Over the past several years, thousands of courageous survivors have come forward with allegations of systemic sexual abuse within the Catholic Church and various other religious organizations, much of which was intentionally concealed by authority figures within those organizations. If you experienced sexual mistreatment from a clergy member, you may well have grounds to file suit against your abuser(s), as well as anyone who facilitated that abuse through negligence or an attempt to protect themselves at the expense of those more vulnerable.
The prospect of publicly naming someone as your abuser can be incredibly intimidating, but you do not have to do it alone. For any legal action you wish to take, you can rely on the compassionate sexual abuse lawyers at Phillips Law Group, all of whom have extensive experience in successfully pursuing Ohio clergy sexual assault lawsuits on behalf of people like you.
Of course, anyone who personally injures a minor child through any form of inappropriate sexual contact or behavior can be held directly liable in a civil lawsuit for damages stemming from their unlawful actions. However, with sexual abuse claims against Ohio clergy members, in particular, it can be vital to consider the role that other leaders and clergy members within the same religious group were supposed to fulfill—and may have failed to fulfill—in proactively protecting children from abuse within that community.
There is substantial legal precedent for holding liable not just individual abusers but also various officials at higher levels of the organization that the abuser represented, sometimes all the way up to a statewide or nationwide level of authority. Beyond ensuring that all responsible parties are held accountable for their misconduct, this can also allow for much greater financial recovery than what would be possible through a claim against a single abuser. This can be key to securing fair reimbursement for lifelong effects of sexual abuse such as lost working capacity and diminished quality of life.
Most states have a special, extended statute of limitations within which people injured through childhood sexual abuse, including by clergy members, can file suit against their abuser(s). Under Ohio Revised Code § 2305.111(C), anyone who was sexually assaulted by an adult before they turned 18 years old has until 12 years after they turn 18—in other words, until their 30th birthday—to sue for damages caused by that abuse.
Unfortunately, adult victims of sexual abuse have just one year to file a civil suit over that abuse, so it is especially important to act quickly over sexual abuse by a clergy member of a person 18 years of age or older. However, that one-year period can start from the date on which the victim first learned—or reasonably should have learned—the identity of their abuser, if some time passed between the last instance of abuse and the moment of identification.
Even if you have extensive evidence to support your claim, Ohio clergy sexual abuse lawsuits can be difficult, on both a legal and a personal level, to even begin—let alone effectively pursue. Fortunately, you can seek help throughout this process from legal professionals who not only have the knowledge and legal experience necessary to ensure your case is as strong as possible but are also unafraid to take that case all the way to trial, if needed, to get you the restitution you deserve.
A member of our team can answer your questions about legal options and offer guidance about possible next steps during a free, no-obligation consultation. Call Phillips Law Group today to schedule yours.