Church sex abuse survivors have until Friday to file claim against Archdiocese of Baltimore

By Kim Dacey

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    BALTIMORE, Maryland (WBAL) — The clock is ticking for survivors of church sex abuse in Baltimore.

Survivors have until the end of Friday to file a claim with the Archdiocese of Baltimore to be compensated for their abuse.

More than 500 people have already filed claims against the archdiocese, but those close to the case said that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

“If you go in and you’re a little unsure, I would urge you to go ahead and file a claim. You can always back out,” said David Lorenz, the Maryland president of the Survivor’s Network of those Abused by Priests.

“It’s horrific, it’s overwhelming. We’re sure that there are hundreds and hundreds more survivors of abuse who are out there who may still be thinking about filing claims,” said Andrew Freeman, an attorney representing several victims.

The claims are part of court proceedings for the archdiocese, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after the Child Victim’s Act passed the General Assembly in 2023, eliminating the statute of limitations for children who suffered sexual abuse by members of the church.

“Most survivors that I know are very upset about the bankruptcy filing because it does put that time limit. It was putting an artificial limit on the Child Victims Act,” Lorenz said.

Claims can be filed confidentially online with or without a lawyer.

Then, money from archdiocesan assets and insurance will be divvied up among those survivors.

“They have a process where claims are scored. Everybody is entitled to some compensation if they were abused. Some were abused more horrifically than others. Some people have suffered far greater damage than others, and those severe cases will get a larger slice of the pie,” Freeman said.

Lorenz, who settled his case in another state, said it’s not about the money, but about getting some closure.

“You lost your childhood, we really did, it was taken away from you. It was stolen because of what happened to you,” Lorenz said. “The money is not going to bring any of that back, but it does come with some sense of justice.”

Baltimore Archbishop William Lori released a statement, saying, in part: “While the May 31 court deadline relates to filing legal claims, it does not end the moral obligation of the archdiocese to respond compassionately to those who were harmed. We can never undo the harm that was done to many, nor can we lessen the evil of what has happened. We can, however, continue to walk with those who have been harmed and do all we can to contribute to their healing.”

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