Rhode Island Sexual Abuse Settlement Calculator
Estimate compensation under Rhode Island's newest-in-the-nation revival window (institutions, July 2026 – June 2028) and the standard 35-year/discovery deadlines
Rhode Island's revival window is open right now: from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2028, childhood sexual abuse claims that were already time-barred can be filed against institutions — schools, dioceses, youth organizations — under R.I. Gen. Laws § 9-1-51(a)(3). For claims that never expired, Rhode Island allows suit until the later of 35 years from the abuse or 7 years from discovering the connection, with the clock paused until age 18.
⚠ Rhode Island's institutional revival window is OPEN — it closes June 30, 2028. It covers claims against institutions only; claims against the abuser personally follow the standard deadlines.
All consultations confidential. Pseudonym filings available to protect survivor identity.
Your Case Details
Answer a few questions to see your estimated range.
PTSD, depression, anxiety, complex trauma — formally diagnosed?
Larger institutions have more resources and higher settlements.
Estimated Settlement Range
$176,400 — $327,600
Abuse settlements vary widely by jurisdiction, institutional resources, and the documented impact. This is a benchmark range based on reported cases.
Revisado Editorialmente — Contenido revisado en cuanto a exactitud utilizando investigación legal publicada, datos gubernamentales y registros judiciales verificados. Vea nuestra metodología
Reviewed by Leonard Goldberg, Editor
Rhode Island Sexual Abuse Lawsuits — Deadlines, the New Window, Real Settlements
Rhode Island enacted the newest revival window in the country: signed June 11, 2026 (H-7200A/S-2616A), it reopens the courthouse from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2028 for childhood sexual abuse claims that had already expired — but only against non-perpetrator defendants: institutions and supervisors whose negligent supervision, hiring, training, monitoring, failure to report or concealment enabled the abuse. More than 34 suits were reported filed within the first weeks.
For claims that never expired, Rhode Island's standing rule is already among the longer ones: suit may be brought until the later of 35 years from the act or 7 years from discovering that your injuries are connected to the abuse — and the clock does not start before age 18, so most survivors have until at least their early 50s (R.I. Gen. Laws § 9-1-51(a)(1)-(2)). Adult sexual assault follows the general 3-year personal-injury period (§ 9-1-14(b)).
What Rhode Island cases have actually paid: the Diocese of Providence settled 36 claims for $13.5 million total in 2002 — about $375,000 per claimant on average, decades ago. The St. George's School settlements (2016) were confidential; the "$30 million" figure that circulates online appears to be a mix-up with the number of claims ("up to 30"), not a verified amount. Rhode Island has no statutory cap on compensatory damages, so case value turns on evidence, not on a legislative ceiling.
Rhode Island's Revival Window
One window is open right now. Unlike New York's or California's earlier windows, it is limited to institutional defendants — here is exactly what it covers, as of August 2026:
2026 institutional revival window (H-7200A / S-2616A)
OPENR.I. Gen. Laws § 9-1-51(a)(3), as amended by 2026 P.L. (H-7200A/S-2616A, signed June 11, 2026)
Childhood sexual abuse claims against NON-perpetrator defendants only — institutions and supervisors (negligent supervision, hiring, training, monitoring, failure to report, concealment). Claims against the abuser personally are NOT covered by the window; they follow the standard § 9-1-51(a)(1)-(2) deadlines.
⚠ Window closes June 30, 2028
Newest revival window in the country; 34+ suits reported filed in the first weeks after opening.
Current Deadlines (Claims That Never Expired)
Childhood sexual abuse: the later of 35 years from the act, or 7 years from discovery of the causal connection between the abuse and your injuries — tolled until age 18, so at minimum until age 53 (R.I. Gen. Laws § 9-1-51(a)(1)-(2)). Applies against perpetrators and institutions alike.
Adult sexual assault (18+ at the time): Rhode Island has no special statute — the general 3-year personal-injury limitation applies (R.I. Gen. Laws § 9-1-14(b)). Civil claims can proceed regardless of whether there was a criminal prosecution.
Damage Caps
Rhode Island has no statutory cap on compensatory damages in civil injury actions — unlike many states, no legislative ceiling limits what a jury can award for pain and suffering in an abuse case. Government-entity defendants may raise separate notice and immunity defenses, which is one of several reasons institutional cases are pleaded carefully.
Landmark Rhode Island Settlements
Verified Rhode Island results — and an honest note about a number you may have seen online:
| Defendant / Case | Amount | Year | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence | $14M | 2002 | Settled 36 lawsuits involving 11 priests and one nun in a single September 2002 agreement — $13.5M total across all 36 claimants, partly funded by property sales. |
| St. George's School (Middletown) | Confidential | 2016 | Confidential mediated settlements for roughly 30 claims (at least 51 victims identified by the independent Foley Hoag investigation). The dollar amount was never disclosed — the widely repeated "$30 million" figure appears to be a mix-up with the number of claims ("up to 30"), not a verified sum. |
Responsabilidad Institucional: Por Qué Ahí Está el Dinero Real
Los agresores individuales a menudo tienen activos limitados. Los demandados institucionales (iglesias, escuelas, organizaciones) tienen bolsillos profundos Y responsabilidad legal por permitir el abuso. Comprender las teorías de responsabilidad institucional explica las recuperaciones masivas.
Negligent hiring
Contratación negligente: la institución contrató a un agresor a pesar de señales de alerta (quejas previas, antecedentes penales, advertencias del sector). Responsable por verificaciones de antecedentes inadecuadas e ignorar referencias.
Negligent supervision
Supervisión negligente: la institución no supervisó adecuadamente al agresor dado su rol y contacto con poblaciones vulnerables. Aplica a maestros, clero, entrenadores, cuidadores.
Negligent retention
Retención negligente: la institución mantuvo al agresor en el personal después de conocer conductas preocupantes. Esta es la teoría del 'traslado del sacerdote' — mover a los agresores entre ubicaciones sin tomar acción.
Respondeat superior
Responsabilidad del principal (respondeat superior): el empleador es vicariamente responsable por los actos del empleado cometidos en el curso del empleo. Más limitado para actos intencionales, pero aún aplica a muchos escenarios de abuso.
Breach of fiduciary duty
Incumplimiento del deber fiduciario: las relaciones especiales (clero-feligrés, maestro-estudiante, consejero-cliente) crean deberes reforzados. El incumplimiento crea responsabilidad más allá de la negligencia.
Fraudulent concealment
Ocultamiento fraudulento: la institución ocultó activamente el abuso de las fuerzas del orden, nuevas víctimas o padres. A menudo habilita daños punitivos y extiende el plazo de prescripción (el plazo comienza desde el descubrimiento del ocultamiento).
Rhode Island Sexual Abuse Lawsuit FAQ
Who can file under the 2026–2028 revival window?
Survivors of childhood sexual abuse whose claims were already time-barred under the old deadlines — but only against non-perpetrator defendants: the school, diocese, camp, team or other institution whose negligence or concealment enabled the abuse (negligent supervision, hiring, training, monitoring, failure to report, concealment). Claims against the abuser personally are not revived by the window; they follow the standard § 9-1-51 deadlines, which for most survivors still run until at least age 53.
When exactly does the window close?
June 30, 2028. The window opened July 1, 2026 under legislation signed June 11, 2026 (H-7200A/S-2616A, amending R.I. Gen. Laws § 9-1-51). Institutional abuse cases take time to investigate and plead — records requests alone can take months — so attorneys handling window claims strongly advise not waiting until 2028.
Is the "$30 million St. George's settlement" real?
No verified source supports that number. The 2016 St. George's School settlements were confidential, mediated individually, and the amount was never disclosed. The Associated Press reported an agreement resolving "up to 30" claims — the recurring "$30 million" appears to be a mix-up between the number of claims and a dollar figure. The verified Rhode Island benchmark is the Diocese of Providence's 2002 settlement: $13.5 million for 36 claimants.
How much are Rhode Island abuse cases worth today?
There is no honest single number. The 2002 diocese settlement averaged roughly $375,000 per claimant in 2002 dollars; awards elsewhere have ranged far higher since, and Rhode Island imposes no damage cap. The first wave of window suits (34+ filed since July 2026) has not produced settlements yet, so anyone quoting a "typical Rhode Island window settlement" is extrapolating. Case value turns on the strength of institutional-negligence evidence, the harm documented, and the defendant's resources.
Can I file anonymously in Rhode Island?
Courts in Rhode Island routinely allow abuse survivors to proceed under a pseudonym (John/Jane Doe), subject to the court's approval, and records in these cases are commonly sealed or redacted. An attorney will typically file the pseudonym motion together with the complaint.
What Is Still Unsettled
Legal situation is evolving. As of April 2026:
- The 2026 window covers claims against institutions (non-perpetrator defendants) only — suits against the abuser personally still run under the standard deadlines. Whether courts read any edge cases differently is untested this early.
- The first wave of window suits (34+ filed since July 1, 2026) is pending — no settlements or verdicts from the window itself exist yet, so any dollar expectations are extrapolation, not Rhode Island window data.
- St. George's settlement amounts were never made public. Treat any specific figure you read online — including "$30 million" — as unverified.
This page is informational only. Consult a licensed attorney for case-specific advice.
Primary Sources
- webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE9/9-1/9-1-51.htm
- www.bishop-accountability.org/ma-bos/settlements/SettlementProvidence.html
- www.turnto23.com/news/national/elite-prep-school-agrees-to-settle-up-to-30-sex-abuse-claims
Other State Sexual Abuse Calculators
California
3 revival windows (AB 218/2777/250)
New York
CVA + ASA + NYC GMVA (open Jul 2027)
New Jersey
Age-55 + 7-yr discovery rule
Maryland
No SOL for childhood + 2025 cap cut
All States — Main Calculator
Nationwide settlement ranges + institutional liability overview
Related
Sexual Abuse Settlement Calculators by State
Lookback windows and settlement ranges for survivors vary by state: