Boy Scouts Abuse Settlement Tier Calculator
Boy Scouts of America Chapter 11 trust pays tiered amounts based on abuse severity, age, and corroboration. $2.4B trust funded by BSA + insurers.
| Medical specials (current + future) | — |
| Lost wages (current + future) | — |
| Pain and suffering (multiplier × specials) | — |
| Gross damages | — |
| Comparative negligence reduction | — |
| Settlement after fault | — |
| Attorney fee | — |
| Plaintiff net recovery | — |
The Scouting Settlement Trust pays abuse claims from a six-tier claims matrix, not a general injury formula. This free tool estimates a civil tort valuation of a claim — medical costs, lost earnings and a pain-and-suffering multiplier — which you can compare against the Trust's published tier values in the matrix below.
Boy Scouts Settlement Tier Matrix (Tiers 1–6)
The Trust Distribution Procedures assign every matrix claim to one of six tiers by the nature of the abuse. Each tier has a base value and a maximum, and scaling factors — the survivor's age at the time, number of incidents, multiple perpetrators, corroboration, statute-of-limitations status in the relevant state — move the award between the two. Note the direction of the scale: Tier 1 is the most severe tier, not the entry level.
| Tier | Base | Maximum |
|---|---|---|
| 1 — Penetration by an adult perpetrator | $600,000 | $2,700,000 |
| 2 — Oral contact by an adult perpetrator | $450,000 | $2,025,000 |
| 3 — Masturbation by an adult perpetrator | $300,000 | $1,350,000 |
| 4 — Unclothed intimate touching | $150,000 | $675,000 |
| 5 — Clothed touching or exploitation | $75,000 | $337,500 |
| 6 — Abuse involving no touching | $3,500 | $8,500 |
An allowed claim value is not the same as cash received. The Trust pays a percentage of allowed claims as funds are released, so a survivor with a $600,000 allowed Tier 1 claim receives that amount only if the Trust is eventually funded to 100%.
Where the 2026 Payout Stands
Judge Laurie Selber Silverstein confirmed the $2.46 billion plan on 8 September 2022. The Third Circuit upheld it in May 2025, and on 12 January 2026 the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear a further challenge, removing the last legal barrier to distribution. More than 82,000 abuse claims were filed; roughly 58,000–60,000 matrix claims remain in evaluation, about 75% of them already determined. By November 2025 the Trust had disbursed over $295.5 million to 36,896 survivors, with matrix distributions running at a small initial percentage of allowed claims while escrowed funds are released. Confirm your own claim status through the Scouting Settlement Trust or your claims attorney.
Components of Damages
Economic damages: medical bills (current + future), lost wages (current + future earning capacity), property damage, out-of-pocket expenses. Non-economic damages: pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of consortium, disfigurement. Punitive damages rare and capped in most states.
Pain & Suffering Multiplier
Typical multipliers: minor injuries 1.5-2× specials, moderate 2-3×, severe/permanent 3-5×, catastrophic 5-10×. For boy scouts abuse settlement, typical range is 3-9× medical specials. Multiplier increases with permanence, visible scarring, life disruption.
Comparative Negligence
This does not apply to childhood sexual abuse claims. A child cannot consent and is not assigned a share of fault, and the Scouting Settlement Trust matrix contains no comparative-fault reduction. Leave the fault field at 0 for a Boy Scouts claim. The rule is included here only because this calculator is also used for general personal injury matters: in pure comparative states (CA, NY, FL, AK, AZ, KY, LA, MS, MO, NM, RI, SD, WA) recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault; modified comparative states bar recovery at 50% fault; and AL, MD, NC, VA and DC still apply pure contributory negligence, barring recovery at 1% fault.
Attorney Fees & Costs
Personal injury attorneys typically work on contingency: 33% of settlement (pre-litigation) to 40% (post-filing), 45% (trial). Plus case costs (depositions, experts, court fees) deducted from gross. Net to client = gross − attorney fee − case costs − liens.
Updated 9 August 2026. This tool gives an educational estimate, not legal advice or a Trust determination — only the Settlement Trustee can value your claim. Sources: Scouting Settlement Trust (Trust Distribution Procedures claims matrix), DOJ Office on Violence Against Women.