Associated Press, carried in KXLY [Spokane WA]
April 20, 2006
http://www.kxly.com/news/index.php?sect_rank=2§ion_id=560&story_id=1809
Spokane - The Roman Catholic Diocese of Spokane has reached settlements totaling $4.25 Million with two more of its insurance carriers in a dispute over coverage of clergy sex abuse claims.
Bishop William Skylstad announced the proposed settlements today. They still must be approved by federal bankruptcy and district court judges.
It is the second time in less than a month that companies that issued policies to the diocese have agreed to settle, rather than go to trial. The diocese now has more than nine-point-five (m) million dollars from insurance companies to pay victims of clergy sexual abuse.
The diocese filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection because of sex abuse claims and has offered to settle with 75 victims for nearly 46 (m) million dollars.
More than 100 others have also filed claims against the diocese.
The diocese is reviewing "claims of proof" filed by those claimants not covered by the so-called "universal settlement," but no amount has been attached to those claims.
Skylstad said church officials are working to come up with ways to pay the claims, but there are no plans to sell church assets.
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