BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN) It is believed to the largest verdict in New York State history for a lawsuit filed under the Child Victims Act.
A State Supreme Court jury this week awarded $100 million dollars in damages to a 26 year old Buffalo woman under the Child Victims Act.
"I asked the jury not to think about what my client would receive, but to try to value what she has lost," said attorney Robert Corp with Lipsitz, Green, Scime, Cambria LLP on WBEN Wednesday.
Corp explained that his client was 12 years old when she began to endure four years of sexual abuse by a trusted friend of the family, identified as 39 year old Joseph King of Buffalo.
The jury's award includes $30 million for past damages, $20 million for future damages and $50 million for punitive damages.
"My client lost a huge portion of her youth," said Corp. "She was depressed, unable to trust others. And she wasn't able to have healthy and meaningful relationships during a large part of her adolescence and her young adult life."
Corp also said a clinical therapist testified that the victim suffers from post traumatic stress disorder. "While my client is trying to heal, it is likely that she will have issues with trauma and with relationships for the rest of her life," he said.
The victim in this case filed her suit under New York's 2019 Child Victims Act. It created a look back window where past victims of child sexual abuse could bring lawsuits. The statute of limitations has since been revised allowing adult sexual assault survivors who may not have been able to process what happened to them more time to seek recourse.
"I'm hoping [this verdict] sends a message to the community that this type of conduct certainly only going to be handled in the harshest way. It also sends a message to institutions in New York State that there's a real responsibility to make sure there's no abusers among their ranks, otherwise, these are the types of awards that they'll face."
From Corp's perspective, with two young daughters of his own, $100 million dollars does not seem unreasonable to him. He thinks it is fair.
As for the defendant, Corp said as of two weeks ago, Joseph King is currently living and working in the city of Buffalo.