Susquehanna Township School District continues to point to “rumors,” as it faces an investigation into how it handled the case of an assistant principal who allegedly had sex with a 16-year-old student.

Rumors, said the school district’s solicitor, are not enough for a “reasonable cause” to suspect child abuse. When concerns do rise to that level, state law mandates certain professionals must report to authorities.

But lawyers representing victims in the Jerry Sandusky case say there’s a “heightened awareness” and lessons that should have been learned from Penn State when it comes to reporting allegations of child abuse.

Ben Andreozzi, a civil lawyer whose law firm represented eight of the victims in the Jerry Sandusky case, said he has “serious concerns” regarding how Susquehanna Township school officials “handled the situation.”

He hoped institutions would heed the “severity of lapses” in reporting child abuse.

“If they thought enough … to conduct an investigation, they probably should have thought enough … to contact authorities.” – Ben Andreozzi

HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) -It’s been just over a year since Jerry Sandusky was convicted of molesting boys, and Penn State will soon know the cost of compensating the victims of his heinous acts. The lawyer hired by the university to negotiate with those victims announced Monday that agreements have been reached with 25 of Sandusky’s 31 victims.

Harrisburg attorney Ben Andreozzi represents nine of them, and he confirmed that he’s “very close” to finalizing compensation for his clients. He called it an important step.

“You can’t take the hands of time and eliminate what happened to them,” Andreozzi said, “but you can try to lead them toward healing, and that’s the best we can hope to do.”

The recent events related to sexual abuse allegations against Florida State’s quarterback led to an interesting article outlining a history of sexual abuse allegations in college football. The sexual abuse epidemic that has plagued college football clearly did not begin or end with Jerry Sandusky and Penn State. Our firm represented many victims in the Sandusky and Penn State matter, and we have also represented other victims of sexual abuse against football players and the schools.

For the last several years, lawmakers around the country have begun enacting laws to address “revenge porn.” Previously, most states lacked laws that criminalized “revenge porn” specifically, which allowed perpetrators to avoid prosecution. In some states, these new laws also provide victims with civil remedies against their harassers. In 2014, Pennsylvania joined this growing trend and passed Act 115 of 2014, which provided “revenge porn” victims with criminal and civil remedies. The law makes it illegal to disseminate intimate images of former sexual or intimate partners with the intent to harass the victim. The new act also gives the victims the right to sue the disseminator in civil court. The text of Act 115 is available here.

As was recently reported, a PSU Fraternity posted photos of nude unconscious women on Facebook. Act 115 may give the victims an opportunity to pursue criminal charges against members of the fraternity, as well as civil lawsuits for damages. The PSU Fraternity’s victims may also be able to pursue lawsuits against the fraternity or its members under other legal theories.

Andreozzi + Foote is a litigation boutique that specializes in representing victims of sexual, violent, and financial crimes in civil lawsuits. Our firm is best known for its work on behalf of sexual abuse victims, including representing 11 of Jerry Sandusky’s victims. We are also representing the families of murdered love ones in several cases. If you believe you or a loved one has been a victim of a crime and are interested in exploring a potential civil lawsuit, please contact me immediately at nate@victimscivilattorneys.com.

A number of former students at Episcopal Academy in suburban Philadelphia have come forward alleging they were sexually abused by Richard Perkins Smith, a former teacher and administrator at the Episcopal Academy in Devon, Pennsylvania. Criminal charges are pending against Richard Perkins Smith in Massachusetts since the alleged assaults occurred in Cape Cod, and a warrant for Smith’s arrest has been issued in Pennsylvania. The location of the abuse is significant because it may pave the way for his victims to bring civil claims against the Episcopal Academy using a newly passed Massachusetts law which extends the time in which victims of childhood sexual abuse can bring civil claims. Currently, Pennsylvania law is not as forgiving and may bar similar claims depending upon when the abuse happened. Civil claims may be viable since Smith admitted to abusing a student to the head of the school.

The attorneys at Andreozzi + Foote focus their practice in representing victims of crime in civil cases. They have represented sexual abuse victims from across the country in high profile cases, including the Penn State/Jerry Sandusky case, and various claims against religious institutions. To determine if you might have a case or to gain further information regarding sexual abuse claims please call Andreozzi + Foote at 866-311-8640.

On Saturday, three people were shot inside the 5th Avenue Tavern in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. As has been reported, the shooting left one dead, and wounded two bystanders.

Our firm has represented the families of murdered loved ones in several cases against bars and restaurants that had inadequate security. Often, bars like the 5th Avenue Tavern do not take their obligation to keep patrons safe seriously. They fail to check patrons for weapons, ensure proper service of alcohol, or maintain sufficient security staff. When bars fail in these obligations, people are often hurt or killed.

Andreozzi + Foote specializes in representing victims of sexual, violent, and financial crimes in civil lawsuits. Our firm is best known for its work on behalf of sexual abuse victims, including representing 11 of Jerry Sandusky’s victims. We are also representing the families of murdered love ones in several cases. If you believe you or a loved one has been a victim of a crime and are interested in exploring a potential civil lawsuit, please contact me immediately at nate@victimscivilattorneys.com.

Several weeks ago, police arrested two teachers at Plum High School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for allegedly having sex with students. In Pennsylvania, it is illegal for a teacher to engage in sexual contact with a student, even if the student is 18 years-old. As a result, teachers Jason Cooper and Joseph Ruggieri are charged with institutional sexual assault.

After the story first broke, the Allegheny County District Attorney’s office reported troubling allegations regarding Plum School District employees’ awareness of the sexual relationships. Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala told reporters that it may have been “common knowledge” that teachers were having sex with students at the High School. If this allegation is true, Cooper and Ruggieri’s victims may have strong Title IX claims against the School District for “deliberate indifference” to a sexually hostile educational environment.

Title IX cases against public education institutions has resulted in significant settlements for sexual abuse and assault victims in the last several years. Several years ago, for example, the University of Colorado paid two women more than $2 million to settle Title IX claims against the University after the women were gang raped by football players and high-school football recruits at a party.

Andreozzi + Foote has successfully represented several victims in Title IX lawsuits against public schools. Our firm specializes in representing victims of sexual, violent, and financial crimes in civil lawsuits. Our firm is best known for its work on behalf of sexual abuse victims, including representing 11 of Jerry Sandusky’s victims. We are also representing the families of murdered love ones in several cases. If you believe you or a loved one has been a victim of a crime and are interested in exploring a potential civil lawsuit, please contact me immediately at nate@victimscivilattorneys.com.