At Steve Boyd, PC, we listen to you, fight for you, and we get results.
At Steve Boyd, PC, we listen to you, fight for you, and we get results.
Survivors of priest sexual abuse in Buffalo carry a burden that no one should have to carry alone. What happened was not your fault, and the pain it caused, whether years ago or more recently, is real, valid, and deserving of justice. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo became the center of one of the largest clergy abuse scandals in New York State, and many survivors are still searching for answers, accountability, and a path forward.
A priest sexual abuse lawyer in Buffalo at The Law Offices of Steve Boyd, PC, understands what you are facing. Our team listens without judgment, handles every detail of your case with care, and pursues the accountability and compensation you deserve under the law. Call us at (716) 600- 0000 for a free, confidential case review.
Buffalo Priest Sexual Abuse Lawyer
Why Buffalo Survivors Choose Steve Boyd, PC
Choosing an attorney to handle a priest’s sexual abuse case is one of the most consequential decisions a survivor will make. The firm you select should have a proven record in this specific area, the resources to take on a powerful institution, and the personal commitment to see your case through.
At The Law Offices of Steve Boyd, PC, every aspect of how we work, from the first call to the final resolution, is built around the needs of survivors. We can explain your options plainly, answer every question you have, and let you set the pace. Our Buffalo priest sexual abuse attorneys approach every case with care and without judgment, because we understand that coming forward is not easy, and many survivors have never spoken about what happened to anyone at all.
Experience That Makes a Difference
Steve Boyd has dedicated his career to representing survivors of sexual abuse, bringing deep knowledge of institutional liability, how dioceses and their insurers respond to claims, and what it takes to build a case that holds every responsible party accountable.
We have represented more than 700 survivors of childhood sexual abuse, a record that reflects years of dedicated focus on this type of case. That volume is not just a number. It reflects a sustained commitment to this work and the people it serves.
A Record of Results
The results our team has secured reflect that experience. We recovered a $3.5 million settlement for an individual sexual abuse survivor and a separate $2.9 million settlement in another individual survivor case. Every survivor’s story is different, and past results do not guarantee a future outcome, but our track record demonstrates a consistent commitment to recovery.
These examples reflect some of our past cases. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome, as every case depends on its own facts, evidence, and applicable law.
The Buffalo Diocese Priest Abuse Crisis
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The Diocese of Buffalo covers eight counuaties in western New York, and for years it served as a deeply trusted institution for Catholic families across the region. That trust was shattered when the scope of clergy sexl abuse within the diocese became public. Investigations revealed that church leadership had received abuse complaints for decades, but shielded accused priests from accountability, transferred them to new assignments, and concealed the misconduct from law enforcement and the public.
The consequences reached all the way to the New York State Attorney General. In October 2022, the New York Attorney General reached a landmark settlement with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo for mishandling child sexual abuse cases. That settlement required the diocese to implement significant reforms, install independent oversight, and strengthen its procedures for responding to future abuse complaints. It was a formal acknowledgment by the state government that the institution had failed the children in its care.
For survivors in Buffalo and the surrounding communities, that settlement was meaningful, but it was not the end of the road. Individual survivors retained the right to pursue their own civil claims, and the findings from government investigations and public reports may provide important context in some civil cases, depending on the facts involved. Understanding what happened at the diocesan level and how those failures connect to your specific experience is one of the important things a priest sexual abuse lawyer in Buffalo can help you establish.
Who Can Be Held Liable for Priest Sexual Abuse in Buffalo?
Liability in a priest sexual abuse case rarely stops with the individual abuser. New York civil law permits survivors to pursue claims against any party whose intentional acts or negligent omissions contributed to the abuse. That often means the diocese, a specific parish, or a church organization can be held responsible alongside the priest who committed the harm.
Institutional liability typically rests on one of several theories:
- Negligent Hiring: The organization placed a priest in a position of trust without adequate screening.
- Negligent Supervision: Supervisors received complaints or had reason to know about a priest’s conduct and failed to act.
- Negligent Retention: Leadership continued to employ a priest despite warning signs.
In the Buffalo Diocese cases, the documented pattern of transferring accused clergy, rather than removing them, may provide a basis for negligent retention and supervision claims.
Beyond the diocese itself, other entities may share responsibility depending on the facts of your case. Religious Orders, Schools, youth programs, retreat centers, and other institutions where abuse occurred can face liability if they created the conditions that allowed it to happen. Our attorneys at The Law Offices of Steve Boyd, PC, can investigate each case to identify every potentially responsible party and ensure no avenue for recovery is overlooked.
Your Legal Options: Civil vs. Criminal Cases in New York
Survivors often ask whether they should report their abuse to police or pursue a civil lawsuit, or both. These are two distinct legal processes that serve different purposes, and the answer depends on your goals and circumstances.
Criminal Cases
A criminal case is brought by the state, not by you. If law enforcement investigates and a prosecutor decides to file charges, the accused priest faces potential imprisonment, probation, and a criminal record.
The survivor may serve as a witness, but the decision to prosecute rests with the government. Criminal proceedings are subject to their own statute of limitations, which in New York has been extended for sex crimes against minors but still differs from the civil deadline.
Civil Lawsuits
A civil lawsuit is your claim, filed on your behalf, seeking financial compensation for the harm you suffered. According to the U.S. Courts, a civil complaint states the claim the plaintiff is making and the type of relief requested, which can include monetary damages awarded by a judge or jury.
In a priest abuse civil case, compensation can address medical expenses, therapy costs, lost wages, and the profound non-economic harm the abuse caused. The burden of proof in a civil case is lower than in a criminal proceeding, which is one reason civil lawsuits can succeed even when criminal charges were never filed or were dismissed.
Can You Pursue Both?
Yes, criminal and civil proceedings are independent of one another under New York law. A criminal conviction may strengthen a civil case, but a survivor does not need to wait for criminal proceedings to conclude before filing a civil lawsuit. Many survivors pursue civil claims regardless of whether criminal charges are brought, because the civil system is the only avenue for obtaining personal compensation.
Buffalo Priest Sexual Abuse Lawyer
What Compensation May Be Available to Survivors?
Compensation in a priest sexual abuse civil case is meant to address the full scope of the harm a survivor has experienced, not just the immediate physical harm. New York law recognizes three broad categories of damages, such as:
Economic Damages
Economic damages are losses that can be quantified in dollars. These can include the cost of therapy and mental health treatment, both past and ongoing; medical expenses related to physical harm caused by the abuse; lost wages or reduced earning capacity if the trauma affected your ability to work; and any other out-of-pocket costs that flow directly from the abuse. Because survivor trauma frequently requires years of treatment, these figures can be substantial even when the physical injuries alone seem limited.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages address the harms that do not come with a price tag but are no less real. Pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, damage to personal relationships, and the lasting psychological impact of childhood sexual abuse all fall within this category.
Courts and juries in New York recognize that sexual abuse by a trusted authority figure like a priest carries a particularly severe and lasting psychological toll, and awards in these cases can reflect that reality.
Punitive Damages
Punitive damages are not available in every civil case. In certain cases involving intentional misconduct or allegations that an institution knowingly concealed abuse, punitive damages may be available under New York law. Unlike economic and non-economic damages, punitive damages are intended to punish particularly wrongful conduct and deter similar behavior in the future. Whether punitive damages are available depends on the specific facts and circumstances of each case.
New York Statute of Limitations for Priest Abuse Cases
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One of the most common concerns survivors have is whether too much time has passed to take legal action. Under New York Civil Practice Law and Rules § 208(b), civil claims for sexual abuse committed against a person who was under 18 years of age may be brought on or before the plaintiff reaches the age of 55 years, regardless of how long ago the abuse occurred. This provision covers claims against any party whose intentional or negligent acts or omissions contributed to the abuse, not only the individual perpetrator. There are sometimes situations where even older abuse survivors can recover depending upon the circumstances.
Time still matters, even within that extended window. Evidence fades, witnesses become harder to locate, and records can be lost or destroyed. A priest sexual abuse lawyer in Buffalo can evaluate your timeline, preserve critical evidence, and ensure your case is built on a solid foundation. Survivors are encouraged to contact us at (716) 600- 0000 as soon as they are ready, even if years or decades have passed since the abuse.
How Steve Boyd, PC Handles Your Buffalo Priest Abuse Case
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Survivors deserve personal attention from an attorney who understands what is at stake. At The Law Offices of Steve Boyd, PC, our priest sexual abuse lawyer in Buffalo handles every case with the sensitivity and determination it requires. Contact us at (716) 600-0000 for a free, confidential case review.There is no fee unless we recover for you.