The sexual abuse lawyers at Abels & Annes, P.C., working with co-counsel, have settled a claim against the Archdiocese of Chicago, Cardinal George, and the Catholic Bishop of Chicago involving sexual abuse of a minor boy by former Rev. Daniel McCormack in the amount of 3.15 million. The identity of the plaintiff and his family are confidential.
The victim sued the Archdiocese of Chicago and Cardinal Francis George in 2010. He alleged that they failed to remove their priest, Rev. Daniel McCormack, from access to children although they had knowledge that McCormack had sexually abused minors. McCormack was arrested in January 2006, charged with multiple counts of criminal sexual assault and subsequently pleaded guilty to those charges in 2007.
The victim in this case was abused by McCormack between 8th and 11th grades.
The legal team in this matter, comprised of three law firms, has now settled two McCormack claims in excess of $3 million each. From all of the McCormack settlements whose amounts were disclosed publicly, this team of lawyers is the only one to secure settlements involving McCormack for $3 million or more for individual victims. The lawyers involved are pleased to have reached the settlement because it marks one more step toward bringing justice to the victim and his family.
In prosecuting this case, attorneys took the depositions of the Cardinal, other bishops, vicars, priests, seminary leaders and other key Archdiocese personnel.
Representing child victims of sexual abuse in cases against religious institutions and other organizations that interface with children requires sensitivity to many complex and personal issues. We are proud to work on their behalf and maximize recoveries that, we feel, are deserved.
The law firms involved in the settlement continue to represent several victims in pending civil cases against the Archdiocese of Chicago and the Cardinal involving their failure to timely remove McCormack from access to children.
Each year more victims continue to come forward with allegations of sexual abuse against former Rev. Dan McCormack.
Churches and schools should be a place where children are safe from the threat of harm or injury but as this recent settlement shows, that is not always the case. The lawyers at Abels & Annes, P.C. have spent years representing victims of church sex abuse.
We believe that victims of sexual abuse by priests deserve skilled legal representation and have the right to seek justice for the wrongs done against them. To make sure each victim can obtain the answers he or she needs, we have a lawyer standing by 24 hours a day, seven days a week for free consultations toll-free at (855) 529-2442 or locally at (312) 924-7575.