Boy Scout Class Action Lawsuit

The Boy Scouts of America are one of the most recognizable and influential community groups in the United States. This institution has been around for over a century.
 
Many children and teens enjoyed their time in the Boy Scouts of America. The stated mission of the organization is to teach young people how to be ethical citizens.
 
According to the Scout Oath and Scout Law, children should learn to uphold certain moral community standards. More than ten million people have been part of the Scouts. This includes four U.S. presidents.
 
Most of those who took part in the Boy Scouts of America had a positive experience. Unfortunately, this is not true for everyone.
 
Over the last two decades, many former Scouts have alleged that their scoutmasters engaged in sexual misconduct. Other leaders in the organization have been accused of sexual abuse, as well.
 
If you or someone you love experienced abuse from a scoutmaster or other leader, it is important to know that you have options. Depending on the circumstances of your case, you may be able to pursue a Boy Scout class action lawsuit.
 
The skilled team at Morgan & Morgan will help you seek the justice and financial recovery that you deserve. Do not hesitate to reach out to our firm about a Boy Scout class action lawsuit.
 
At Morgan & Morgan, we provide free initial case evaluations. Complete the simple contact form on our website to schedule a no-cost consultation today.

A History of Abuses

In the past several years, it has become clear that the Boy Scouts organization has not done enough to ensure the safety of its members. The evidence of rampant child abuse has been mounting.
 
Many children who were involved in the Scouts experienced a range of traumatizing abuses. The response of the Boy Scouts organization was highly negligent. 
 
The abuses were not only fostered in an environment of ignorance on the part of the organization. Rather, there is evidence that upper Scout leaders were aware of the problem.
 
Even in the face of this knowledge, they did not take the necessary structural steps to protect the children in their care. It appears that Boy Scout leadership kept an internal document known as the “Perversion List.”
 
This document lists over 8,000 individuals in leadership positions who were credibly accused of child sexual abuse. These incidents took place over more than fifty years.
 
The “Perversion List” was never purposefully released to the public. Instead, it was discovered by investigative reporters at the L.A. Times.
 
These records listed more than 12,000 children who were sexually molested during their time in the organization. The Boy Scouts of America knew that there was a continual pattern of child sexual abuse within the organization. Still, they did not take adequate steps to stop it.
 
Once annually, the Boy Scouts of America makes a report to the U.S. Congress. Over the years, they never disclosed the internal problems that the organization faced regarding child sexual abuse.
 
Thankfully, survivors’ stories are finally being heard and believed. Many survivors of Boy Scout sexual abuse have come forward publicly to seek justice. 
 
Many of these victims have suffered from the terrible consequences of their abuse for decades. Some of the survivors have carried their burdens for over 40 years. 
 
At Morgan & Morgan, we believe that all survivors deserve justice. This is especially true when the abuse they experienced was negligently permitted by a trusted organization.
 
That is why we help victims seek financial compensation for damages through Boy Scout class action lawsuits. If you were victimized, do not hesitate to call Morgan & Morgan.

Fighting for Secrecy

Boy Scouts spokespersons claim that the documents and files mentioned above have prevented many abusers from gaining positions of leadership in the organization. Even if this is true, the Boy Scouts of America’s secrecy regarding this problem is inexcusable.
 
According to the L.A. Times, Boy Scout leaders fought to keep the damaging documents hidden from the public. They claimed that this secrecy was intended to protect the privacy of victims.
 
Even if this was the intention, the failure to disclose the rampant problem of sexual abuse did not protect victims. 

As recently as 2015, the Boy Scouts of America took action to prevent 100,000 pages of “perversion files” from becoming a matter of public record.

The Long-Term Effects of Child Sexual Abuse

When children suffer sexual abuse, they can experience life-changing and persisting damage. This type of damage can manifest in many different ways.
 
Victims often suffer emotional, physical, and social harm. Many experience mental health problems and related symptoms.
 
In many cases, victims deal with the negative effects of the abuse for the entirety of their lives. Rather than curing the damage, survivors must often learn to treat and manage their trauma.
 
These terrible injustices lead to many types of symptoms. Some of the most common physical conditions resulting from child sexual abuse include:

• Chronic physical pain
• Obesity and weight issues
• Reproductive health problems
• Impeded sexual function
• Gastrointestinal problems and conditions
• Heart and cardiovascular problems

The damage from child sexual abuse is not only physical. Many survivors also experience the following mental and emotional symptoms and issues:

• Dysfunction of intimate relationship-building skills
• Eating disorders
• Personality disorders
• Depression, anxiety, and panic disorder
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Insomnia and other sleep disorders
• And more

If you or someone you love has experienced any of these issues as the result of child sexual abuses, you deserve justice. The skilled legal team at Morgan & Morgan will carefully examine the facts of your case.
 
Some victims of these abuses can join Boy Scout class action lawsuits to demand financial compensation for the damage that they sustained.

Understanding Class Action Lawsuits

When multiple people have been affected by the same negligent organization or action, they can seek recompense through a class action lawsuit. This is true so long as the statute of limitations has not passed.
 
Provided they meet certain procedural requirements, victims of the same negligent action or organization can form a “class.” The class of plaintiffs can file a single lawsuit, rather than pursuing many similar legal actions.
 
Class action lawsuits are often filed in response to harms from defective products, unjust business practices, or wide-scale fraud. However, class actions can also occur in response to organization-wide negligence.
 
For instance, Boy Scout class action lawsuits can represent the many abused individuals who were negligently treated by the organization. This allows claimants to band together instead of facing the large organization on their own.
 
For a class action suit to proceed, the class must become “certified.” Typically, certification requires the following four criteria:

• Enough claimants to make multiple suits impractical
• Common questions of fact or law across cases
• Defenses to the claims would be sufficiently similar
• Class representatives must provide fair protection for the class

Boy Scout class action lawsuits have been filed previously. If you suffered from the sexual misconduct of a Scout leader, do not wait.
 
The accomplished team at Morgan & Morgan will examine the facts of your case. Our compassionate lawyers understand the difficult position that survivors face. 
 
That is why we work tirelessly to secure the compensation that victims deserve. Negligent organizations like the Boy Scouts of America should be held accountable for the damage that they have caused.

Bankruptcy as a Response to Boy Scout Class Action Lawsuits

In February of 2020, the Boy Scouts of America filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The organization is planning to restructure its finances. 
 
In part, this reorganization may be used to forego the financial liabilities of the harms that the association caused. It is very important that victims step forward as soon as possible to seek justice.
 
Survivors of child sexual abuse should not have to bear the burdens of their pain and trauma alone. Pursuing this type of claim can be very emotionally difficult.
 
Because the Boy Scouts of America filed for Chapter 11, victims must seek legal action soon if they hope to recover the compensation that they are owed.
 
The compassionate lawyers at Morgan & Morgan treat all our clients with care and sensitivity. We know that this type of class action suit involves delicate situations, and we will work diligently to protect your best interests.