Grewal Law is proud to announce that our firm, alongside several others, helped secure yet another historic victory in the fight for survivors who were sexually abused by Dr. Larry Nassar with a nearly $139 million settlement against the U.S. Department of Justice.
As noted in the DOJ press release, the Justice Department announced on Tuesday, April 23, 2024, that it agreed to settle 139 administrative claims alleging the FBI failed to properly investigate Nassar’s conduct, which allowed him to continue his abuse of female athletes. Of the 139 claimants included in the settlement, Grewal Law represented 44.
These claims were filed in 2022, roughly one year after a Department’s Office of the Inspector General released a report that found FBI officials failed to respond "with the utmost seriousness and urgency” to abuse allegations they received against Nassar in 2015 . The delay allowed Nassar to continue his abuse for more than a year after the FBI was initially notified.
The settlement against the DOJ is the latest in a string of hard-earned victories for survivors who were sexually abused by Nassar while he was employed as the U.S. women’s national gymnastics team doctor and a physician for Michigan State University. Nassar was found to have sexually assaulted more than 500 female athletes under the guise of providing medical care over the course of two decades. In December 2017, Nassar was sentenced to 60 years in federal prison and, in 2018, to an additional 80-300 years in Michigan State Prison.
Having taken part in this litigation for many years, Grewal Law is proud to have helped secure another victory. These survivors must be commended for their courage in coming forward to speak out and seek justice. Thanks to their bravery, our firm has been one of several to help secure historic victories in cases brought against Michigan State University and USA Gymnastics, both of which were accused of dismissing or ignoring complaints about Nassar dating as far back as the 1990s. These two cases resulted in significant settlements, including:
- A $500 million global settlement against Michigan State University, one of the largest settlements against a University in U.S. history for a personal injury case involving sexual abuse.
- A $380 million settlement against USA Gymnastics/U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee over sexual abuse committed during Nassar’s time as the women’s team doctor.
While the latest settlement did not concern these entities, it amounts the combined liability payouts in legal cases brought by survivors of Nassar’s abuse to more than $1 billion and sends a powerful message to law enforcement agencies nationwide that sexual abuse allegations must be taken seriously from the outset. As was written in a joint statement with Co-Counsel Thomas Behm, Megan Bonanni, and Michael Pitt, Grewal Law’s Mick Grewal notes:
"We are proud to have achieved a monumental settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice, that not only secures the recovery the survivors deserve but also holds the DOJ and FBI accountable for their failures. We hope this serves as a lesson for federal law enforcement and they make the changes necessary to prevent anything like this from happening again."
Grewal Law: A Leader in Sexual Abuse Litigation
Grewal Law is a nationally recognized trial practice with a legacy of fighting for survivors of sexual abuse and assault. Backed by award-winning trial lawyers, we have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars in compensation for survivors and secured notable victories in high-profile cases against powerful institutions, including Michigan State University, USA Gymnastics, and the DOJ in the historic Larry Nassar cases, as well as the University of Michigan for survivors of Robert Anderson.
If you have questions about civil sexual abuse lawsuits and your legal options, we offer FREE and confidential consultations to survivors across Michigan and beyond. Call (888) 211-5798 or contact us online to request yours.