A settlement has been reached in a class-action lawsuit brought by the victims of a former Lewes pediatrician convicted of sexually abusing young patients.
Beebe Medical Center in Lewes, the Medical Society of Delaware and others accused of failing to report their suspicions about Earl Bradley’s behavior have agreed to a 123 million dollar settlement with Bradley’s victims.
The terms announced Wednesday call for the Delaware Court of Chancery to supervise the victim’s trust fund made up of insurance proceeds and contributions from Beebe Medical Center. The trust fund will split the victims into five categories and the level of compensation in each category will be based on the nature of the harm suffered and need for ongoing treatment.
"Rather than engaging in costly, time consuming and painful litigation that would surely have resulted in the hospital's bankruptcy, years of delay and further harm to these victims, lawyers for both Plaintiffs and Beebe resolved to do things differently," said the lawyers for all parties involved in a joint written statement. "There would be no bankruptcy; there would be no interminable delay. And the hundreds of children whom Bradley harmed would have a remedy that would allow them, along with their families and their community, to begin to heal."
A November 13th hearing will finalize the terms and dismiss all present and future claims against the defendants.
Bradley is current serving 14 life sentences for child rape.