Judge approves settlement in Earl Bradley child sex abuse case

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The “worst case of single perpetrator sexual abuse in the country,” according to the law firm of  Schochor, Federico & Staton, P.A., has been settled.

Delaware Superior Court Judge Joseph Slights III approved the $123 million settlement for victims of former Delaware pediatrician Earl Bradley, accused of sexually abusing over 900 children. The case, C.A. Nos. N10C-05-023 (JRS) & N10C-10-317 (JRS), was a civil class action lawsuit filed by the families of the victims against Beebe Medical Center, the Medical Society of Delaware and independent physicians.

A proposed settlement was reached earlier this year.

Schochor, Federico & Staton, P.A., Baltimore, represented the largest number of plaintiffs of all law firms involved in the case, which took over 16 months to resolve. The attorneys chose mediation instead of litigation for a quicker, more efficient resolution of the case to bring about a swift closure for the victims involved. Bradley is expected to spend the rest of his life in prison.

The agreement also allowed Beebe Medical Center, a nonprofit health care organization based in Lewes, to avoid bankruptcy proceedings that could have compromised care in the fast-growing coastal area of Delaware.  Much of  the Beebe settlement came from insurance companies, with the institution also paying in cash.

In an earlier release, Beebe said the settlement would not compromise its finances.

In conjunction with other counsel, Schochor, Federico & Staton, P.A. was able to negotiate a settlement package of $123 million. Of that amount, $119 million came from six different insurance companies covering Beebe Medical Center, $3 million from the Medical Society of Delaware, and $1 million in free medical and mental health care from the hospital for the victims.

“The damages caused by child sexual abuse are far reaching,” said Phil Federico, partner. “We want to ensure that these children have access to appropriate medical and mental health care to begin the healing process.”

Managing partner Jonathan Schochor notes that the case is far from over in the hearts of the victims and their families. “We have achieved an extraordinary result for our clients under very difficult circumstances,” he said. “Now, our clients will be afforded an opportunity to obtain the finest medical care available to help them cope with what occurred and lead productive lives.”

The attorneys at Schochor, Federico & Staton interviewed each client to determine the nature and extent of abuse. They also submitted evidence that included a copy of a letter written by Dr. Bradley’s sister to the defendant hospital and the medical society, warning them about her brother’s pedophila.

For nearly 30 years, Schochor, Federico & Staton, P.A. has  practiced medical malpractice law, recovering over $700 million in damages on behalf of its clients. For more information, visit www.sfspa.com.  (Information from press release and earlier disclosures related to the case).