Nadrich Accident Injury Lawyers represents those who have suffered sexual abuse at the hands of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Call us today for a free, confidential consultation if you or a loved one was inappropriately touched or sexually abused by a member of the Mormon church, including a bishop, elder, Scoutmaster or missionary.
Recent lawsuits allege that a systemic coverup is going on by leadership in the Mormon church of sexual abuse by Mormon church members. The LDS sexual abuse lawsuits make claims such as the Mormon church allowing a known pedophile priest to get reinstated as a priest. Another recent lawsuit alleges that a nine-year-old boy was abused by a church elder, and when the victim’s aunt and mother reported this abuse to the stake’s bishop, the bishop did nothing.
Child sexual abuse by the Mormon church needs to stop. Sexual abusers as well as the church leaders and church officials who protect them must be held accountable. We will hold them accountable for our clients.
Our law firm has been handling sexual abuse lawsuits since 1990 and has recovered over $750,000,000 for our clients. We have extensive experience handling sexual abuse claims just like yours and this experience will allow us to recover the justice and compensation you deserve.
We will handle your Mormon lawsuit on a contingency fee basis, which means that we will not charge any fee until and unless we recover compensation for you. You won’t be facing any upfront fees or out-of-pocket fees, since our only fee is a percentage of whatever we recover.
By mustering up the bravery to tell us your story, you can not only secure justice and compensation for yourself but encourage others to come forward, help to reform the Mormon church and prevent future abuse. Our experienced, compassionate legal team is ready to hear your story. Call us today for a free, confidential case evaluation, text us from this page or fill out this page’s free case evaluation form if you or a loved one was inappropriately touched or sexually abused by a member of the Mormon church.
Sex Abuse Is Common Within the Mormon Church
It is sad that the precise number of child sex abuse cases involving the Mormon church, which is headquartered in downtown Salt Lake City, will probably never be known. Mormon communities can be very closely knit. This can make it difficult for victims to talk about sexual abuse committed by church members.
There are numerous reasons why childhood sexual abuse victims may prefer to remain silent about their abuse, such as:
- Fear of retaliation
- Feelings of guilt and shame
- Believing they are to blame for the abuse
- Fear of excommunication from the church
- Fear of needing to face their abuser at trial
- Worrying about publicity
Sometimes, abuse victims may not remember a lot, if anything, regarding things that happened while they were young. Sometimes, the only clues that people have suffered sexual abuse as a child are struggles they endure later in their life, like:
- Eating disorders
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Mental health problems
- Substance abuse
- Feelings of shame and guilt
- Problems with relationships
- Mood swings
What is clear, though, is that the lawsuits filed in recent years show that sexual abuse by the Mormon church may be frighteningly common. Some of these sex abuse claims allege not only sexual abuse, but that the LDS church has attempted to cover up the abuse or even attempted to protect abusers.
One high profile Mormon lawsuit involved Michael Jensen, who got convicted in West Virginia of numerous child abuse counts. Multiple families sued the LDS church, alleging it covered up this abuse and protected Jensen. Jensen is now in prison after being convicted of abusing several families’ young children.
Another high-profile case involves charges against a Mormon bishop alleging the sexual abuse of two different girls over many years. The plaintiffs claim the LDS church failed to do enough to prevent this bishop from abusing the children because he was apparently known to be an offender.
A December 2023 Associated Press investigation illuminated church leadership actions which seem to be typical regarding how the LDS church usually handles allegations of sexual abuse.
A victim reported to a church director that she had been sexually abused by her father as a child. The father had already confessed his actions to a church bishop. The bishop called a church help line, and the father got kicked out of the church afterward.
After the excommunication, the abuse victim reported her abuse to the police. However, church leaders told the victim that the church bishop could not testify about the father’s confession due to clergy-penitent privilege, a state law. Because the father admitted guilt in a confessional setting, church leaders had no obligation to report it under state law.
Because of this, without the bishop’s testimony, prosecutors dropped the case.
The victim was then offered a $300,000 settlement by the church. The settlement mandated she sign a nondisclosure agreement and agree not to pursue any further legal action regarding the abuse against the church. Because of this, the abuser is still practicing dentistry in the community without punishment, restriction or accountability for his behavior.
LDS Church Sex Abuse Allegations Timeline
1980s and 1990s
The first allegations of abuse within Mormon communities are seen. They often involve members or local leaders. Some lawsuits allege that leaders with the church didn’t report sexual abuse to the proper authorities, instead relying on internal discipline.
1997
Former Arizona LDS bishop Frank Curtis is accused of committing sexual abuse upon his daughters for numerous years. This case raises questions regarding if the allegations were properly addressed by church leaders.
2003
A lawsuit is settled by the LDS church. The lawsuit involved a former missionary who claimed he got sexually abused by a mission president. This case highlights concerns regarding abuse in the missionary program of the church.
2007
A lawsuit alleges that a former Oregon church leader committed sexual abuse upon a child. It was claimed by the plaintiff that the church didn’t take action which was appropriate.
2012
The Mormon church faced criticism for how it handled sexual abuse cases when a leaked recording revealed a leader with the church telling a victim not to report their abuse to authorities.
2015
Allegations emerge in West Virginia of a former bishop sexually abusing a minor. This case led to questions regarding church policies regarding the reporting of abuse.
2018
The Mormon church faces a lawsuit claiming that a former employee of the church sexually abused a minor during an event sponsored by the church. Concerns were raised by this case regarding church liability in incidents like these.
2020
The Mormon church faced scrutiny when a former member claimed she got sexually abused by her dad, a church leader, claiming the church didn’t act on her allegations.
2021
A lawsuit got filed against the Mormon church in Montana. It alleges that a former leader in the church sexually abused a minor. The plaintiff claimed the church was aware of this abuse but failed to report it.
2022
The LDS church gets named in a lawsuit claiming that a missionary sexually abused another missionary during service. This case highlighted concerns regarding church oversight of the missionary program.
2023
The Mormon church faced renewed criticism when investigative reports uncovered claims of cover-ups of sexual abuse by the church. The reports claimed that leaders in the church commonly failed to report sexual abuse to the authorities, instead dealig with cases internally.
2025
There are rumors of a global Mormon church settlement swirling. Attorneys are continuing to seek financial compensation for victims of sexual abuse at the hands of the LDS church.
Who Is Eligible to File a LDS Sex Abuse Lawsuit?
If you were sexually abused or inappropriately touched by a member of the LDS church, you are likely eligible for a lawsuit.
Statutes of limitations might vary from state to state, but states such as California allow you to file a lawsuit regardless of how much time has passed.
Contact an attorney at our law firm today and we can determine whether you are eligible to file a lawsuit.
How the LDS Church Responds to Child Abuse Allegations
The LDS church claims it prioritizes stopping abuse and assisting victims upon learning of abuse. It claims they have a zero-tolerance policy for abuse, and fully cooperate with civil authorities in order to investigate abuse allegations. It claims offenders will face discipline by the church, who may kick them out.
The church claims it has installed adequate windows in new meeting houses, classrooms and chapels so church officials and children are visible from outside. The church has stated that a new policy has been implemented where a minimum of two adult leaders must be present for teaching and youth activities.
Bishops are encouraged by the church to scour and review records of those who get considered to work with kids.
The church points out it has had a 24-hour hotline open since 1995 which aims to help local leaders get in touch with legal professionals and professional counselors to make sure the church is in compliance with local laws regarding the reporting of abuse.
The church claims that it sometimes offers to pay for abuse victims’ counseling.
However, do these promises reflect the reality of the situation? Recent lawsuits allege they don’t. Recent lawsuits allege the church tends to try to cover up abuse instead.
It seems like when local leaders like bishops abuse children, there isn’t anyone who can hold them accountable locally. Church leaders can possibly continue abusing children undisturbed because of their seniority. While they oversee others, it’s not clear who oversees them on a local basis.
There are also claims that the 24-hour hotline isn’t helping victims, but is instead helping the LDS church avoid lawsuits and liability. The church is being accused of routing calls to the hotline to their lawyers instead of reporting abuse to authorities.
The Average Settlement for a Sex Abuse Lawsuit
Clergy sexual abuse claim settlements can range from $200,000 to millions of dollars. However, the value of your case could be higher or lower than this range, and will depend upon numerous factors.
These factors include:
Abuse Severity
The severity and extent of abuse can impact settlement amounts significantly. More severe abuse can lead to more compensation.
Abuse Duration
One factor is how long the abuse occurs for. Repeated or prolonged instances of abuse can lead to bigger settlements.
Emotional Distress
The psychological and emotional impact upon the survivor is a factor. The sizes of settlements are often impacted by emotional distress.
Medical Costs
A settlement may include compensation for medical expenses which are abuse-related, like counseling and therapy.
Lost Income
Survivors may lose income due to abuse and this can impact settlement sizes.
Survivor Age
The survivor’s age when the abuse occurred as well as at the time of the lawsuit can influence the size of a settlement. Minors and vulnerable people may receive more compensation.
Impact on the Life of the Survivor
Abuse can profoundly impact victims’ lives. Long-term psychological and emotional effects can happen, and these can impact settlement sizes.
Witnesses and Evidence
Witness availability and evidence strength can impact the chances of success and the sizes of settlements.
Negotiation Skills
The experience and skills of lawyers involved in the negotiation process can impact the size of any settlement negotiated.
Jurisdiction
Laws about compensation and clergy abuse can vary based on jurisdiction, so the size of a settlement can be impacted by where the lawsuit gets filed.
Insurance Coverage
How much insurance the religious institution holds can affect a settlement size.
The Institution’s Financial Resources
An institution’s financial strength can impact the size of any settlement the institution pays out.
Public Perception
Negotiations may be impacted by any potential impact on the institution’s public reputation. An institution may be inclined to settle in order to avoid any negative publicity.
Statute of Limitations for Mormon Abuse Lawsuits
There is often a deadline to file a lawsuit over Mormon abuse. Historically, a lot of abuse victims haven’t been able to file lawsuits because they failed to come forward in time. However, legal reforms in many states have given survivors new opportunities.
States such as California, Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York, Louisiana, Illinois, Washington and Oregon have eliminated or extended the statute of limitations regarding sex abuse lawsuits in some circumstances:
- “Lookback windows” have been enacted by California which temporarily remove the time limit for claims which are older.
- The Child Victims Act was implemented by New York. It opened a similar lookback window for victims to file a lawsuit regardless of how long ago the abuse happened.
- Pennsylvania and Maryland are considering or have recently passed legislation to provide survivors with additional time to file lawsuits.
These legal changes allow survivors to file Mormon abuse lawsuits even when the abuse happened many decades ago.
We are familiar with the statutes of limitations regarding these cases in all 50 states. Call us today for a free, confidential consultation if you or a loved one are wondering if you are eligible to file a lawsuit.
How a Mormon Church Sexual Abuse Attorney Can Help
Nadrich Accident Injury Lawyers represents sexual abuse victims. We know how these cases are of a sensitive nature and commit ourselves to providing aggressive, yet compassionate legal representation to abuse survivors.
Our experienced team of lawyers dedicate themselves to protecting their clients’ rights and helping them to recover the compensation and justice they deserve. We provide a wide range of services to abuse survivors, including:
- Free, confidential consultations: We give survivors a supportive, safe environment to tell their stories and explore legal options.
- Thorough investigations: We do thorough investigations in order to collect evidence and build strong cases for survivors.
- Legal representation: Our lawyers represent clients in every stage of the lawsuit process, from filing a lawsuit to negotiating a settlement and litigating a case at trial.
- Guidance and support: We provide guidance and support to clients through the whole process, helping them to navigate the legal system’s complexities.
- Advocacy: Our lawyers advocate for the rights of our clients and tirelessly work to hold abusers accountable.
Contact a Clergy Sex Abuse Lawyer Today
Our attorneys have been handling sexual abuse cases for over three decades and have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for clients.
If you or a loved one was abused by a member of the LDS church, we’re inviting you to work with our committed, compassionate lawyers to move towards recovery and seek justice. Our legal team will give you an ear and listen to your story compassionately while explaining legal options to you. Our team is trauma-informed, sensitive and knows how strong you have to be to report your abuse. We commend you for sharing your story. We can illuminate the truth together, encourage change, and give others the power to report their abuse.
As additional abuse survivors speak up, fewer institutions like the LDS church will be capable of hiding abuse. It can be tough to heal from your abuse. However, our legal team believes compensation can provide victims with a degree of closure. It would be our privilege to fight for justice on your behalf.
Call us today for a free consultation if you or a loved one was inappropriately touched or sexually abused by an LDS church member. Remember: no fee will be charged until and unless we win your case.
