Catholic Church Creates NJ Abuse Survivors Compensation Fund
On Monday, the Catholic Church announced the creation of a compensation fund designated for New Jersey clergy abuse survivors. The New Jersey Compensation Fund for Victims of Church Sexual Abuse of Minors will review claims of clergy abuse and provide a settlement to the survivors when warranted. The group will operate independently without direct involvement from the five dioceses in New Jersey but will collect the funds from the applicable diocese to pay the victim. Kenneth Feinberg who previously ran the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, and Camille Biros who assisted with the clergy abuse victims’ fund in the Archdiocese of New York will head the compensation fund.
An outline of the procedures for filing claims will appear on the website, and in the following month survivors will be able to file claims starting with individuals whose complaints were dismissed in the past, and then for survivors presenting new claims. Survivors will be offered a settlement, which they may accept or decline. If they accept it, they must sign an agreement that ensures they will not sue the diocese. While the effort to compensate survivors of clergy abuse shows a commitment by the Catholic church to own up to the abuse, it still fails to hold abusers accountable for their actions.
If you or a loved one endured sexual abuse by a clergy member, our New Jersey clergy abuse lawyers at the Law Offices of Harold J. Gerr will assist you. Please call us today at 732-537-8570 or toll-free at 877-249-4600 or contact us online to arrange a free case review. We proudly represent clients throughout New Jersey and the municipalities of New Brunswick, Somerset, Piscataway, Edison, South River, Sayreville, Metuchen, East Brunswick, South Plainfield, Fords, Middlesex, Old Bridge, Iselin, Bound Brook, Perth Amboy, and Colonia from our offices in Highland Park, New Jersey.
