The finding of a Washington Post reporter have many people debating whether survivors of Larry Nassar’s sexual abuse are being taken advantage of, again. This time at the hands of an attorney.
USA Gymnastics filed for bankruptcy last year, a move it says would help resolve about 100 lawsuits from more than 350 Larry Nassar sexual abuse survivors. But in turn, the woman had to hire an attorney who specializes in bankruptcy claims. They hired James Stang.
According to the Washington Post, he is charging them $1,145 dollars an hour. A fee a judge approved, but other attorney’s in his field say is too much.
“His competitor said there is no way that case should cost a thousand dollars an hour,” says Washington Post reporter Will Hobson.
Hobson says it’s common for attorneys to discount their fees for abuse victims. Stang isn’t, well at least not for the Nassar survivors. Stang also represents abuse victims of Catholic Priests and he is charging them 35 to 40 percent less.
“The experts we spoke with say there is no real legal reason why working on this case would be any more complicated or expensive or time-consuming than working on the catholic bankruptcy.”
But Hobson says ultimately it could have all came down to negotiations.
“The victims in the catholic cases he was working with drove a harder bargain than the Nassar victims.”
Hobson says most of the Nassar survivors he spoke with say they are okay with the price because they believe he will give them a higher settlement.
