Boy Scouts Lose $18.5 Million Sex Abuse / Molestation Verdict

An Oregon man was awarded an $18.5 Million jury verdict against the national Boy Scouts organization for reckless and outrageous conduct in allowing an assistant scoutmaster to participate after admitting to a scout official that he had previously molested 17 other boys. Evidently the compensatory damages that were awarded amounted to $1.4 Million and the punitive damages were $17.1 Million. This verdict was only against the national Boy Scouts organization and does not include potential damages against local councils and other individual defendants. This verdict should serve as a wake up call to youth sports and recreation organizations to shore up their risk management plans. It also illustrates the need to carry high limits of General Liability coverage, including coverage for Sex Abuse & Molestation and punitive damages.

Sadler Sports & Recreation current clients can take advantage of our abuse / molestation videos on risk management implementation and awareness training as well as our word doc abuse / molestation risk management plan template. See www.sadlersports.com/riskmanagement

Source: Associated Press Release