Lawsuit: Chicago Priest Molested Teen for Years

Last week, a 45-year-old man filed a civil suit against the Archdiocese of Chicago, claiming that a priest repeatedly sexually molested the man when he was a teenager.

According to the lawsuit, the abuse occurred between 1981 and 1984. The victim claims that the molestation caused him to suffer severe emotional trauma.

According to the lawsuit, the archdiocese had been notified that the accused priest was sexually molesting young boys, yet took no action. In addition, the suit claims that the archdiocese concealed the abuse from the police, parishioners, and the victim's family.

The victim is likely suing the Chicago Archdiocese for a negligence cause of action. In a negligence suit, a plaintiff must show that the defendant owed him a legal duty, and the defendant's breach of that legal duty directly led to the plaintiff's injury.

Here, the man will likely claim that the archdiocese not only had a duty to investigate the claims of child molestation, but also to ensure the safety of minors who were under the archdiocese's supervision. The victim must then show that he suffered harm as a direct result of the archdiocese's failure to perform that duty.

As the man suffered severe emotional trauma as a result of the molestation, he may sue the archdiocese for the intentional infliction of emotional distress as well. That would require him to show that the priest's extreme conduct intentionally or recklessly caused the man severe emotional distress. Considering that sexual molestation of a teenager is both extreme and reckless behavior, the victim likely has a good claim.

According to the lawsuit, the accused priest has been employed by at least four parishes in the Chicago area and was ordained in or around 1974.

Related Resource:

Find a Chicago Personal Injury Attorney (FindLaw)
Suit: Ex-Altar Boy Claims Priest Molested Him (CBS News)
Personal Injury Law: The Basics (FindLaw)
Proving Fault: What is Negligence? (FindLaw)

The Chicago Personal Injury Law Blog

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