problems no i think for me not enough

Posted by

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I feel that the years that I was abused has affected my whole life and the way I live they shall pay but still that's not enough because the damage has already been done I hope Justice is served and everybody that has been abused like myself Shelby compensated righteously thank you

Posted by

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I was a boyscout here in los Angeles and yes now 45 it definitely affected me what I went through. And the amount of 3500 is a joke

Posted by

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i ended up with a partchell colasped bowl on the right becouse of the denmaster in a camp was to be good BUT EVERYTHING BUT GOOD to this day i suffer from it i went a tent drank something in themorroning woke up around 3 or 4 pm them taking picture of my butt ass whatever , never been the same
IN A WAY THAY KILLED ME
then threaten me that my mom could never be a den mon again
What am i too do i had to protect my mom I WAS A KID 12 or13 years old
even telling this i am ashamed why thay had to distroy my life
I whoul never want any kid to go throw what i did I wish too see mager changes and prison time no child should ever be hurt like this I feel like my case is worth more then 25, million dollars
simething being done now BUT little late it happen to me in co.

Posted by

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I would like to know what is going to be put in place to protect the boys and girls in the restructuring of the boy scouts of america??

Posted by

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Mermelstein with herman law firm i disagree with BSA it's a lousy deal and it stinks like hell for what had to go threw. My adopted Ex-father Ralph Paladino port Chester ny westchester putnam. Ralph started out a volinary scout , then a leader then a scout lead in very short time. Knowing the other scout master quit for season to me wasn't not explain to me about what to home. Ralph did in fact said other scout leader quit he couldn't handle the job. I have to deal with my anger issues PTSD anxiety that I could snap if I am push over the edge in this sexual manner for me to relive my store. BSA u got some F---- nervs. I am sorry but BSA needs to be closed down. Either way they need to fix the BSA sexual misconduct in hurting kids again.

Posted by

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I agree with the torts comittee I was abused over and over again thruout years . It has affected me thru my schooling where i always thought people knew and talked behind my back so that made me paranoid to be around people . so as i went thru school i did not show up so there fore i failed and turned to drinking to help cover my pain when that did not work hell i decided to try drugs to ease the thought of the drinking not working well with that all said I think this abuse has costed me my real life and there is no compensyion enough for that i wound up in jail more times than i can count because of my addiction and i guess the other painful part was to actually go public with it as i am now to show everyone that was abused not to keep it inside but to let it out and try to heal but please dont turn to drugs or drinking it will get you nowhere. I always thoiught of myself as a man of men tough and reqally inside i was trying to cover up what had happend to me back years ago i dont think the money is all that shouldd be done everyone that is still alive should be punished publically for there actions Thanks Mark A. Stroud {abused as a scout for years)

Posted by

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A life ruined (my life) due to past, incompetent BSA leadership is worth far more than a small FRACTION of the current BSA's CEO & president's ANNUAL salary!

Posted by

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On top of the settlement the survivors could be payed monthly payments for the next two years or so so they're able to give a fair and equitable settlement to all

Posted by

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I think for what happened top me has really changed the way I would have developed in life. the scout master took away my childhood for his selfish reasons now as a adult i still have nightmares about the whole ordeal. this will never end in my thought process for the rest of my life i will have to deal with it. i turned to drinking and drugs as a way to try and not to thimk about it . it has really impacted my relationships and marriage and my children . i do know that all the money in the world would not be able to change what happened to me so let me ask you what should io do to get over it because i dont honestly kknow what to do ?
thanks ,

Posted by

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For the molested scouts, the lawyers serving them, the newspapers reporting on this case, I suggest you read all of the BSA organization's plan's 400 plus pages. What you will find is that this plan only serves to protect the BSA organization, pay off the BSA's lawyers, and protects any company that is associated with the BSA organization and its affiliates. As for the molested scouts, I suggest everyone read article/section VII because this part of the plan is basically set up to screw the survivors again, and push them, or scare them away. In the end, this plan will NOT pay the molested scouts a thing, and will screw them again.

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