$7 Million Settlement in Christian Brothers Abuse Lawsuit
Thirteen men who say they were abused by Christian Brothers at Briscoe Memorial School in Kent, WA have agreed on a $7 million settlement with the Christian Brothers and the Seattle Archdiocese. The men were sexually abused and physically abused at the school during the 1960s. The school is now closed. If you have been the victim of abuse, contact a lawyer at The Schmidt Firm LLP for a Christian Brothers abuse lawsuit. We can help you get the compensation you deserve.
The Christian Brothers, also known as the Irish Christian Brothers, are a Catholic order that originally formed in Ireland. They were responsible for hundreds of boarding schools, orphanages, and schools for the evangelizing and education of children. Recently, the organization was sued for systemically covering up sexual and physical abuse of children. Brothers who abused children were rarely punished; instead, they were simply moved to other schools.
Scandals in the United States, at Briscoe Memorial School and O’Dea High School in Seattle, have resulted in the organization settling with victims of abuse for millions of dollars.
The $7 million settlement at Briscoe is yet another chapter in an ongoing sexual abuse scandal involving the Catholic church. The Roman Catholic Archdiocese owned Briscoe, and hired the Christian Brothers to run it. Though the Christian Brothers is a Catholic order, the Brothers are not ordained priests. The Archdiocese paid $1.25 million of the settlement; the Brothers paid $3.63 million, and insurance covered the rest of the settlement.
A second lawsuit settled in November, 2011, for $7.15 million. This case was also brought against the Seattle Archdiocese and the Christian Brothers, by eleven men who said that they were physically and sexually abused there during the 1950s.
Briscoe Memorial School was a boarding school that opened in 1909 and closed in 1970. According to many children who attended the school, there was a culture of physical abuse, sexual abuse, and fear. A lawyer for the abused cited evidence that boys had complained to school officials about molestation, Brothers had been removed for molesting children, and correspondence that showed school officials discussing the abuse.
The Christian Brothers recently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, which makes them the second Catholic order to do so in the United States. The Jesuits of the Northwest have also filed for bankruptcy; their organization is much larger than the Christian Brothers, and they face more than 200 lawsuits brought by victims of sexual abuse. Many see the Christian Brothers’ move for bankruptcy as a way to stop the wave of sexual abuse lawsuits and protect financial assets in Rome. It seems highly unlikely that the only abuse occurred at two schools in Seattle. The Christian Brothers were a nation-wide organization, operating dozens of Catholic schools in all major regions if the United States.
How do I contact a Lawyer for a Christian Brothers Abuse Lawsuit?
The Schmidt Firm, LLP is currently accepting Christian Brothers abuse cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know has been sexually and/or physically abused at a school, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Christian Brothers Abuse Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
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