Clergy Abuse Settlements: How Is Compensation Calculated?

In clergy abuse settlements, compensation is calculated by considering specific circumstances surrounding the abusive treatment a victim endured, including their age, duration of the abuse, and whether they incurred any medical costs.

Clergy abuse settlements can be instrumental in helping individuals who a member of a religious order has victimized get the care they need to cope. An Atlanta clergy abuse lawyer can assist you in building a strong case that commands compensation if a member of the clergy has abused you.

Receiving a settlement in a clergy abuse case can provide you with the financial resources necessary to receive the counseling you need to move forward.  A lawyer can advocate for you, ensuring they account for all your losses when calculating your compensation.

Factors That Impact Compensation in Clergy Abuse Cases

When calculating compensation in clergy abuse settlement cases, we often consider personal injury case general and special damages, such as the following, to determine how much you’re due.

The time leading up to your abuse, the actual mistreatment you endured, and what happened in the aftermath, such as the following, may all shape calculations of compensation in your clergy abuse case:

• The age at which the actual abuse began and concluded
• Contributing factors to your abuse (i.e., were you subjected to a lengthy, orchestrated grooming process leading up to it)
• The actual inappropriate treatment your abuser inflicted upon you
• Any efforts the clergy member who abused you may have taken to cover up what they did

Economic and Noneconomic Losses Recoverable as Part of Clergy Abuse Settlements

Clergy abuse survivors are often entitled to compensation for the following economic damages:

• Medical expenses (which may include therapy and prescription drug costs)
• Lost wages and future lost earnings

If someone abused you, you may also be eligible to receive compensation for noneconomic damages such as:

• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Loss of consortium
• Loss of enjoyment of life

There is currently no cap that applies to any of the above losses in Georgia. So, if a priest abused you as a child, you may be able to secure compensation for all losses you’ve had since then. A cap on punitive damages in Georgia applies. However, juries rarely award these damages, except under exceptional circumstances.

Additional Methods Used to Calculate Compensation Due to Victims of Clergy Abuse

There are a few steps clergy abuse lawyers in Atlanta like ours will often take to ensure our clients receive maximum compensation for their losses, including:

• Bringing in medical and other professionals to analyze a victim’s existing losses and anticipate future ones they may have based on the treatment they endured or diagnoses they may have received
• Performing comparative analyses to identify clergy abuse settlements in similar cases

While most attorneys attempt to settle cases like this outside of court, it’s not uncommon for the abuser or the entity they worked for to deny liability. Alternatively, they may offer a lower settlement than is needed to compensate you for your losses. In these cases, going to trial may be necessary.

Clergy abuse lawyers like ours will often take any previous calculations of compensation and present those at trial. If a jury rules in your favor, they’ll have a justification for awarding a clergy abuse settlement of a set amount we request.  

Notable Nationwide Clergy Abuse Settlements

Some of the most notable settlements involving clergy abuse, such as the following, have centered around sexually inappropriate behaviors committed by Catholic priests:

• In October 2024, the L.A. Catholic Church agreed to a $1.5 billion payout for clergy abuse
• In September 2024, the New York Catholic diocese reached a $323 million settlement with sex abuse victims

The above examples are only representative of two settlements clergy abuse victims have recovered in recent years. The awards have become increasingly higher over the years as the scale of the abusive treatment that was occurring has become clearer.

While some claimants have taken legal action in an individual capacity with the assistance of a clergy abuse lawyer, others have joined class action suits. Your attorney can explain the pros and cons of both legal options when you have your initial consultation with them.

Our Clergy Abuse Lawyers Can Help You Seek Justice

We understand how significant of an impact abuse can have on a victim’s life. It might have taken away your innocence when you were very young, tainting your perspective on individuals in a position of authority. And, if you endured abuse as an adult, it may have left you with a legacy of mistrust for others.

Healing your inner child and learning to trust others can require much time and effort in therapy. Thus, getting the care you need can be costly. A clergy abuse settlement can help you afford it. 

Holding your abuser or someone else who was permissive of such treatment accountable may be an option for you. Our lawyers can advise you whether you’re eligible to receive a clergy abuse settlement and, if so, help you calculate compensation. Contact John Foy & Associates for a free consultation.