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A Survivors’ Committee and multiple plaintiff firms have successfully negotiated a settlement to close hundreds of sexual abuse lawsuits filed against the United States of America Gymnastics (USAG) and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC). Olympic team doctor Larry Nassar and other USAG coaches, doctors, and trainers were accused of sexually assaulting more than 500 gymnasts across decades. The settlement includes $380 million to be distributed among the plaintiffs, as well as other provisions to better prevent such criminal wrongdoings from happening in the future.
The settlement marks the end of a multi-year legal battle to secure justice for the sexually abused gymnasts of the USAG. The saga began more than five years ago after the first civil claim against Larry Nassar and the USAG was filed. When the case came to light, it prompted hundreds of more survivors of the same sexual abuse to come forward and do the same.
Administrators and executives with the USAG were accused of neglectful management and inadequate in-organization investigations into accusations, which allowed the abuse to continue for years and years. Certain USAG members were also accused of attempting to sabotage the Nassar investigations, further complicating this heated legal battle.
Along with the settlements, USAG CEO and President Li Li Leung issued a statement of apology to the survivors and recognized their bravery for speaking up and standing up for themselves. She vowed for the USAG to do better with the guidance of a new “Plan of Reorganization,” which was finalized alongside the settlement as one of the nonmonetary provisions.
Attorney Mick Grewal of Grewal Law, one of the firms that helped represent members of the Survivors’ Committee, shared his thoughts on both the importance of the settlement details and the inspiring determination of the survivors. “Thanks to all the survivors who fought for justice and accountability in leading this charge for change. The restorative justice program that is part of this settlement will help effectuate change for all future gymnasts. […] A settlement trust will be established and funded by insurance companies, USA Gymnastics, and the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee. Survivors will receive compensation from the trust following an allocation protocol created with the input of the Survivors’ Committee and approved by the bankruptcy court.”
This case result represents a massive victory for the Survivors’ Committee, as well as for gymnasts across the country and those who will have gymnastic careers far into the future. The legal precedent set by this case and the monumental settlement should act as a guide for future cases while also helping prevent such abuses from happening again. From all of us at Grewal Law, we sincerely thank the Survivors’ Committee and the survivors themselves for showing such strong determination to do what was right no matter what.
For more information about this recent settlement, you can click here to view a full article from ESPN. If you would like to know more about Grewal Law and the legal cases our team accepts, please feel free to fill out an online contact form today.
