Lawsuit Filed Against the Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America are being sued by former members who claim they were sexually abused during their time in the organization. The plaintiffs, all hailing from outside of New Jersey, are using a new law in the Garden State to file the lawsuit.
New Jersey recently extended the statute of limitations to file a lawsuit related to child sexual abuse to 55 years of age or seven years after the victim realized he or she was the victim of sexual abuse.
Even though the plaintiffs are from Wisconsin, Texas, Arkansas, and Indiana, they believe they have the basis for a lawsuit because the Boy Scouts had its headquarters in New Jersey from 1954 to 1979.
These four former members are just a handful of hundreds, if not thousands, of former scouts who could enter the lawsuit if it moves forward successfully.
An Overview of the Allegations
The allegations against the Boy Scouts of America are damning. The four plaintiffs make the following claims in the lawsuit:
- The organization knew for decades how much of a problem with child abusers it had on its hands
- The Boy Scouts of America kept files that listed names of known or suspected child sexual abusers
- The lawsuit names men that were not previously named in the files kept by the organization
The files in question are known as ineligible volunteer files and were released to the public in 2012 after multiple lawsuits were filed and The Los Angeles Times conducted an investigation.
When asked to comment, the Boy Scouts released the following statement regarding the new allegations and lawsuit:
“We care deeply about all victims of child abuse and sincerely apologize[s] to anyone who was harmed during their time in Scouting.”
The Boy Scouts did not comment on the lawsuit but did encourage those who suspect or know of sexual abuse to report it via their website.
Plaintiff Comes Forward to Discuss Abuse
One of the four plaintiffs named in the lawsuit, David, hails from Amarillo, Texas. He spoke to The Washington Post about the abuse he suffered in his teens as a member of the scouts. David claims that the abuse began between the age of 12 and 13 and the first occurrence came during an overnight trip.
David said an assistant scoutmaster attempted to fondle him one night in his sleeping bag. David was able to run away to another location where he saw other scouts laughing at him. This caused him to realize that everyone else knew what was going on in the organization.
David claims that the assistant scoutmaster abused other members of his group and even witnessed him giving boys oral sex.
“We got to talk about it,” David told The Washington Post. “We’re at a place right now where … we can’t be silent anymore.”
Contact a Chatham Personal Injury Lawyer to Discuss Your Sexual Abuse Case in New Jersey
Did you or a loved one sustain serious injuries due to sexual abuse in New Jersey? Don’t let the medical bills pile up while you wait for the negligent party or their insurance company to do the right thing. Right now, you need an aggressive personal injury attorney on your side, fighting to get you the compensation you need, want, and deserve. The skilled attorneys at Blume Forte Fried Zerres & Molinari represent clients injured because of sexual abuse in Chatham, Jersey City, Sea Girt, North Bergen, and throughout New Jersey. Call 973-845-4421 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a free consultation about your case. We have an office conveniently located at One Main Street in Chatham, NJ 07928 as well as offices in Jersey City, Sea Girt, and North Bergen.
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