Michigan Sexual Abuse Settlement Calculator
Understand Michigan's statute of limitations for childhood abuse (MCL 600.5851b) and adult sexual assault (MCL 600.5805(6)) claims
How much are Michigan sexual abuse settlements worth? No verified settlement figures specific to Michigan cases are available here. Value depends on the severity and duration of the abuse, whether an institution was involved, available insurance coverage, and the strength of the evidence. An attorney can give you a case-specific estimate after reviewing the facts.
All consultations confidential. Pseudonym filings available to protect survivor identity.
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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.
Editorially Reviewed — Content reviewed for accuracy using published legal research, government data, and verified court records. See our methodology
Reviewed by Leonard Goldberg, Editor
Michigan's Sexual Abuse Statutes of Limitations
Michigan uses two separate statutes of limitations depending on the victim's age at the time of the abuse. For abuse suffered as a minor, MCL 600.5851b gives an individual until whichever is later: age 28, or 3 years after discovering both the injury and its causal link to the abuse. This exists alongside the general minority-tolling statute, MCL 600.5851, which sets a separate age-19 deadline — §5851b is an additional, later-expiring option, not a replacement. For abuse suffered as an adult, MCL 600.5805(6) allows 10 years to bring a civil action for damages from criminal sexual conduct, and no criminal conviction is required.
Michigan also created a single revival window tied to the 2018 enactment of MCL 600.5851b. It was open for only 90 days after the law's effective date (June 12, 2018) and applied only to individuals abused as minors after December 31, 1996. Even within that window, a claim qualified only if the alleged perpetrator was convicted under MCL 750.520b and had made a specific admission tied to a position of authority or a medical-treatment context — a narrow set of conditions sometimes referred to as the 'Nassar clause.' This window closed around September 2018 and has not been reopened.
The Michigan Supreme Court addressed retroactivity directly in McLain v Roman Catholic Diocese of Lansing, 514 Mich 1 (2024), holding that the MCL 600.5851b(1)(b) discovery rule 'does not apply retroactively to revive limitations periods that have already expired.' In practice, this means the age-28/discovery extension only helps claims that were still active — not yet time-barred — when the statute took effect in 2018. If your claim had already expired before 2018, this statute does not bring it back.
Michigan's One-Time Revival Window (Closed)
Unlike states with multi-year lookback windows, Michigan's revival opportunity was narrow and brief. It has closed, and no new window has been enacted:
Michigan Statute of Limitations for Sexual Abuse Claims
Childhood sexual abuse (under 18 at the time): Under MCL 600.5851b(1), an individual who was a minor at the time of the criminal sexual conduct may file until whichever is later: (a) reaching age 28, or (b) 3 years after discovering, or reasonably should have discovered, both the injury and its causal link to the abuse. This provision does not apply retroactively to claims that were already time-barred before its 2018 enactment. Separately, the general minority-tolling statute, MCL 600.5851, sets an age-19 deadline that remains available as an alternative — §5851b does not eliminate it.
Adult sexual assault (18+ at the time): MCL 600.5805(6) sets a dedicated 10-year period for a civil action to recover damages from criminal sexual conduct (Michigan's statutory term covering offenses under MCL 750.520b–520g). No criminal prosecution or conviction is required. This provision, enacted by 2018 PA 183 and effective June 12, 2018, replaced the former general 3-year personal-injury period for this category of claim and applies without an age restriction — a minor victim may still additionally rely on the more generous age-28/discovery rule above.
Contingency Fee Cap in Michigan
Michigan caps contingency attorney fees at a maximum of 1/3 of the NET recovery, after costs, under Mich. Ct. R. 8.121(B),(C)(1). This is an upper limit set by court rule, not a standard or typical fee — actual fee agreements can be lower. The 1/3 figure is calculated on the amount left after costs are deducted, and awarded costs and interest count toward the recovery for this purpose. The same cap applies to no-fault benefit claims under MCR 8.121(A),(C)(1).
Michigan Sexual Abuse Case Law
No verified settlement amounts specific to Michigan sexual abuse cases are cited on this page. The most significant Michigan development is not a settlement but a statute-of-limitations ruling that shapes which claims can proceed:
Institutional Liability: Why the Real Money Is There
Individual abusers often have limited assets. Institutional defendants (churches, schools, organizations) have deep pockets AND legal liability for enabling abuse. Understanding institutional liability theories explains the massive recoveries.
Negligent hiring
Negligent hiring: Institution hired an abuser despite red flags (prior complaints, criminal history, industry warnings). Liable for inadequate background checks and ignoring references.
Negligent supervision
Negligent supervision: Institution failed to supervise the abuser appropriately given their role and contact with vulnerable populations. Applies to teachers, clergy, coaches, caregivers.
Negligent retention
Negligent retention: Institution kept the abuser on staff after learning of concerning behavior. This is the 'priest shuffle' theory — moving abusers between locations without action.
Respondeat superior
Respondeat superior: Employer is vicariously liable for employee acts committed in the course of employment. Narrower for intentional acts but still applies to many abuse scenarios.
Breach of fiduciary duty
Breach of fiduciary duty: Special relationships (clergy-parishioner, teacher-student, counselor-client) create heightened duties. Breach creates liability beyond negligence.
Fraudulent concealment
Fraudulent concealment: Institution actively hid the abuse from law enforcement, new victims, or parents. Often unlocks punitive damages and extends SOL (the clock starts from discovery of concealment).
Michigan Sexual Abuse Settlement FAQs
I was abused as a child in Michigan. How long do I have to file a claim?
Under MCL 600.5851b(1), you generally have until whichever is later: you turn 28, or 3 years after you discover (or reasonably should have discovered) both the injury and its causal link to the abuse. This applies regardless of the general personal-injury rules in MCL 600.5805 or MCL 600.5851. Separately, the general minority-tolling statute, MCL 600.5851, gives an alternative age-19 deadline. Note that MCL 600.5851b does not apply retroactively to claims that were already time-barred before its 2018 enactment — if your deadline had already passed by then, this provision does not restart it. An attorney can evaluate which deadline applies to your specific facts.
I was assaulted as an adult in Michigan. What is the deadline?
MCL 600.5805(6) gives you 10 years from the criminal sexual conduct to bring a civil action for damages. No criminal prosecution or conviction is required for the civil claim to proceed. This dedicated 10-year period, effective June 12, 2018 under 2018 PA 183, replaced the shorter general personal-injury limitations period that previously applied to this category of claim, and it applies without an age restriction.
Is there still a revival window open in Michigan?
No. Michigan's only revival window was a 90-day period tied to the 2018 enactment of MCL 600.5851b(3). It applied to individuals abused as minors after December 31, 1996, and required the alleged perpetrator to have been convicted under MCL 750.520b with a specific admission tied to a position of authority or medical-treatment context. That window closed around September 2018 and has not been reopened or renewed. If your claim doesn't fit within the standard deadlines under MCL 600.5851b or MCL 600.5805(6), it may not be able to proceed.
My abuse happened before 2018 and my claim seems time-barred. Can I still sue?
It depends on whether your claim was still active — not yet time-barred — when MCL 600.5851b took effect in 2018. In McLain v Roman Catholic Diocese of Lansing, 514 Mich 1 (2024), the Michigan Supreme Court held that the discovery rule in MCL 600.5851b(1)(b) 'does not apply retroactively to revive limitations periods that have already expired.' The age-28 extension in subsection (1)(a) works the same way: it only benefits claims that were still viable in 2018, not claims that were already barred before then. An attorney can review the specific dates in your case to determine whether any deadline was still open in 2018.
How much are Michigan sexual abuse settlements worth?
There are no verified settlement figures specific to Michigan cases to cite here. In general, sexual abuse settlement value depends on factors such as the severity and duration of the abuse, whether an institution was involved and had knowledge of the conduct, available insurance or institutional assets, and the strength of supporting evidence. If you hire an attorney on contingency, Michigan court rules cap the fee at a maximum of 1/3 of the net recovery after costs (MCR 8.121(B),(C)(1)) — that is an upper limit, not a fixed rate. An attorney can give you a realistic range after reviewing your case.
Legal Uncertainties and Open Questions
Legal situation is evolving. As of April 2026:
- adult_sol: Enacted by 2018 PA 183, effective June 12, 2018 (replacing the former general 3-year PI period for this category of claim).
- childhood_sol: This section does not limit the minor's separate right to sue under the general minority-tolling statute, MCL 600.5851 (age 19 deadline) — §5851b provides an additional, later-expiring option.
- open_window: This is an extremely narrow window (living, convicted, admitting perpetrator only) and closed in 2018; do not conflate with a general lookback window.
- sol_abolished_retroactive: Quelle ist das offizielle Michigan Judicial Institute Benchbook (courts.michigan.gov), das das Urteil woertlich mit Randziffer zitiert.
- contingency_cap: The 1/3 is figured on the net after costs; awarded costs and interest count toward the recovery. Also applies to no-fault benefits (MCR 8.121(A),(C)(1)).
- contingency_cap: JA: max. 1/3 des NETTO-Erlöses (nach Auslagen), MCR 8.121(B),(C)(1)
This page is informational only. Consult a licensed attorney for case-specific advice.
Primary Sources
- www.courts.michigan.gov/4903e6/siteassets/publications/benchbooks/cvrb/cvrbresponsivehtml5.zip/CVRB/Ch_10_Civil_Actions/Crime_Victim_May_File_Civil_Action.htm
- www.courts.michigan.gov/siteassets/rules-instructions-administrative-orders/michigan-court-rules/michigan-court-rules.pdf
- www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=MCL-600-5805
- www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-600-5851b
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
Other Calculators for Michigan
Each Michigan calculator reflects state-specific laws (caps, statutes of limitations, comparative-negligence rules) and uses Michigan verdict data where available.
Sexual Abuse Settlement Calculators by State
Lookback windows and settlement ranges for survivors vary by state: