The money will go to about 300 people from the civil suit….
The avergae payout would be about $300,000 per person….
The state had extended the civil statute of limitations for the plaintiffs ….
The Diocese of Camden, N.J., said on Tuesday that it had agreed to pay $87.5 million to settle claims made by hundreds of people who accused clergy members of sexually abusing them, one of the largest such settlements involving the Catholic Church in the United States.
In what may be a first for such litigation, the ultimate payout to the plaintiffs could be substantially higher, lawyers representing them said, because the settlement allows for further litigation against insurance companies for the diocese and related entities like parishes and schools.
“This is a triumph of courage, with all credit to the survivors for staying unified and strong,” Jeff Anderson, a lawyer for about a quarter of the roughly 300 plaintiffs, said.
In a statement announcing the settlement, Bishop Dennis J. Sullivan, the leader of the diocese, said, “I want to express my sincere apology to all those who have been affected by sexual abuse in our diocese.”…
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The Camden diocese is one of about 30 dioceses and Catholic orders in the United States to file for bankruptcy, according to the website BishopAccountability.org, which tracks abuse cases against the church.
In New York, the dioceses in Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and Rockville Centre on Long Island have also filed for bankruptcy. All face multiple abuse claims, as do New Jersey’s other four dioceses….