The Diocese of Buffalo has announced an Independent Reconciliation and Compensation Program (IRCP) to compensate people with claims that they were sexually abused as a child by a member of the clergy in the Diocese of Buffalo. According to published reports, more than forty two priests of the Diocese of Buffalo have been accused of child sexual abuse. Some, but not all, of those priests are now deceased.
Individuals who have made abuse abuse claims with the Diocese of Buffalo prior to March 1, 2018, can participate in this voluntary program. The deadline for victims to submit claims is June 1, 2018. You should hire an experienced attorney before submitting your claim.
In certain cases, the claims process may involve gathering church sacrament records, school records, witness statements, counseling/therapy records, or photographs to support your claim. For that reason, it is critical you do not wait until the deadline to submit your claim. It is also essential that you hire an attorney who has previously handled cases involving the IRCP programs in New York State.
The IRCP is intended to compensate victims of child sexual abuse by clergy of the Diocese of Buffalo. The program was publicly announced by the Bishop Malone of the Diocese of Buffalo on March 1, 2018. This announcement follows the lead of Archdiocese of New York, Diocese of Brooklyn, and Diocese of Rockville Centre who employed similar program. Since that time, dozens of victims across New York State dating back to the 1950’s have submitted claims. It has not yet been determined how the Diocese of Buffalo will treat claimants who did not previously report their abuse. The Archdiocese of New York, Diocese of Brooklyn, and Diocese of Rockville Centre have in the past agreed to compensate persons who did not previously report the abuse — and victim advocates are hopeful that the Diocese of Buffalo will do the same.
The Diocese of Buffalo’s geographical area spans eight counties in Western New York state. The Diocese includes more than 150 parishes, which also include churches, schools, convents, seminaries, hospitals, colleges, and other ministries. The Catholic population of the Diocese of Buffalo is estimated to be nearly 700,000.
Sexual abuse attorney Adam Horowitz has many years of experience handling claims on behalf of victims of clergy sexual abuse throughout New York, including cases with the Diocese of Buffalo. If you or someone you know has been a victim of a sexual abuse by any priest or clergymen affiliated with the Diocese of Buffalo, please e-mail attorney Adam Horowitz at [email protected] or call our law firm at (954) 641-2100 to discuss your claim against the Diocese of Buffalo and learn if you are eligible for monetary compensation. Attorney Adam Horowitz offers confidential, free evaluations of your sexual abuse claim involving priests and clergy of the Diocese of Buffalo.