Who to sue for sexual abuse in the Catholic Church depends on the circumstances. Potentially liable parties often include the individual abuser, such as a priest or clergy member, as well as the parish, diocese, or larger church institution.
The Catholic Church has a long history of covering up abuse, allowing harm to continue by shielding perpetrators or ignoring warning signs. Survivors seeking justice can work with a Los Angeles clergy sexual abuse lawyer to identify those responsible and hold them accountable.
Legal action provides an opportunity to expose wrongdoing and potentially obtain compensation for damages such as therapy costs and emotional trauma.
Holding Religious Institutions Accountable for Enabling Sexual Abuse
Survivors of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church can take legal action against Church entities such as dioceses, parishes, or related organizations for their role in enabling abusers.
These institutions often bear responsibility for systemic negligence, which creates environments where abuse is allowed to happen or continues unchecked.
Examples of institutional negligence include:
- Failure to conduct thorough background checks: The Church allowed individuals with histories of misconduct or abuse to work in positions of authority and interact with vulnerable populations.
- Ignoring prior complaints or allegations: Church leaders dismissed or covered up reports of misconduct instead of investigating or acting to protect parishioners.
- Transferring abusers who have been reported to new parishes: Clergy accused of abuse were moved to different communities without warning parishioners, which led to further harm.
- Inadequate supervision of clergy: The Church failed to monitor clergy members’ behavior and interactions, even when concerns or complaints had been raised.
Los Angeles sexual abuse lawyers assist survivors by identifying these systemic failures and pursuing legal action. Holding Church institutions accountable allows survivors to address the abuse they suffered on a wider scale, potentially leading to more compensation to cover therapy and other losses.
Compensation Survivors May Recover When They Sue for Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church
Survivors of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church may recover various forms of compensation to help address the harm resulting from the abuse. Through a civil lawsuit, survivors may pursue a verdict or settlement that supports them as they recover and rebuild their lives.
Types of damages survivors can pursue include:
- Therapy and medical expenses: Survivors can seek payment for the costs of therapy, counseling, psychiatric treatment, and other forms of medical care needed to address the long-term effects of the abuse. Reimbursement for past medical bills, such as a hospital bill, may also apply.
- Pain and suffering: Survivors may receive awards for the pain and suffering they experienced and continue to endure due to sexual abuse.
- Loss of earning capacity: If the abuse disrupted the survivor’s education, career, or ability to work, they may pursue compensation for lost wages or reduced earning potential. For example, trauma from the abuse may affect their ability to maintain employment or advance professionally.
- Punitive damages: The court may award damages to punish the responsible party for their egregious behavior and to discourage similar acts in the future.
Los Angeles personal injury lawyers negotiate settlements or represent survivors in trials, seeking court-awarded verdicts.
How Long You Have to Sue for Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church
The laws regarding the statute of limitations for sexual abuse lawsuits in California have undergone significant updates in recent years, providing survivors with expanded opportunities to seek justice.
These changes reflect a growing understanding of the long-term effects of abuse and the time it often takes survivors to come forward. Updates to California’s sexual abuse civil litigation statute of limitations include:
- Assembly Bill 218 (AB 218): This bill amended California Code of Civil Procedure § 340.1 to give survivors of childhood sexual abuse that occurred on or before December 31, 2023, until their 40th birthday, or five years after discovering the psychological injury, whichever is later, to file a lawsuit. This change acknowledges that many survivors may not fully connect their psychological injury to the abuse until years or even decades later.
- Assembly Bill 452 (AB 452): As of January 1, 2024, there is no statute of limitations for cases of childhood sexual abuse that occur on or after this date. This change ensures that survivors, regardless of when they decide to come forward, will always have the opportunity to pursue legal action.
- California Code of Civil Procedure 340.16: Adult survivors of sexual assault are granted a 10-year window from the date of the incident to pursue legal action. Additionally, they have the option to file a claim within three years of recognizing the assault and the harm it caused, accommodating those who come to terms with their psychological injuries at a later time.
- Assembly Bill 2777 (AB 2777): A special “lookback window” was created for adult survivors of sexual abuse that occurred on or after January 1, 2009. Even if the statute of limitations has previously expired, survivors can file claims during this window, which runs from January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2026. This temporary window provides a vital opportunity for those whose cases were previously time-barred to seek justice.
- Cases involving government entities: If your case involves a government entity, you are required to file a government claim typically within six months of the incident. This deadline does not apply to childhood sexual assault. Survivors abused as minors are generally not required to file a government claim and may sue the public entity directly, subject to applicable statutory exceptions.
A sexual abuse attorney can clarify how these laws apply to your specific case and file your lawsuit within the appropriate time frame.
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Our Team of Lawyers Can Help You Sue for Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church
Determining who to sue for sexual abuse in the Catholic Church requires an investigation by an experienced team of attorneys. In many cases, liability extends beyond the abuser to Church institutions, such as dioceses, parishes, or affiliated organizations, that allowed the abuse to occur through negligence or concealment.
At Arias Sanguinetti, we have the experience and dedication to hold negligent institutions and abusers accountable. With over 300 years of combined experience, our team has successfully handled complex and impactful cases.
In the USC Tyndall litigation, Mike Arias and the attorneys of Arias Sanguinetti played a key role in litigation that helped bring national attention to institutional sexual abuse and contributed to expanded access to justice for survivors.
We are committed to helping survivors of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church seek accountability and pursue the compensation they deserve. Contact Arias Sanguinetti today for a confidential consultation.
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