File Your Claim Before June 1st, 2015 to Avoid Caps On Your Justice.
In 2023, Maryland made headlines for doing what so many survivors of child sexual abuse had long been fighting for — the passage of the Child Victims Act, which abolished the civil statute of limitations for survivors of childhood sexual abuse. The law finally gave those silenced by trauma, fear, or institutional cover-ups a chance to pursue justice, no matter how much time had passed.
But just this week, the Maryland legislature took a troubling step backward.
On April 8, 2025, Maryland lawmakers passed a bill that caps financial damages in child sexual abuse civil lawsuits. Beginning June 1, 2025, survivors suing public institutions (like public schools or government-run youth programs) will be limited to $400,000 in damages. Claims against private entities (like churches, camps, or private schools) will be capped at $750,000.
Let’s be clear — these caps don’t just limit money.
They limit accountability.
Why Civil Lawsuits Matter for Survivors
Civil lawsuits are about far more than compensation. For many survivors, they are the only form of justice left.
Because criminal charges are often impossible to pursue due to time limitations or lack of physical evidence, civil courts have become a vital path for survivors to:
- Expose the truth
- Hold institutions accountable
- Reclaim their voice and power
- Prevent future harm by forcing reforms
At Andreozzi + Foote, our Maryland sexual abuse attorneys are representing hundreds of survivors across the country. We’ve seen firsthand how civil litigation can shine a light on years of institutional cover-ups — and how meaningful justice can be, even decades after the abuse occurred.
When a state imposes a dollar limit on what a survivor can recover, it sends a chilling message:
That their pain has an expiration date — and a price tag
The Harm of Capping Damages
Child sexual abuse is one of the most devastating forms of trauma a person can endure. Survivors often face:
- Lifelong mental health challenges
- Substance use and addiction
- Lost wages and educational opportunity
- Struggles with intimacy and trust
- Physical health effects from chronic stress
Putting a cap on civil damages does not reflect the lifelong impact of that trauma. It also fails to meaningfully punish the institutions that enabled or ignored the abuse — and reduces the financial pressure on them to change their practices.
These limits create a two-tiered system: those who filed claims early, and those who may be forever shortchanged because they weren’t ready to come forward until now.
What Maryland Survivors Need to Know
If you are a survivor of childhood sexual abuse in Maryland, you still have time to file a civil lawsuit under the original terms of the Child Victims Act.
✅ The new caps apply only to claims filed on or after June 1, 2025.
That means survivors who file before that date may still pursue full and uncapped damages against the individuals and institutions responsible for their abuse.
How Andreozzi + Foote Can Help
We are a national law firm with a deep commitment to representing survivors of child sexual abuse. Our team of trauma-informed attorneys understands what you’ve been through — and we know how to hold powerful institutions accountable.
We are currently representing hundreds of survivors in Maryland and encourage you to file before June 1st to avoid these caps in compensation.
📞 All consultations are free and confidential. 1-866-753-5458
Whether the abuse happened last year or 40 years ago, we believe your voice matters. We believe your story deserves to be heard — fully, truthfully, and without limitation.
Justice Should Never Come with a Cap
Laws like the Child Victims Act were designed to break the silence. To undo decades of injustice. To finally put power back into the hands of survivors.
But capping compensation undermines that promise. It tells survivors, once again, to accept less. To shrink their pain down to a legally defined number.
We say no to that.
Survivors deserve better.
Survivors deserve justice — without limits.
