Pennsylvania Priest Sexual Abuse
$16.6M paid to 134 Claimants in the Catholic Diocese of Erie, Pennsylvania
Attorney Steve Boyd began investigating Clergy sexual abuse in 1993 and has handled ten of hundreds of cases against the catholic diocese. Survivors of Catholic clergy sexual abuse in Pennsylvania have filed complaints against 585 priests, deacons, seminarians, and nuns—including a Cardinal and a Bishop. More than 1,000 victims filed complaints of abuse spanning over 70 years. If a priest has abused you or a member of your family, you’ll need a trusted and experienced personal injury lawyer to fight for your rights. Survivors of Catholic clergy sexual abuse in Pennsylvania filed complaints against 585 priests, deacons, seminarians, and nuns—including a Cardinal and a Bishop. More than 1,000 survivors filed complaints of abuse spanning over 70 years. If a priest has abused you or a member of your family, you’ll need a trusted and experienced personal injury lawyer to fight for your rights.
Our Process
If a priest has abused you or a family member, you’ll need a team of knowledgeable and experienced attorneys to take on the perpetrator who caused you harm and the institution that protected or enabled the perpetrator. Attorney Steve Boyd has extensive experience winning cases for survivors of priest sexual abuse. He is ready to meet with you for a free, confidential consultation.
Our legal team will:
- Provide a free case review
- Identify & secure critical evidence
- Protect the privacy of the survivor
- Locate & interview key witnesses
- Hold the perpetrator & institution accountable
- Travel to you & other possible injured parties
Results
$3.125 Million
secured for crash victim
$2 Million
recovered for a family in high-speed collision
Our top priority is to protect your confidentiality when working with our legal team. We aim to inform you of your legal rights without pressuring you to take any action until you are ready. Our team is trained in trauma-informed practices and will maintain strict confidentiality of all details related to your case. You can trust that we will take every necessary step to safeguard your identity, including filing your case under the name John Doe or Jane Doe.
Prevalence of Pennsylvania Clergy Abuse
- 585 Pennsylvania clerics have been accused of abusing 1,000+ individuals over the past 70+ years
- One Diocese of Erie priest admitted to abusing at least a dozen boys
- A Diocese of Harrisburg priest abused 5 sisters from 1 family
- A 2018 grand jury report revealed dozens of predator priests in the following dioceses: Erie, 41; Allentown, 37; Greensburg, 20; Harrisburg, 45; Pittsburgh, 99; Scranton, 59
- The report said it reviewed allegations in half a million pages of church documents that were available to church leadership, and the grand jury suspects there are thousands of victims
- The investigation noted that the victims are “marked for life. Many of them wind up addicted, or impaired, or dead before their time.” (NPR.org, 2018)
What Happened to Abusive Priests In Pennsylvania?
- Instead of holding abusers responsible, the Catholic Church protected abusive priests by relocating them to other parishes, siding with abusive priests, covering up abuse, and failing to report the abuse to law enforcement
- Church Leaders have not been held accountable and some have even been promoted
- The 2018 grand jury report notes that Cardinal Donald Wuerl, who previously served as Bishop in Pittsburgh, allegedly moved abusive priests to other parishes without disclosing the abuse
- Archbishop Anthony Bevilacqua of Philadelphia (deceased) was accused by another grand jury of protecting abusive priests
- Only 2 of the 300+ clergy identified in the 2018 report were criminally charged
FAQs on Priest Sexual Abuse in Pennsylvania
How soon should I speak to a lawyer if I’ve been sexually abused by a Pennsylvania priest?
First and foremost, if you’ve suffered abuse by a priest or anyone else, please seek medical and mental health care support as soon as possible. If the abuse was recent or is still going on, it needs to be stopped immediately. If you need help reporting the abuse to the proper authorities to ensure your safety, please call us. We would be happy to help guide you through this process.
After your immediate needs are taken care of, then reach out to us for a confidential and free consultation. We have extensive experience fighting for survivors of priest sexual abuse and will treat your case with the utmost sensitivity, privacy, and expertise.
How much is my case worth if I was abused by a priest in Pennsylvania?
Every case is different, and many clergy abuse cases are being settled before going to trial. The process is complicated, and it’s more complex as a result of the COVID pandemic. It takes an experienced attorney to proceed with a claim for damages. Contact Steve Boyd, PC, today for a free, confidential case evaluation.
How much does it cost to hire an injury attorney for a priest sexual abuse case in Pennsylvania?
You don’t pay any legal fees until we win or settle your case. We review your case for free. When a settlement or verdict is reached, then our legal fee is calculated as a percentage of the total amount recovered. If you call us today to schedule a consultation, it’s free.
News & Updates
-
Baltimore’s Archdiocese Attempts to Turn Its Back on Abuse Survivors.
Baltimore’s Archdiocese avoids litigation Last Friday, Baltimore’s Archdiocese took an aggressive step to protect its secrets, money, and assets. It filed for Chapter 11 in federal bankruptcy court to avoid litigation by potentially thousands of claims related to its failure to protect children from predator priests. The Archdiocese hopes this move will limit its liability…
-
Largest Reported NY School Abuse Settlement—$3.5 Million for one survivor.
A $3.5 Million sexual abuse settlement for one survivor was secured by attorney Leah Costanzo and the team at Steve Boyd, PC. Steve Boyd, PC, is proud to announce that partner Leah Costanzo represented four of the five plaintiffs who secured $8.4 million in settlements against the Cheektowaga Maryvale Union Free School District. Including the…
Sources:
https://www.goerie.com/story/news-updates//state/2021/07/21/clergy-abuse-pa-supreme-court-sets-back-victims-spares-erie-diocese-catholic-church-scandal/8043158002 | https://www.bishop-accountability.org/accused-by-state-pa | https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/14/us/catholic-church-sex-abuse-pennsylvania.html | https://www.abuselawsuit.com/church-sex-abuse/pennsylvania/