Priest sex abuse victim's lawyers claim most of his $900,000 settlement

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oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2011/01/man_who_won_a_900000_settlemen.html

“A man who was molested as a child by a Portland priest – then secured a $900,000 settlement from the church – has yet to see a penny more than seven years after the church paid out the money…”

Honestly, I think this is worst than the abuse itself (which, of course, is horrific beyond imaginable). To defend a victim who deserves the money for psychological care, only to take most if not all of it into his own pocket, is corrupt, intolerable, insensitive, and down-right evil.
 
Yikes, what a nightmare. The victim hired a lawyer who put in 2.5 years work. A settlement of $650,000 is offered which is rejected on the lawyer’s advice. He continues to work on the case, but the victim grows impatient and fires the lawyer. The victim hires a new lawyer, who three days later reaches a $900,000 settlement.

The first lawyer wants to split the customary 1/3 fee with the second lawyer, but the second lawyer refuses. The first lawyer then goes to court, and the judge awards him the full $300,000 since he had done virtually all the work on the case. The lawyer was also awarded expenses from those 2.5 years, plus the legal costs of suing his former client, plus $72,000 in interest.

Pretty awful. But it doesn’t stop there. On the advice of the second lawyer, the victim decides to fight the ruling all the way to the state Supreme Court. And loses. The first lawyer is awarded even more money for legal expenses. Now the victim is out $527,000.

And then the second lawyer decides to keep $300,000 for himself. So the victim is out of $827,000. This should have left him $73,000, but $50,000 was allegedly given without permission by the second lawyer to a school. So that left the victim with $23,000 from a $900,000 settlement.

If all this is true, the second lawyer seems to be rather dirty.
 
I just hope they fight it out amoung themselves and not try and hit up the diocese to pay for both attorneys. :slapfight:
 
Dale_M said:
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And then the second lawyer decides to keep $300,000 for himself. So the victim is out of $827,000. This should have left him $73,000, but $50,000 was allegedly given without permission by the second lawyer to a school. So that left the victim with $23,000 from a $900,000 settlement.

If all this is true, the second lawyer seems to be rather dirty.
Click to expand...
Fastest way to disbarment is misappropriation of client funds. If even just this last part is true, the second lawyer should be disbarred.
 
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