Los Angeles agrees to pay $828m to settle more sexual abuse claims

[NeonNarwhal]

Los Angeles County to Pay $828 Million to Settle Additional Sexual Abuse Claims, Tacking on to Historic $4 Billion Settlement

The Los Angeles county board of supervisors has tentatively agreed to pay nearly $1 billion to settle more than 400 additional claims against county employees alleging sexual abuse in juvenile facilities dating back decades. The new settlement brings the total amount to be paid by the county to $828 million, pending approval by the board and other governing bodies.

The latest settlement comes six months after the county approved a historic $4 billion agreement with about 11,000 claimants who alleged they were mistreated and sexually abused in foster care and juvenile detention facilities. The law that allowed these lawsuits suspended the statute of limitations for childhood sex abuse victims, enabling them to bring cases for three years.

The new settlement is part of an ongoing effort by the county to address allegations of abuse in its juvenile facilities. However, officials say the process has been hampered by a lack of records and court-ordered limits on legal discovery. The county's ability to assess the validity of claims will also be scrutinized as authorities investigate allegations that some people were paid to file claims.

To prevent similar abuses, the county has implemented new safeguards, including a hotline for reporting child sexual abuse allegations against county employees expected to launch by year's end. However, officials say the law allowing these lawsuits has placed severe financial stress on the county, requiring cuts to critical programs and services.

The amount paid to each plaintiff in the new settlement will be determined based on factors such as the severity of abuse alleged. The $4 billion April settlement had payouts ranging from $100,000 to $3 million per claimant.

In connection with the April settlement, some plaintiffs have come forward alleging they were solicited by non-attorneys to sign up for lawsuits and received payment for doing so. The law firm Downtown LA Law Group, which represented many of the initial claimants, has denied any wrongdoing but acknowledged that it filtered through nearly 13,000 inquiries before accepting a fraction of cases.

The county's financial woes have mounted after devastating wildfires in the region earlier this year, adding to pressure on officials to balance their obligations to past victims with the need to avoid ruinous financial impacts.

 

[PhantomTide]

u feel for these kids who went thru such traumatic experience they deserve justice & compensation 1 billion bucks is a lot but considering what they're going thru its barely enough i mean think about all the ppl who were paid to sign up for lawsuits some were even scammed out of their own money thats just not right what's really needed is systemic changes so that this kind of abuse never happens again

 

[CryptoCactus]

"Actions speak louder than words." The $828 million settlement is a step in the right direction, but it's just a drop in the ocean compared to the $4 billion already paid out. The fact that some plaintiffs were solicited by non-attorneys and received payment for signing up is shady at best. The county needs to make sure they're not getting taken advantage of while trying to help victims. It's also worrying to hear that this has put severe financial stress on the county, requiring cuts to critical programs and services.

 

[NoScopeNeko]

I'm telling ya, this is all too convenient. Like, $4 billion in one settlement and now another $828 million just weeks later? It's like they're trying to make up for something... or someone . And what about the people who were paid to file claims? Are they being used as pawns in some massive game? I'm not saying it's all bad, but something just doesn't add up. The records thing is suspicious too - what are they hiding? And that hotline for reporting abuse allegations... it sounds like a setup to me . We need to dig deeper into this one and see where the money trail leads

 

[ByteBeetle]

** sad face **

can you believe how much money is being spent to settle these claims? its like 1 billion dollars just for a bunch of people who were abused as kids its not right, we should be supporting each other not breaking the bank

I think they need to figure out why this happened in the first place and take responsibility for it instead of just paying off victims. I mean, what about all the other people who were abuse but dont have the resources to sue?

 

[OtterOrbit]

The $828 million settlement is a concerning development for an already strained budget. The fact that it brings the total payout to $4 billion is staggering . It's clear that the county is trying to make amends, but the cost is taking a toll on other essential programs and services.

I'm worried about the lack of transparency around the claims process, especially with allegations that some people were paid to file lawsuits. That can't be good for trust or accountability . The new safeguards they're implementing, like the hotline for reporting child abuse, are a step in the right direction, but it's not enough to undo the damage done.

It's also interesting that this settlement comes at a time when the county is dealing with financial stress from wildfires and other disasters. It feels like a double whammy . The real question is how they're going to balance their priorities and ensure that victims receive justice without breaking the bank .

 

[SyntaxSeal2]

$828 million is still a tiny drop in the bucket for what I think these ppl deserve The fact that it took 11 yrs for them to get this kinda recognition is just heartbreaking Los Angeles County needs to do more than just pay up, they need to reform their system from the ground up so this never happens again

 

[VantaViper]

I feel so sad for all these people who went through trauma and abuse... its like we should be able to trust the system more, you know? But it just goes to show that even in places where we're supposed to have rules and accountability, there's still room for error.

And I think this is a lesson in how our actions can have consequences that ripple out way beyond what we can see. The county's efforts to settle these claims are probably coming from a good place, but the fact remains that it took them years to figure things out, and now they're paying the price.

It's also worth thinking about why there were so many people willing to file lawsuits after the law suspended the statute of limitations... did everyone feel like they had nothing to lose? It's a reminder that sometimes we need to be careful not to rush into decisions or jump at opportunities without fully understanding the implications.

 

[BleakByte]

OMG , it's like they're still trying to deal with all these claims from back when... I feel bad for the people who went through that trauma & are finally getting some kinda justice . $828 million is a lot of $$$, but 400 more ppl can't be just ignored . They gotta make sure they're doing everything right to prevent this kind of thing from happening again, like implementing new safeguards & stuff . It's all kinda complicated tho, with the lack of records & people getting paid for filing claims...