If you were the victim of sexual abuse or assault, either as a child or an adult, you have the right to bring a civil lawsuit against both your abuser and any school, company, or organization that might be liable for the abuse.
In this post, we will take a look at sex abuse lawsuits in Connecticut. We will look at the law in Connecticut relevant to sex abuse cases, such as the statute of limitations.
We will also discuss the potential settlement amount that victims see in these cases. If you have a Connecticut sex abuse lawsuit you may want to bring, contact us today for a free consultation at 800-553-8082.
Connecticut Sex Abuse Lawsuits Update
October 22, 2024: Boarding School Sex Abuse Lawsuits
Our lawyers have been reviewing boarding school sex abuse lawsuits. Connecticut, known for its prestigious boarding schools, has faced several serious allegations of sexual abuse at some of its top institutions. Schools like Choate Rosemary Hall in Wallingford were implicated in a 2017 report that detailed decades of abuse, including sexual misconduct by faculty members dating back to the 1960s. Investigations revealed that school officials often allowed accused staff members to quietly resign rather than face legal consequences, a troubling pattern seen in other elite New England schools.
Allegations of sexual abuse have also surfaced at Westover School in Middlebury, where a lawsuit was filed claiming that the administration failed to protect students from abuse by a teacher. These incidents have brought renewed attention to the culture of secrecy and lack of accountability in some boarding schools.
Connecticut hosts many prominent boarding institutions, each with its own rich history. These include Kent School (Kent), Loomis Chaffee (Windsor), The Taft School (Watertown), Hotchkiss School (Lakeville), Avon Old Farms School (Avon), Salisbury School (Salisbury), Miss Porter’s School (Farmington), Cheshire Academy (Cheshire), Pomfret School (Pomfret), and Marvelwood School (Kent).
October 11, 2024: Snapchat Sex Abuse Settlement
A Connecticut state court judge noted in an order that a settlement was reported but not yet withdrawn in a lawsuit against Snap Inc., the company behind Snapchat.
The case involved a minor who was sexually assaulted by two men she met through the platform. The plaintiffs alleged that Snap’s design features contributed to the harm their daughter suffered and that the platform’s features enabled the assaults.
The plaintiffs argued that Snap’s negligence and flawed design created a dangerous environment for minors, citing features like “Quick Add,” which facilitated contact between predators and minors. Snap claimed immunity under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which protects platforms from liability for third-party content, and moved to strike the complaint. The plaintiffs filed a substituted complaint, emphasizing Snap’s role in creating harmful content and targeting their daughter with “predatory features,” thus arguing that the claims were not barred by Section 230.
How much did the case settle for? You can bet that information is going to stay under lock and key.
October 9, 2024: New Lawsuit
A new sex abuse lawsuit filed in federal court involves a plaintiff seeking justice for a pattern of severe and long-term abuse, which she alleges began when she was a teenager. The complaint details how the primary defendant, an older male figure in a religious community, leveraged his position of power to groom and sexually exploit and eventually rape her over several years. As she got older, the methods of abuse became more elaborate, including date rape drugs and other illegal substances.
The legal filing describes a broad and complex cover-up strategy, where additional defendants—associated with the religious group or hired for damage control—engaged in a campaign to tarnish the plaintiff’s credibility. The defendants allegedly employed tactics ranging from spreading false narratives about the plaintiff to using professional investigative services to gather information aimed at undermining her accusations.
This cruel cover-up, according to the complaint, not only sought to shield the primary defendant from accountability but also exacerbated the trauma suffered by the plaintiff, causing her ongoing emotional and psychological harm.
September 23, 2024: Norwich Bankruptcy Causing Frustration
August 28, 2024: Norwich Priest Abuse Lawsuits
July 2, 2024: Mishandling Sexual Assault Lawsuit
June 29, 2024: Norwich Diocese Bankruptcy Plan
The U.S. Supreme Court’s decided this week to stop bankruptcy judges from forcing non-debtor third parties to release claims against other non-debtors.
This could impact that Chapter 11 plan for the Connecticut Roman Catholic Diocese of Norwich. Following the ruling, the creditors committee withdrew a $32 million abuse victim trust proposal and submitted a new plan.
The revised plan seeks to establish an estimated $30 million trust funded by real estate sales, cash reserves, accounts receivable, and a $7 million settlement with another Catholic organization.
The Norwich Diocese filed for bankruptcy in July 2021 under the pressure of clergy abuse lawsuits, claiming $21.3 million in assets and $2.9 million in liabilities at the time.
June 23, 2024: Suicide from Sexual Abuse
June 14, 2024: New Sexual Assault
A former student from North Smithfield has filed a lawsuit against former school administrators, alleging failure to protect her from a sexual assault by an older student in 2017. The student’s lawsuit claims she was sexually assaulted by an 18-year-old male student who had a history of similar behavior. Despite this, the male student was only barred from playing on the football team but was allowed to remain on school grounds unsupervised.
That is bad. But the allegations get worse. Her suit alleges that the the former high school principal, and the vice principal as defendants failed to report the assault to the state authorities as required by law. Following the assault, the vice principal allegedly shamed and threatened this young woman. Eventually, the perpetrator was arrested.
Many sexual predators in these situations otherwise come off a good kids. Adults need to understand that and not reflexively – and evilly if the allegations here are true – side with the perpetrator.
June 4, 2024: Sex Abuse Lawsuit Against Boarding School
A new sex abuse lawsuit was filed in federal court this against Rumsey Hall, a private boarding school. The lawsuit claims that the former Dean of Students at Rumsey Hall, Robert McGrew, sexually abused the plaintiff when he was in 6th grade. The Complaint asserts that the school was aware of red flags and prior incidents involving McGrew and that it was negligent in failing to investigate or remove him.
May 28, 2024: STAR Girls’ Shelter Lawsuit
A new lawsuit in Hartford Superior Court against the operators of the STAR girls’ shelter in Harwinton claims that a woman was sexually assaulted there as a 15-year-old in early 2020, predating the state regulators’ first reported complaints by a year. The plaintiff, now 19, alleges she suffered sexual abuse and neglect at the shelter.
Sex abuse lawsuits against STAR are piling in. This is the fourth sex abuse lawsuit against the now-closed shelter and it is unlikely to be the last. This new sex abuse lawsuit suggest that the shelter’s problems began earlier than previously acknowledged. Despite previous claims of quick investigations by the Department of Children and Families (DCF), the new suit highlights earlier issues.
April 18, 2024: Teachers Charged With Sexual Abuse
Two Connecticut teachers, Andrew Park and James Hansen, were recently arrested on charges of sexually assaulting minors. Park, a former fifth-grade teacher at Strawberry Hill Elementary in Stamford, is accused of groping multiple female students. Hansen, previously a math teacher at Middletown High School, allegedly sexually assaulted a teenager on school premises.
Connecticut legislators are angry and frustrated. They are pushing for stronger policies to enhance reporting and protect students. The focus is on increasing training, ensuring transparency, and improving education on handling such incidents. There have also been instances where school district administrators failed to address complaints adequately, leading to additional scrutiny and arrests.
The state is also addressing gaps in background checks and improving inter-state communication to prevent offenders from continuing to work in education. We have to identify as many bad seeds as possible before they are entrusted with our children. Additionally, the state is enhancing its focus on prevention and response to adult sexual misconduct in schools, recognizing the need for continuous improvement and more robust frameworks to protect students.
March 5, 2024: Call for Legislative Reform
In a compelling editorial from the Hartford Courant, there’s a pressing call for the Connecticut legislature to revisit and reform the statute of limitations pertaining to child sexual abuse cases. Highlighting the gravity of the issue, the editorial shares a heart-wrenching account: a man, for the first time, disclosed that a priest sexually abused him at age 11, a secret he kept until his mother’s death to protect her from guilt. Unfortunately, by the time he was ready to seek legal justice against the responsible church, he had surpassed Connecticut’s statute of limitations, which capped his right to file a lawsuit by his 48th birthday, a mere two days before he opened up about his ordeal.
Such stories are far too common, with many survivors confronting insurmountable obstacles like shame, fear, and complex family dynamics that delay disclosure, often until it’s legally too late. Data from Child USA, analyzing Boy Scouts of America victims, reveals the majority of survivors only disclose abuse in their 50s and beyond, well past Connecticut’s limitation age of 48. Despite a 2019 law extension to 51, this only aids those abused after 2019, leaving earlier victims stranded by the outdated cutoff.
The editorial underscores the need for legislative action to eliminate these restrictive timelines, advocating for a system that allows survivors to seek justice on their own terms, acknowledging the profound and lasting impact of trauma. It questions the fairness of a system where mere days can dictate the validity of one’s pursuit of justice, calling for a more empathetic and informed approach to supporting survivors of childhood sexual abuse in Connecticut.
February 21, 2024: – Snap Dismissed from Sex Abuse Lawsuit
A Connecticut state judge, Superior Court Judge Barbara N. Bellis, dismissed a lawsuit against Snap Inc., which accused the social media platform of linking a minor, identified as C.O., to registered sex offenders who subsequently raped and assaulted her. Despite the plaintiffs’ outrage-evoking circumstances, the dismissal on February 16 relied on Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which protects interactive computer service providers from liability for third-party content. C.O.’s parents had filed the suit, alleging negligence and other claims against Snap after C.O. was assaulted at ages 13 and 14 by Reginald Sharp and Eddie Rodriguez, who were both convicted for their crimes.
Snap argued for dismissal, stating that the plaintiffs’ claims were barred by Section 230 since they treated Snap as a publisher or speaker of third-party content. Judge Bellis agreed, noting that Snap’s features like user recommendation algorithms and the lack of age verification do not remove its status as a publisher protected under Section 230.
The judge expressed regret over the statute’s broad scope but affirmed that without legislative changes, the court’s role is limited. The ruling ended the lawsuit, which also involved Meta Platforms Inc. before it was dropped as a defendant. The plaintiffs had contended that their claims were based on Snap’s failures as a publisher and as a product manufacturer, but the court found all claims legally insufficient due to Section 230’s preemption of state laws inconsistent with its protections.
January 4, 2024 – Sex Abuse Lawsuit Against Hotchkiss School
A former student of the Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, Connecticut has initiated a sex abuse class action lawsuit against the boarding school. The lawsuit alleges a systemic failure on the part of the school to safeguard its students from sexual abuse, specifically highlighting the predatory actions of Roy G. Smith, Jr., a former teacher. The allegations suggest a disturbing pattern of abuse that, according to the lawsuit, was effectively ignored or covered up by the school’s administration to protect its reputation rather than its students.
This legal action follows a 2018 report commissioned by Hotchkiss, which exposed widespread sexual abuse by faculty members and a culture of suppressing student reports.
According to the filed complaint, Smith utilized his roles as an English teacher, dorm parent, and unqualified athletic trainer to sexually abuse the plaintiff and, it is alleged, a significant number of other students over decades. The lawsuit details how Smith’s position allowed him unfettered access to vulnerable students, whom he targeted under the guise of medical treatment and academic tutoring.
The suit seeks to represent all male students who were exposed to the risk of sexual violence by Smith, either through sports teams or under the guise of tutoring in his apartment.
October 20, 2023 – Sex Abuse Victims Get $50,000 for Inadvertent Identity Disclosure
On Friday, a Connecticut federal magistrate judge approved a settlement agreement that allocates $50,000 to each of 129 individuals who alleged abuse within a Catholic diocese that has since declared bankruptcy. Additionally, their identities were inadvertently disclosed by Epiq, a legal solutions firm, during the diocese’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings. This settlement, confirmed by U.S. Magistrate Judge William I. Garfinkel, follows allegations against the company for publishing sensitive claimant information online.
The lawsuit was triggered by Epiq’s mishandling of an unredacted document, which briefly exposed claimants’ personal details. So the victims were victimized twice. This breach led to a $6.45 million settlement to compensate the affected individuals, marking a significant development in the legal aftermath of numerous sexual abuse claims linked to the now-closed Academy at Mount Saint John. Despite Epiq’s argument that the exposure was a result of human error and that it caused no tangible harm, it wisely agreed to settle the claims.
What Constitutes Sex Abuse in Connecticut?
The legal definition of sexual abuse or assault in Connecticut is similar to the definition in most other states. According to Connecticut law, any unwanted and deliberate sexual touching or contact can be categorized as sex abuse, with the touch being deemed “sexual” when involving a person’s intimate body parts and for the purpose of sexual gratification.
In practical terms, sexual abuse encompasses almost any type or level of sexual contact from groping to forcible rape. Two crucial elements must be present to meet the criteria for sexual abuse: (1) “sexual” touching and (2) absence of consent.
The first element, physical or sexual touching, requires actual contact of a sexual nature for an act to qualify as sexual abuse or assault; verbal sexual harassment alone does not mee the definition of abuse.
The second element focuses on consent. The absence of consent is the defining factor across all forms of sexual assault, because the lack of consent is the key. Minors, individuals under 18 years old, lack the legal capacity to provide consent. This means that any sexual touching by an adult involving a minor is inherently considered sexual abuse.
Civil Lawsuits for Sex Abuse in Connecticut
Under Connecticut law anyone who has been the victim of sexual abuse or assault (as defined above) has the right to file a civil lawsuit and seek financial compensation. It should be noted that abuse victims can pursue a civil lawsuit regardless of whether they have filed criminal charges, and even if the abuse was never reported or disclosed at the time it occurred.
To initiate a civil lawsuit for sexual abuse, victims simply need to be willing to provide sworn testimony regarding the details of the sexual abuse or assault. This testimony can be reinforced by additional evidence, such as medical records. Testimony from other witnesses who can attest to the factual aspects of the case may also be presented.
While sexual abuse lawsuits are public record, Connecticut’s civil procedure rules permit victims involved in these types of cases to safeguard their identity by filing under an alias. For instance, if a person named Sally Jones files a sexual abuse lawsuit, she can be referred to as “S.J.” or Jane Doe in the legal pleadings.
Holding Third Parties Liable in Sex Abuse Cases
Connecticut Juvenile Detention Center Sex Abuse Lawsuits
In Connecticut, the state’s juvenile detention facilities are operated by the Juvenile Detention Services (JDS) division of the state Judicial Branch. JDS operates a wide range of residential and outreach programs for juveniles, including secure residential programs across the state. Juveniles who are sentenced to longer terms of incarceration are housed at one of the state’s two Juvenile Residential Centers (i.e., juvenile correctional facilities):
Sexual abuse of inmates at juvenile detention facilities has recently been recognized as a major problem across the country, including Connecticut. In recent years, Connecticut’s two juvenile detention facilities have faced intense scrutiny for their apparent failures to adequately protect inmates from sexual abuse. A number of high-profile cases have highlighted a systemic culture of abuse and neglect in Connecticut’s juvenile justice system.
Back in 2018, the Connecticut Juvenile Training School facility in Middletown was shut down following reports about rampant abuse of inmates and other failures. Also in 2018, a juvenile detention center security guard was arrested and charged with sexually abusing numerous juvenile inmates. This arrest prompted a state investigation into sexual abuse of juvenile inmates. The investigation report detailed numerous shortcomings within the system and the need for major reforms to prevent juveniles from being victimized.
Victims of sexual abuse at Connecticut juvenile detention centers are now fighting back by filing juvenile detention sex abuse lawsuits against the state. These lawsuits seek financial compensation and they contend that the state neglected its basic duty to ensure the safety of juveniles in its detention facilities. Thanks to new laws in Connecticut, victims of abuse in juvenile detention centers can now file civil lawsuits even when the abuse occurred decades in the past.
Residential Treatment Center Sexual Abuse Claims
Victims’ lawyers are drilling down on abuse occurring in residential treatment facilities across Connecticut. What we have learned about some of these facilities is from findings from federal investigations, including those led by Congress. Our sex abuse lawyers have been so focused on clergy and school/detention center lawsuits we initially missed what is happening in residential treatment centers. Now we are taking a closer look and seeing some pretty awful things, many funded by taxpayer dollars.
In particular, we are looking residential treatment centers operated by by Universal Health Services (UHS), Acadia Healthcare, and Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health. These are some of the facilities that are in focus:
- Stonington Institute (Acadia Healthcare) – North Stonington: Acadia known for its treatment of substance abuse and mental health issues, has been the subject of numerous complaints.
- Natchaug Hospital (UHS) – Mansfield Center: Provides psychiatric services to children and adolescents. UHS has faced abuse and neglect allegations.
- Devereux Glenholme School – Washington: A boarding school for students with emotional, behavioral, and learning disabilities. Devereux itself has been embroiled in controversies related to accusations of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse.
These abuse lawsuits seek not only to hold these institutions accountable and secure settlement compensation for the victims, but also to drive systemic reforms. Vulnerable children and adolescents deserve care, safety, and dignity while under the supervision of these taxpayer-funded facilities and these lawsuits push toward that goal.
Connecticut Statute of Limitations for Sex Abuse Lawsuits
Connecticut has one of the more favorable statute of limitation laws for civil lawsuits involving child sexual abuse. Under Connecticut law, victims of childhood sexual abuse, sexual assault or “trafficking” have until the turn 51 to file a civil lawsuit against parties liable for that sexual abuse. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-577d. The 51-year-old birthday rule applies to cases in which the abuse occurred in 2019 or later. However, for sexual abuse that occurred in the past (i.e., prior to 2019) Connecticut law gives victims until the turn 48 to file a civil lawsuit.
The statute does not require the victim to have repressed memories of the abuse in order to take advantage of the extended statute of limitations. Therefore, even if the victim was always aware of the abuse but delayed taking legal action, they can still file a lawsuit within the extended timeframe provided by Section 52-577d.
The appellate courts in Connecticut have also clarified that the relatively new laws extending the statute of limitations for child sex abuse claims applied not just to claims against individual abusers, but also to claims against third parties based on negligence). See Doe v. Boy Scouts of Am. Corp., 147 A.3d 104, 126 (Conn. 2016) (holding that § 52-577d applies to actions against perpetrators and actions against third parties).
Settlement Value of Connecticut Sex Abuse Lawsuits
When deciding how much money you should receive to settle Connecticut sex abuse lawsuits with third parties, several things are considered. Here are the main factors that drive a sex abuse lawsuit in Connecticut or any state:
- Proof: How good the evidence is that supports the victim’s story matters a lot. If there’s strong evidence, like documents or witnesses, it can lead to a bigger settlement amount because the church or other defendants don’t want to risk losing in court. Keep in mind that great proof in a sex abuse lawsuit in Connecticut can be as simple as a credible victim.
- How Bad the Abuse Was: The severity of the abuse makes a big difference in how much money it should take to get to a settlement.
- Duration of the Abuse: The length of time over which the abuse occurred can also impact the settlement amount. Prolonged periods of abuse may lead to larger settlements due to the extended trauma and its effects on the victim. (That said, some of the bigger sex abuse settlements involve a single act of abuse.)
- Damages: The costs the victim had to deal with because of the abuse, like therapy or missed work, play a big part in the settlement amount. Usually, the biggest chunk of money in a settlement amount in a sex abuse claim in Connecticut will be the victim’s pain and suffering. That is what these cases are ultimately about.
- How Much the Third Party Is Responsible: There are different levels of neglect, right? Sometimes you can say the church or school should have done more. But in many of these sexual assault claims, it is nearly criminal that the church or school turned a blind eye the way that they did. The latter cases will see higher settlement amounts and jury payouts. In some cases, punitive damages may be awarded in addition to compensatory damages. Punitive damages are intended to punish the perpetrator or negligent institution and deter future misconduct, and their inclusion can significantly increase a settlement amount.
Connecticut Sex Abuse Verdicts and Settlements
Sex abuse settlement compensation in Connecticut are determined by evaluating a range of factors that measure the extent of harm suffered by the survivor.
Determining the appropriate settlement value in a sex abuse lawsuit is an art, not a science. It is hard—there is not a one-size-fits-all answer. Each case is evaluated individually, resulting in a wide range of potential compensation depending on the specific circumstances of the abuse and its impact on the survivor’s life.
Key elements include the severity and duration of the abuse, the emotional and psychological impact, as well as the extent of physical injuries or trauma—and the defendant’s ability to pay. Schools, churches, insurance companies, can other defendants in settlement negotiations also take into account the long-term effects on the survivor’s mental health, relationships, and ability to function in daily life. Additional considerations include the nature of the defendant’s actions—whether they involved a breach of trust, power, or authority—and whether there were multiple instances or offenders involved.
Beyond the immediate harm, compensation calculations also weigh the financial consequences for the survivor, such as the cost of therapy, medical treatments, and potential loss of income or future earning capacity due to the psychological aftermath of the abuse. Aggravating factors, such as gross negligence by the institution involved, knowledge of prior abuses, possible adverse publicity, and any failure to protect, can further elevate settlement amounts or jury awards.
- $526,000 Verdict: Plaintiffs were minor females who suffered multiple injuries that included sexual assault by their school bus driver who was employed by the defendant. The plaintiffs contended that the defendant negligently failed to properly hire, train and supervise its employees, failed to provide reasonable supervision to ensure the safety of the minor children entrusted to its care, and failed to prevent the sexual assault of those children. The defendants denied liability, disputed the plaintiffs’ injuries, and contended that no sexual assaults occurred. The verdict was affirmed on appeal and the award included economic damages.
- $2,075,000 Verdict: The plaintiff alleged that she was forced to engage in inappropriate acts, and endured sexual molestation and sexual intercourse over 8 years, from age 7 to age 15, allegedly perpetrated upon her by the defendant (a former boyfriend of her mother). The boyfriend was criminally convicted for the sexual abuse. The boyfriend was the only named defendant so it is not entirely clear where the plaintiff actually received money for this verdict.
- $2,000,000 Settlement: Plaintiff, a 15-year-old male, alleged that he suffered emotional distress after he was sexually molested by a priest at a church operated by the defendant Norwich Diocese where the abuser was the deacon. The plaintiff contended that the defendants failed to properly supervise their priests and failed to obtain a legitimate background check, that they negligently had knowledge of the crimes, and that their negligence was the cause of the plaintiff’s injuries. The defendants denied liability and contended that they had no prior knowledge of the nonparty’s actions until revealed by the plaintiff. The parties agreed to settle for the benefit of the minor child.
- $609,910 Verdict: The plaintiff claimed to suffer post-traumatic stress disorder after she was sexually assaulted by an employee of defendant Viso Bello Day Spa where she went for a massage. The plaintiff alleged that, during the massage, Harris placed his genitals in her hand until he became erect. The employee was arrested on December 18, 2018, pled guilty to 4th-degree sexual assault, and was sentenced to one year in jail.
- $21,749,041 Verdict: The plaintiff claimed that he was sexually abused by his Rabi at the defendant’s religious school between the ages of 14 and 17. He sued the school alleging that the school knew or should have known that defendant Rabi was sexually assaulting him, but failed to safeguard the keys to its various properties, which provided defendant Rabi with multiple places to commit the assault.
- $1,000,000 Verdict: The plaintiff, a 13-year-old male, suffered emotional distress due to the sexual assault and abuse by a priest who was an employee of the defendant The Hartford Roman Catholic Diocesan Corporation. The plaintiff alleged the defendant knew or should have known in the exercise of reasonable care that the priest had the proclivity to sexually abuse, exploit and assault minor children.
Contact Us About Connecticut Sex Abuse Lawsuits
If you have a sexual abuse lawsuit in Connecticut, contact our sex abuse lawyers today for a free consultation. Call us at 800-553-8082 or contact us online.