Hundreds of people who say they were sexually abused by Rochester-area priests in New York have agreed to a $55-million financial settlement with the Diocese of Rochester.
“This was a long and difficult fight, but the terms of this new proposal are a validation of the hundreds of child abuse claims that this Diocese and its parishes are facing," said attorney James Marsh.
The settlement still needs to be approved by the bankruptcy court and voted on by the approximately 475 survivors in the case. That process is expected to take about six months.
The settlement will create a trust for roughly 475 people who filed claims against the Diocese as part of its bankruptcy case. The Diocese, parishes and related entities will pay $55 million to the trust, along with the rights to the Diocese's insurance policies. Many of the survivors will be able to pursue their claims in court in order to recover proceeds from those policies.