Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog
Working with co-counsel, the sexual abuse lawyers at Abels & Annes, P.C. filed two new lawsuits today on behalf of alleged victims of former Catholic Priest Father Daniel McCormack. The legal team responsible for these two new cases has successfully represented other victims of Father McCormack in the past and secured a $3.15 million settlement on behalf of one such client earlier this year. All cases were filed anonymously to protect the identity of the victims of Father McCormack who were sexually abused while minors and in association with the Catholic Church.
Father McCormack began his career with the Catholic Church as a seminarian in 1986. McCormack trained and learned under the Archdiocese of Chicago while preparing to become a minister where allegations of sexual misconduct by Father McCormack began as early as his seminarian days and continued over the decades that followed.
McCormack was appointed Sacramental Minister at Holy Family Parish in 1998, a position he held for some time and one which allowed him individual and unsupervised interactions with minors. Following his time at Holy Family Parish, McCormack served as a Priest at Saint Agatha’s Parish in Chicago where he also served as a teacher and a boys’ basketball coach. Numerous alleged victims of Father McCormack have come forward and claimed that they were sexually abused during McCormack’s time at Saint Agatha’s.
The new lawsuits filed by Abels & Annes, working with co-counsel, claim that each of the six victims was abused by McCormack and that the Archdiocese of Chicago, Cardinal George, and the Catholic Bishop of Chicago knew or should have known of McCormack’s misconduct. Despite McCormack’s actions and credible allegations made against him, the lawsuits allege that the Archdiocese and those in charge did not act reasonably and did not remove McCormack from his position or prevent Father McCormack from having additional unsupervised contact with minors.
Father McCormack eventually was arrested twice and criminally charged with sexually abusing several minor boys. In 2007, McCormack pleaded guilty to charges of abusing five boys and was incarcerated in the Illinois Department of Corrections in association with those pleas.
These new lawsuits illustrate the wide-spread nature of the alleged abuse perpetrated by Father McCormack against those in his charge. Unfortunately, nothing can erase the abuse once it has occurred, leaving these victims to deal with the damages for the rest of their lives.
Fortunately, though, the laws in Illinois enable the victims of sexual abuse by a religious official to seek financial relief through the use of a civil claim. The facts surrounding every case vary so it is a good idea to speak with a personal injury lawyer to learn about your legal rights if you have been sexually assaulted in Chicago.
At Abels & Annes, P.C., we are dedicated to representing the rights of victims who have been harmed by the actions of others. If you have been abused by Father Daniel McCormack or another official associated with the Catholic Church, we are standing by 24 hours a day, seven days a week to take your call toll free at (855) 529-2442 or locally at (312) 924-7575. We will provide you with a free case consultation without any obligation on your part and if we represent you in your case, we will never charge you a fee unless we make a recovery on your behalf.
If you are a victim of Father Daniel McCormack, do not continue to suffer in silence. Call us today and let us help you seek the relief you deserve.
Prior Blog Entry:
Chicago Pedestrian Lawyers Settle Policy Limits Case for Injured Client, Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, published August 6, 2014.