Lawsuit Information Center
Victims of sexual abuse and sexual assault can use the civil justice system in New Hampshire to hold abusers and the institutions that enabled them accountable.
This post will explain how sex abuse victims can bring civil lawsuits in New Hampshire and what the average compensation payout is in these cases.
If you were the victim of sexual abuse, call us today at 800-553-8082 or contact us online and let’s figure out the best path forward for you.
New Hampshire Sex Abuse Lawsuit News & Updates
October 25, 2024: Youth Development Center
The New Hampshire Youth Development Center (YDC), now known as the John H. Sununu Youth Services Center, is facing extensive litigation for decades of alleged physical and sexual abuse against minors in its care. Reports describe a pattern of severe abuse by staff members, including physical assault, sexual misconduct, and psychological harm, impacting over 1,300 former residents. The lawsuits claim that the state overlooked or covered up the abuse, with many former residents now seeking settlement compensation.
In response to these allegations, New Hampshire established a settlement fund to compensate survivors, allocating nearly $100 million in 2022. Our lawyers talk more about these claims in the updates below.
October 18, 2024: Residential Treatment Facility Sex Abuse Lawsuits in New Hampshire
Victims’ lawyers are focusing on allegations of abuse and neglect at residential treatment facilities in New Hampshire, spurred by federal investigations, including a brutal Congressional report that uncovered patterns of misconduct, including physical and sexual abuse, at taxpayer-funded institutions such as Medicaid and child welfare facilities.
The report, which investigated conditions at residential treatment facilities operated by major companies like Universal Health Services (UHS), Acadia Healthcare, Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health, and Vivant Behavioral Healthcare, concluded that the issues of abuse, neglect, and harm are not isolated incidents. Instead, it highlighted systemic problems across the facilities, pointing to widespread patterns of mistreatment and inadequate oversight.
Honestly, our lawyers did not fully grasp the extent of the sexual abuse problem in residential treatment centers because we were so focused on clergy and detention centers. But in retrospect, it seems painfully clear. These vulnerable children, often with no voice or support, were prime targets for predators.
Compounding the issue is the nature of for-profit facilities, where the drive for profits too often takes precedence over protecting the safety and well-being of the very children they are meant to serve. This toxic combination of vulnerable populations and corporate neglect has created environments ripe for abuse, and we are now seeing the devastating consequences.
Several facilities in New Hampshire, operated by major healthcare providers such as Universal Health Services (UHS), Acadia Healthcare, and Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health, are now under legal scrutiny. Key facilities under investigation include:
- The Mental Health Center of Greater Manchester (UHS) – Manchester: This facility is operated by Universal Health Services and is being reviewed as part of ongoing investigations related to the care and safety of its patients, particularly adolescents.
- New Hampshire Hospital (Acadia Healthcare) – Concord: A prominent psychiatric facility, New Hampshire Hospital, is facing increased attention as part of broader legal actions concerning the quality of care and oversight provided to its patients, especially young and vulnerable populations.
- Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health – New Hampshire: Part of a larger national network, Devereux’s facilities are being examined for compliance with safety standards and treatment protocols to ensure the protection of the children and adolescents under their care.
Our attorneys are also investigating sex abuse claims involving Hampstead Hospital & Residential Treatment Facility (Hampstead), Green Mountain Treatment Center (Effingham), Avenues Recovery Center (Dublin), Southeastern New Hampshire Services (Dover), Plymouth House (Plymouth), WestBridge (Manchester).
These residential treatment center sex abuse lawsuits seek settlement compensation for victims. But they also aim to push for systemic reforms to safeguard the rights and well-being of children and adolescents in these facilities.
October 12, 2024: More on Youth Development Center
Settlement payouts for abuse at New Hampshire’s former youth detention center now exceed $95 million. The fund, as we explain further below, was established by state lawmakers to resolve a surge of credible abuse claims against staff at the state-run Sununu Youth Services Center, formerly known as the Youth Development Center (YDC).
Claims continue to come in at a depressing rate. According to a new report from former state Supreme Court Chief Justice John Broderick, 134 additional claims were filed between April and June 2024, bringing the total to 552. While this marks a decrease from the 159 claims filed in the previous quarter, the fund has now awarded $95.6 million to 186 claimants, with 349 cases still pending.
Recent legislative changes, including raising the settlement cap to $2.5 million per claimant and expanding the types of compensable abuse, aim to make the fund more attractive to the nearly 1,300 individuals who have filed civil lawsuits against the state. The total pool for the settlement fund has also increased from $100 million to $160 million. Attorneys representing the majority of alleged victims have expressed support for these changes and expect more claims to be filed as a result.
The deadline to file claims with the YDC settlement fund is June 30, 2025. If you have a claim, you want to call a lawyer sooner rather than later.
October 3, 2024: Strafford County House of Corrections Sex Abuse Lawsuit
Two new civil sex abuse lawsuits have been filed by former inmates of the Strafford County House of Corrections accusing former officer Patrick Schaeffer of sexual abuse. Schaeffer, who has been indicted on 10 felony charges related to the abuse of women inmates, faces trial in 2025. The lawsuits, filed in Strafford County Superior Court, also name Strafford County and its correctional institutions as defendants, alleging negligence and failure to protect the women.
The complaints allege that Schaeffer abused his position of authority, coercing inmates into sexual acts in exchange for favors, often in areas of the jail not covered by security cameras. Both women worked jail jobs and claim they were sexually assaulted during their incarceration between 2019 and 2020. Their lawsuits seek compensatory damages, though no specific amount is mentioned, and the cases will proceed independently of Schaeffer’s criminal trial.
Schaeffer was first indicted in 2020. Charges were delayed due to a lack of cooperation from victims. However, more women have since come forward, with five alleged victims identified. You will likely see lawsuits from other women. Our firm is investigating these claims.
September 30, 2024: Boys and Girls Club of Central New Hampshire Lawsuits Settled
The lawsuit sought $17 million in damages and called for stronger abuse prevention policies and the resignation of the club’s executive director. The terms of the settlement are confidential, and the case was dismissed after the agreement was reached in late summer. The Boys and Girls Club denied responsibility for the abuse but confirmed the settlement, emphasizing its commitment to member safety.
August 15, 2024: Belknap County Sex Abuse Lawsuit
A civil lawsuit has been filed against a co-owner of a marina in New Hampshire, alleging misconduct involving a teenage employee. The plaintiff, identified as “Jack Doe,” claims that over several years, the co-owner and his wife groomed and sexually abused him while the plaintiff worked at the marina. The lawsuit seeks compensation for emotional and physical harm, citing negligence by the marina for failing to protect the employee.
In addition to the civil case, the co-owner is facing a criminal retrial in early 2025 after a previous conviction related to a separate incident involving another teenager was overturned due to juror misconduct. The civil lawsuit and ongoing criminal proceedings reflect serious allegations against the defendants, with both cases moving forward in the coming months. The plaintiff in the civil case is pursuing damages based on claims of abuse and negligence.
July 3, 2024: First Youth Development Center Abuse Lawsuit To Go To Trial
The first of over 1,000 lawsuits alleging abuse at New Hampshire’s Youth Development Center has gone to trial. In this sex abuse lawsuit, the plaintiff claims he was abused by staff and treated as a “sex slave and punching bag.” The state argues the abuse was the work of rogue employees.
His suit seeks at least $1.9 million for damages, claiming the state was negligent in hiring, training, and supervising staff. The case highlights systemic abuse spanning six decades, with multiple former employees facing criminal charges. The trial is expected to last several weeks.
In other news, Governor Chris Sununu has signed a new law increasing the settlement caps for individuals who allege they were sexually and physically abused as children in state-run detention facilities.
The new law raises the maximum settlement from $1.5 million to $2.5 million for those who opt out of civil lawsuits and now includes compensation for time spent in solitary confinement. Settlements can be paid over multiple years instead of in a lump sum.
The new law also increases the total settlement fund to $160 million, simplifies the application process, and extends the filing deadline to June 2025. Despite these changes, some cases are still expected to go to trial and, as we just mentioned, a new trial has just started.
June 4, 2024: New Hampshire Legislative Fund Resolves Claim For $1.5 Million
New Hampshire’s legislative fund resolved its first claim for the maximum of $1.5 million. This fund was established to settle allegations of physical and sexual assault at the Sununu Youth Services Center, formerly the Youth Development Center.
Over 700 lawsuits have been filed against the center, alleging abuse over six decades. To provide an alternative to litigation, lawmakers created a $100 million settlement fund.
With more than 50 claims currently filed and many more expected, Attorney General John Formella anticipates more frequent resolutions in the coming months. This fund aims to offer a victim-centered, trauma-informed option for victims to avoid lengthy litigation.
Ten men were charged in April 2021 for assaults occurring from 1994 to 2007, and an eleventh man faces charges related to a pre-trial facility in Concord.
May 8, 2024: State Lawyers Requests Judge Invalidate Landmark $38 Million Verdict
State lawyers requested the Rockingham Superior Court judge invalidate a landmark $38 million verdict in a case alleging sexual, physical, and emotional abuse at a state-run youth detention center in the 1990s. However, Judge Andrew Schulman denied this request, affirming that the plaintiff had proved the state’s liability for the abuse endured.
Despite the $38 million verdict, the compensation will be capped at $475,000 due to a state law limiting awards to $475,000 per “incident,” as the jury only found one incident based on the plaintiff’s complex PTSD diagnosis resulting from numerous abuses.
This cap is wildly unfair. It significantly limits the compensation a victim can receive for extensive and severe abuse. The jury wanted to award $38 million. Reducing that to $475,000 is not justice.
February 5, 2024: Diocese Of Manchester Agrees To Settle Child Sex Abuse Claim
The Diocese of Manchester has agreed to settle a claim of child sex abuse involving a former priest.
The abuse allegedly occurred when the victim was around 15 or 16 years old by Rev. Alfred L. Jannetta, who was assigned to St. Paul’s Church in Franklin between 1973 and 1974. The victim said that Jannetta provided the victim with alcohol and marijuana before sexually abusing him in incidents that occurred in the church rectory and in Jannetta’s car.
This child was also sexually abused at age 8 by another unidentified priest while attending Camp Fatima in Gilmanton Iron Works.
How Does New Hampshire Define Sex Abuse?
For purposes of filing a civil lawsuit, sexual abuse, and sexual assault have the same definitions as they do in criminal law. Under New Hampshire law, sexual abuse or assault is generally defined as intentional sexual contact or touching of the intimate parts of the body for the purpose of sexually gratifying the abuser or degrading the victim. This definition covers everything from forcible rape to groping.
The critical element that defines all types and categories of sexual abuse or assault is the lack of consent. In the absence of consent, any form of sexual contact is actionable as sexual abuse or assault. Children (under the age of 18) lack the legal capacity to give consent to sexual contact. Therefore, any intentional sexual contact by an adult with a minor is necessarily considered sexual abuse.
Holding Third Parties Liable for Sexual Abuse in New Hampshire
Anyone who has been sexually abused or assaulted has the right to file a civil lawsuit and seek compensation. Victims can file civil lawsuits for sexual abuse even if they did not press criminal charges and even if they never told anyone about the abuse.
So who can sex abuse victims sue in a civil lawsuit? Victims of abuse can always file suit against the individual who abused or assaulted them. The problem with doing that, however, is that even if you win the lawsuit you probably won’t be able to get any money out of the abuser. In many cases, the abuser might already be dead or in jail.
The real goal in a sexual abuse civil lawsuit is going after a third party who can be held liable for the abuse. Third parties can be held liable in a civil sex abuse lawsuit if you can show that they were negligent and that this negligence allowed the abuse to happen. For example, if you were abused by a teacher at your school, the school could potentially be liable for negligently failing to stop the abuse or investigate prior complaints against the teacher. Common examples of third parties who can be liable in sexual abuse civil lawsuits include schools, churches, and organizations such as the Boy Scouts, etc.
For example, if you were abused by a teacher at your school, the school could potentially be liable for negligently failing to stop the abuse or investigate prior complaints against the teacher. Common examples of third parties who can be liable in sexual abuse civil lawsuits include schools, churches, and organizations such as the Boy Scouts, etc.
New Hampshire Juvenile Detention Center Sex Abuse Lawsuits
New Hampshire has faced a growing number of civil lawsuits alleging sexual abuse inmates at the state’s juvenile detention center facilities. These lawsuits have brought significant attention to the problem of sexual abuse at New Hampshire’s juvenile detention centers. In 2022, the state of New Hampshire established a $100 compensation fund to compensate victims of sexual abuse in New Hampshire’s juvenile detention facilities.
The primary facilities involved in these lawsuits has been the state’s primary long-term juvenile correctional facility – Sununu Youth Services Center (formerly the Youth Development Center) in Concord. New Hampshire’s juvenile correctional facilities are operated by the New Hampshire Department of Juvenile Justice Services. Anyone who was a victim of sexual abuse as a juvenile inmate in New Hampshire may be entitled to file a juvenile detention sex abuse lawsuit and get compensation.
New Hampshire Statute of Limitations for Sex Abuse Lawsuits
A statute of limitations is a legal deadline that sets a limit on how long prospective plaintiffs can wait before filing a civil lawsuit. If a plaintiff does not file suit before the statute of limitations expires, their claims will be barred. The statute of limitations is often a major issue in sex abuse lawsuits because many victims do not feel comfortable bringing a lawsuit until years after the fact.
New Hampshire recently passed some new laws that make it easier for victims of sexual abuse to file lawsuits even after a long time has passed. Victims of child sexual abuse now have until their 30th birthday (age of majority plus 12 years) to file a civil lawsuit. In 2020, the legislature passed another new law that completely eliminates the SOL for lawsuits involving all types of sexual abuse – although this only applies to intentional tort lawsuits against the abuser, not negligence claims against third parties. N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 508:4-g.
The discovery rule in New Hampshire delays the start of the statute of limitations until the plaintiff knows, or should reasonably know, both the injury and its cause. This is especially important in cases like sexual abuse, where the connection between the injury and the defendant’s conduct may not be immediately apparent.
The New Hampshire Supreme Court recently tackled this issue in a sex abuse lawsuit. The plaintiff in that case accused the defendants of negligence in hiring, retaining, and supervising a teacher who assaulted him. The trial court granted summary judgment for the defendants.
On appeal, the court addressed when the plaintiff knew or should have known that the injury was caused by the defendants. While the plaintiff knew of the assault and the teacher’s employment, the critical issue was when she realized the causal link between her injury and the defendants’ negligence.
The court found a factual dispute over when the plaintiff became aware of this connection, meaning the statute of limitations could be extended under the discovery rule, allowing the case to proceed.
Supreme Court of New Hampshire’s Application
In a case where the plaintiff accused the defendants of negligence in hiring, retaining, and supervising a teacher who assaulted her, the court addressed when the plaintiff knew or should have known that the injury was caused by the defendants. While the plaintiff knew of the assault and the teacher’s employment, the critical issue was when she realized the causal link between her injury and the defendants’ negligence.
The court found a factual dispute over when the plaintiff became aware of this connection, meaning the statute of limitations could be extended under the discovery rule, allowing the case to proceed.
Settlement Value of New Hampshire Sex Abuse Lawsuits
Successful plaintiffs in a sexual abuse civil lawsuit are entitled to receive all the same types of damages as plaintiffs in normal tort cases. These include medical expenses, lost wages or earnings potential, and mental pain and suffering. New Hampshire also allows punitive damages to be awarded in sexual abuse cases.
Sex abuse claims have a very high average settlement amount because juries tend to get offended by the stories of children being sexually abused. This often leads to very big verdicts with massive pain and suffering awards, which factor into the settlement price tag.
Also, many third-party defendants in sex abuse cases (e.g., schools, churches, etc.) are very eager to settle these cases to avoid negative publicity and protect their public image. This additional incentive often prompts third-party defendants to make bigger settlement offers to get the case resolved quickly.
Sexual Abuse Verdicts and Settlements in New Hampshire
Beyond the involvement of a third party with the ability to pay, other factors also affect settlement calculations. These include the severity of the abuse, the duration over which it occurred, the emotional and psychological impact on the victim, and any physical harm. The age of the victim at the time of the abuse (younger is more powerful), along with the long-term consequences, such as post-traumatic stress disorder or other mental health issues, will also increase expected settlement compensation amounts.
Additionally, whether the victim’s testimony and evidence are compelling and credible plays a major role, as well as any legal defenses raised by the defendants, such as statute of limitations challenges. When all of these factors are combined, they shape the final settlement offer or court award in sex abuse cases.
Below are examples of New Hampshire sexual abuse lawsuits that resulted in verdicts and settlements in favor of plaintiffs.
- $5,000,000 Settlement: The Catholic Diocese of Manchester disbursed over $5 million to 62 victims of sexual abuse perpetrated by clergy members in the region. The reported clergy abuse spanned back to the 1950s and implicated 31 clergy members, including 28 priests.
- $15,540,000 Settlement: Diocese of Manchester had disclosed a total payout of $15,450,000 to 176 sexual abuse survivors within the preceding 11 months. Among these victims were three men and one woman who asserted that they had been sexually abused by three priests of the Manchester Diocese between 1972 and 1990. The Diocese acknowledged these claims as credible. Overall, the documented cases of clergy sexual abuse extended back to the early 1950s, involving 23 identified priests as perpetrators.
- $75,000 Verdict: A 12-year-old female suffered posttraumatic stress disorder when she was sexually assaulted by the 74-year-old male defendant, her paternal grandfather. The defendant was convicted of felonious sexual assault. The plaintiff maintained that she continues to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder and associated ailments. The defendant contended that the amount claimed for future treatment was excessive.
- $30,000,000 Settlement: The Diocese of Manchester declared that it had dispensed approximately $30 million in settlements to sexual abuse survivors. Reflecting on past settlement disclosures, the diocese had disbursed around $14 million to victims from 2003 to 2019.
- $125,000 Verdict: A 2-year-old female suffered emotional distress after she was sexually assaulted by the co-defendant 14-year-old male son of the daycare provider. The plaintiff contended that the defendant’s care provider left the toddler at home alone with the co-defendant in violation of state regulations requiring daycare workers to be at least 18 years old. The plaintiff claimed that the minor plaintiff’s mother had to quit her job, which paid $15,000 per year, to stay at home with her daughter until the child reached school age. The defendants contended that the toddler was so young that the assaults would not affect her.
- $250,000 Verdict: 15-year-old male, was reportedly raped and sodomized by a 17-year-old male with whom he was sharing a room while they were both in-patients at the defendant Cheshire Medical Center, a mental health treatment facility for adolescents. He sued the facility for negligently failing to keep him safe, claiming that the facility ignored his requests for a new roommate and they knew the roommate was sexually aggressive. The roommate had a history of sexually deviant behavior, was a diagnosed schizophrenic, and had previously been living with his registered sex offender father.
Contact Us About New Hampshire Sex Abuse Lawsuits
Our sex abuse attorneys handle cases all across the country, including New Hampshire, through parent firms. If you were the victim of sexual abuse and want to file a sex abuse lawsuit in New Hampshire, contact us today at 800-553-8082 or reach out to us online and tell us your story. We want to help you.