Diocese Of Rockville Centre Reaches $320.5 Million Settlement With Approximately 600 Child Sexual Assault Survivors

(MENAFN- PR Newswire) Slater Slater Schulman LLP
Represents 100 Survivor-claimants and Served As Mediation Party

ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N.Y., Sept. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Slater Slater Schulman LLP, a leading, full-service law firm with decades of experience representing survivors of traumatic and catastrophic events, today announced that a settlement has been reached after four years with the Diocese of Rockville Centre to resolve the Diocese's Chapter 11 case. Slater Slater Schulman served as a mediation party in the historic settlement, under which a trust will receive approximately $320.5 million for the benefit of survivors. Slater Slater Schulman represents 100 of the approximately 600 survivor-claimants in this matter.

"The majority of our clients are in their 60's and 70's – they have been waiting decades for justice, and we are extremely pleased to reach this settlement on their behalf," said Adam Slater, Founding and Managing Partner of Slater Slater Schulman LLP. "Importantly, this is the largest Diocese settlement in the history of New York State, and the first Diocese settlement to be reached nationwide following the Supreme Court's recent Purdue Pharma decision relating to non-consensual third-party releases. We hope it will serve as a model for other pending cases around the country so that adult survivors living with the lifelong trauma of being sexually assaulted by predator-priests can receive the compensation they deserve and begin healing."

Rockville Centre is a large Roman Catholic Diocese with 132 parishes within its geographic confines. According to complaints filed by Slater Slater Schulman and other firms, priests working at numerous churches within the Diocese have been accused of sexually assaulting minors, including Fathers Michael Hands, Kenneth Hasselbach, Charles Ribaudo, Alfred Soave, and Anthony Trapani.

According to one representative complaint filed on behalf of a "John Doe" plaintiff, Father Soave was a priest at St. Hugh of Lincoln Roman Catholic Church in Huntington Station in or around 1974 when he raped and sexually abused a 12-year-old, who had been in the custody of the church since he was an infant, on at least two occasions. Following these attacks, the plaintiff experienced and suffered personal physical and psychological injuries, severe and permanent emotional distress, difficulty sleeping, low self-confidence, isolation, loss of faith, alcohol and substance problems, problems with sexual intimacy, anger issues, depression, anxiety, and feelings of worthlessness, shamefulness, and embarrassment, among many other traumatic and lasting effects.

The New York State Child Victims Act was signed into law in 2019. The law allowed survivors to file retroactive lawsuits between August 2019 and August 2021, even if their claims have already expired under an existing statute of limitations. The law also eliminates the statute of limitations for all future lawsuits based on childhood sexual abuse claims.

NOTE: Individuals seeking to be linked to resources for sexual assault survivors can call 656 (4673) to be connected with a trained staff member from a sexual assault service provider in your area. The National Sexual Assault Hotline operated by RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) provides confidential support from trained staff members and can assist with finding local healthcare resources, help talk through what happened, and offer referrals for long-term support.

About Slater Slater Schulman LLP

Slater Slater Schulman LLP is a leading, full-service law firm with decades of experience representing survivors of traumatic and catastrophic events. Our dedicated attorneys are committed to ensuring the best results for our clients through persistence and compassionate representation. With 10 offices in 9 states, Slater Slater Schulman has achieved successful resolutions in some of the most challenging cases in the nation. We have considerable experience with complex, historical sexual abuse cases involving massive institutions, including academic, religious, and youth organizations. Our firm also represents clients in litigation involving pharmaceutical drugs, product liability, environmental law, employment and labor law, medical malpractice, and personal injury, and has proudly represented thousands of World Trade Center survivors. Learn more at sssfirm .

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SOURCE Slater Slater Schulman LLP

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