Confidential settlements in sexual abuse cases are a common way for our clients in Arizona to maintain their privacy while seeking a measure of closure. This legal agreement would shield you from public scrutiny while providing you with the financial resources you need to move past this difficult situation.
If you have never heard of a confidential settlement, you are not alone. The experienced personal injury attorneys at Phillips Law Group can help you understand how these contracts work in sexual abuse cases.
Confidential settlements are a legal contract where survivors receive compensation in exchange for keeping the details of their case, identity, and settlement amount private. Typically, you will be asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) legally binding you not to discuss the allegations in the future.
Yes. The contracts or “gag orders” protect your privacy and eliminate the need for the stresses of going to trial, where you would likely have to relive your trauma with each retelling of the abuse. You will also receive faster, guaranteed compensation without the uncertainties of court that you can use to seek therapy or whatever you need to recover and rebuild your life.
Yes. Confidential settlements in sexual abuse cases potentially limit public accountability because there is no admission of wrongdoing by the defendant. That means that what happened to you can happen to someone else, particularly in a case of institutional misconduct.
Schools, religious organizations, and some employers want to protect their reputation, and a confidential settlement achieves this for them. These institutions cannot preemptively request that you sign an NDA prior to a dispute arising, though.
Signing a confidential settlement agreement will limit you from openly discussing what happened to you. However, it does not prevent you from speaking with law enforcement, participating in court proceedings, and mental health professionals, regardless of the settlement terms. Arizona has a strong clergy-penitent privilege, and our Supreme Court ruled that communications made to religious officials during confession may be protected in these matters.
While we did scratch the surface of this topic, most of our clients need additional assistance understanding confidential settlements in sexual abuse cases. Reach out to Phillips Law Group now to coordinate your free, no-obligation consultation with a member of our compassionate team.
This is the ideal time to discuss your concerns confidentially. Our attorneys have collectively served our community for more than 30 years and you are important to us. Let us help you pursue compensation when the criminal system falls short.
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