Jury Awards $7 Million to Former Boy Scout Who Alleged Sex Abuse

December 16, 2014

A jury in Waterbury has awarded $7 million to a former Connecticut Boy Scout who claims he was sexually abused by his troop leader and an older scout in the mid-1970s. The jury found the Boy Scouts of America liable for compensatory damages as well as for punitive damages for recklessness; the punitive damages will be determined at a later time by the judge.

The plaintiff's lawyers claim that the Boy Scouts of America knew for decades before the 1970s that child sexual abuse was widespread in troop activities across the country but did nothing to educate parents, troop leaders or scouts.

"It's very important to our client both that the jury has publicly said the Boy Scouts should be held accountable for keeping this important information secret and also that the jury recognized how much his abuse has impacted his life," said one of the plaintiff's lawyers, Paul Slager, of Silver Golub & Teitell in Stamford.

"That said, we don't view this as a victory and we're not celebrating," continued Slager. "When you represent people who are child victims of sexual abuse, there are no true court victories, only important steps in the survivor's recovery."

Read more: https://www.ctlawtribune.com/id=1202679127533/Jury-Awards-7-Million-to-Former-Boy-Scout-Who-Alleged-Sex-Abuse#ixzz3MAtBNPhT