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After five long years steeped in scandal, USA Gymnastics (USAG) and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee have settled hundreds of sexual abuse lawsuits brought forth by the survivors of former USAG team physician Larry Nassar and other coaches, trainers, and medical staffers. The settlement totals $380 million and will be paid out to over 500 plaintiffs, all of whom are women.
Our attorney team at Colorado Sex Abuse Law is very proud to have represented multiple survivors in this historic case. We worked with several law firms from across the nation to provide outstanding legal support to the hundreds of courageous women who came forward with their stories. We were honored to work with the Survivors’ Committee, as well.
The litigation was centered around the child sex abuse committed by Larry Nassar, who is currently serving what is, in essence, a life sentence after pleading guilty to and being convicted on a variety of charges. The possession of child pornography and the sexual assault of minors were only a couple of the many charges Nassar faced, as reported by Rolling Stone.
In the hundreds of civil lawsuits filed over the past five years, plaintiffs alleged that USAG and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee failed to prevent and address sexual abuse committed by their staff. Nassar was the focal point, with over 300 women alleging he sexually abused them under the pretense of medical treatment. Three of our nation’s most accomplished Olympic champions—Simone Biles, Aly Raisman, and McKayla Maroney—were among the survivors of Nassar’s abuse to take action.
“Whether or not justice comes and change is made, depends on what happens next,” said Rachael Denhollander, the first of Nassar’s survivors to speak up, online. “I am proud of the nonmonetary reform commitments in particular - this represents so much hard work from members of the committee and I am eager to see these changes through.”
These reform commitments are detailed in the settlement with USAG and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee.
While the monetary side of the settlement will allow survivors to get the help they need, the nonmonetary provisions are just as critical. It is through them that survivors aim to prevent future sexual abuse before it happens. Should any abuse occur, these provisions aim to stop it as early on as possible.
As reported by ESPN, USAG even agreed to implement a restorative justice program to empower survivors by giving them influence over how these important issues will be handled.
This is a monumental victory for survivors of sexual abuse, especially since USAG and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee purportedly knew of the allegations against Nassar for years but failed to appropriately address them. Take, for example, the ongoing case against a USAG executive who has been charged with tampering evidence in the Nassar investigation.
USAG CEO and president Li Li Leung has issued a public apology to the 500 strong survivors, vowing to continue to work in conjunction with the Survivors’ Committee.
At Colorado Sex Abuse Law, we have said how proud we are to have served such a crucial role in this case. We are, however, even prouder of the survivors themselves. These women had the incredible courage to speak up about their abuse, braving intense scrutiny and resistance for years. They did what was right to win justice for themselves and hundreds of other survivors, many of whom they have yet to meet.
To learn more about Colorado Sex Abuse Law, please contact us online. We continue to focus our practice on complex civil cases, such as those over sensitive topics like childhood sexual abuse.