Florida Personal Injury Lawyers Blog
Attorneys that have brought a lawsuit against the Boy Scouts of America have released statements that they have turned up allegations of sexual abuse against more than 350 people not previously identified in files released by the organization.
Lawyers with the Abused in Scouting group filed a lawsuit Monday in Philadelphia Common Pleas Court, alleging a one-time scout leader sexually abused a minor identified only by initials.
The suit claims that the abuse of the then-12- or 13-year-old victim by an assistant scout leader started around 1974 or 1975 and continued until about 1980.
It also alleges that the lawyers received other accusations of abuse from their clients against more than 350 people involved with the scouts who had not previously been named.
The Irving, Texas-based scouts compiled so-called ineligible volunteer files for years on people considered to pose a risk of abuse, and about 5,000 of these files have been made public as a result of court action.
Monday’s suit is claiming that the lawyers now have hundreds of names that were not in those public files. It does not list the names.
The lawsuit states that the Boy Scouts Defendants are attempting to hide the true nature of their cover-up and the long running pedophilia epidemic within their organizations.
The lawsuit comes as states have begun changing their statutes of limitations to make it easier for long-ago victims of sexual assault can seek damages in court.
The Boy Scouts have said previously that when any volunteer is added to the database for suspected abuse, “they are reported to law enforcement, removed entirely from any Scouting and prohibited from rejoining anywhere.”
The sexual abuse settlements have begun to strain the Boy Scouts’ finances to the point where the organization has said it’s exploring “all available options,” including Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
The Boy Scouts of America are one of the largest organizations for youth across the United States. The Boy Scouts have nearly 2.1 million youth participants as well as 1 million adults who support the programming by offering their time as volunteers.
The Boy Scouts of America is supposed to be a safe place for youth to learn, play and socialize, but leaders and mentors are not always the trusted mentors they are supposed to be. As this lawsuit points out, sadly, not all adults affiliated with the Boy Scouts have acted in a lawful and appropriate manner. Allegations of abuse run rampant among this association and has wreaked havoc on the lives of young boys throughout the United States. When sexual abuse occurs, a civil lawsuit can help victims and their families heal while providing the resources to get the help that may be needed.
When it comes to allegations of sexual abuse of a young boy in the Boy Scouts, the abuser is not the only person that can be held accountable in a civil lawsuit. The Boy Scouts as an organization will have to bear responsibility when it comes to injuries and damages suffered by a child in the Boy Scouts at the hands of an adult who is affiliated with the organization. Due to the fact that The Boy Scouts of America is a legal entity that has a responsibility to take all reasonable steps to keep the youth in their charge safe, if a child is sexually abused by adults associated with its programming, they are technically legally liable.
When sexual misconduct occurs, they are breaching their recognized responsibility, so both the abuser and the organization itself can be sued in a civil lawsuit to recover financial compensation for injuries, damages, and losses suffered by the young victim of sexual abuse.
When it comes to protecting you or your child’s rights after sexual abuse has occurred with the Boy Scouts, the first step is to schedule an initial consultation with our Florida Sexual Abuse Injury Attorneys at Whittel & Melton. We are available 24/7, every single day of the year.
Our team of knowledgeable, dedicated and compassionate lawyers will do everything in our power to help survivors of childhood sexual abuse. If you or your loved one has been the victim of sexual abuse within the Boy Scouts of America, we urge you to contact us today so that we can launch an immediate investigation into your case and get you the full and fair financial compensation that you deserve.
There is no charge for an initial consultation with a our Florida Sexual Abuse Injury Attorneys at Whittel & Melton. During a your initial meeting with us, our attorneys will explain your rights and various tactics that can be used to obtain favorable judgment in cases that involved the sexual abuse of a young child.