Ressler & Tesh Wins Landmark Case for Abuse Survivors
CLICK HERE TO READ THE SUPREME COURT OPINION
$19,300,000
Coster v. State of Washington – DSHS/DCYF removed M.D., a then perfectly healthy 18-month-old, from a stable foster care placement in Washington and placed her into the home of her alleged father in Texas. Two months later he severely beat her. As a result, M.D. suffered severe brain damage, rendering her quadriplegic, blind, and unable to feed or care for herself in any manner for the rest of her life.
Prior to placing M.D. in Texas, DSHS/DCYF failed to read a 26-page home study that had been completed by the State of Texas, contrary to DSHS/DCYF policies. This home study raised numerous red flags regarding the safety of the placement. In addition, DSHS/DCYF failed to review their own files, which also contained concerning information of the alleged father.
Ressler & Tesh obtained a settlement of $19,300,000 for M.D. This settlement will take care of M.D. for the rest of her life. In addition, it is the largest single plaintiff settlement against DSHS/DCYF.
$9,200,000
ARW, BBW, and HEW v. State of Washington – Plaintiffs were three siblings who were physically and sexually abused by their father. DSHS/DCYF and Spokane County Sheriff’s Office ignored several reports of abuse and neglect regarding the children. Ressler & Tesh obtained a combined settlement of $9,200,000 for the Plaintiffs.
$9,000,000
Schmidt v. State of Washington – A couple had a history of CPS investigations over several years regarding their children. DSHS/DCYF continuously failed to complete proper follow-up on the reports it received. The couple then fled with their six siblings to avoid CPS inquires. CPS knew that they had left to New Mexico, yet failed to inform New Mexico of the active investigation. The six siblings were subjected to horrific sexual and physical abuse while in New Mexico, until one of them was able to escape. A settlement of $9,000,000 was obtained by Ressler & Tesh for these children.
$7,875,000
Wolf v. State of Washington; E.Q. v. State of Washington – DSHS/DCYF received dozens of reports regarding abuse and neglect of 5 siblings over several years, yet failed to properly investigate or inform the dependency court of what was happening with these children. The siblings suffered years of sexual and physical abuse at their hands of the biological father. In addition, DSHS/DCYF failed to complete a required background check on the children’s step-grandfather, who was a registered sex offender. Ressler & Tesh obtained a $7,875,000 recovery on the behalf of these children.
$6,500,000
M.B. v. State of Washington – The Plaintiff was placed with a grandmother out of state. There, the Plaintiff suffered extensive and severe burns over her body due to being put into a bathtub filled with scalding hot water. DSHS/DCYF ignored red flags with the grandmother prior to placing the Plaintiff with her and failed to investigate concerns that were brought to their attention. Ressler & Tesh obtained a recovery of $6,500,000 for the Plaintiff.
$6,250,000
Wolf v. SCO Family of Services – Dependent children from Washington and New York were placed by a New York foster care agency into a home with a known history of concerning allegations of neglect. Ressler & Tesh obtained a $6,250,000 recovery against this agency for these children.
Read the NYT article about the case.
$6,100,000
Beggs v. State of Washington – Tyler DeLeon died of starvation on his seventh birthday. At the time of his death, his bruised and battered body weighed just 28 pounds having been systematically starved and abused by his foster mother, Carole DeLeon.
Inexcusably, Tyler DeLeon was one of many children placed in the DeLeon home despite the fact that Ms. Delone had previously lost her foster care license when DSHS/DCYF determined that she had abused and starved foster children in her home.
In addition, some of the surviving Plaintiffs alleged that their doctors failed to report obvious signs of neglect, abuse, and starvation.
This case resulted in an appeal heard by the Washington State Supreme Court, the result of which clarified the law allowing health care providers to be sued solely for their failure to report suspected signs of abuse under RCW 26.44 as distinguished from medical malpractice actions. Beggs v. DSHS 171 Wn.2d 69.
In 2012, DSHS/DCYF settled their portion of the case for $6,100,000.
In 2013, a confidential settlement was reached with one of the children’s doctors.
$6,000,000
LLS and LRS v. State of Washington – The Plaintiffs were two sisters who were sexually abused by their foster father and his two sons in a foster home that was negligently licensed and monitored by DSHS/DCYF. Ressler & Tesh obtained a settlement of $6,000,000 for the Plaintiffs.
$5,750,000
M.N.G. and M.A.G. v. State of Washington – Two developmentally delayed children suffered years of abuse and neglect in their biological home. DCYF dismissed numerous concerning reports regarding these children and their home, which included information that registered sex offenders were being permitted to stay in the home and that the children were acting out sexually. DCYF would blame the children’s disabilities as the cause of their behavioral issues, instead of fully investigating the home. Ressler & Tesh obtained a recovery of $5,750,000 on behalf of these children.
$5,300,000
Wenger v. State of Washington – Four children were placed into an abusive home where they were abused both physically and sexually by their foster (and later adoptive) parents. DSHS/DCYF later admitted that they failed to adequately vet the Wengers prior to licensing them as foster parents. The four children received a global settlement of $5,300,000.
$5,050,000
Coster v. State of Washington – Four foster children suffered physical and sexual abuse in an unlicensed foster home on the Nooksack Indian Reservation. The children were placed in the home due to a lack of communication between DSHS/DCYF and the Nooksack Indian tribe. As a result of this case, the children received compensation in the amount of $5,050,000. In addition, the case resulted in changes in the information sharing procedures between DSHS/DCYF and various Native American service agencies.
$5,000,000
G.M., K.R., S.M., and A.A. v. State of Washington – The Plaintiffs suffered sexual and physical abuse at the hands of foster parents. suffered sexual abuse in his biological home and in a subsequent foster home. DSHS/DCYF ignored the foster parents’ history of abuse of other children and issued a foster home license to them. In addition, DSHS/DCYF failed to conduct regular home visits to the foster home. Ressler & Tesh obtained a recovery of $5,000,000 for the four Plaintiffs.
$4,999,000
GLM and ALB v. State of Washington – The Plaintiff’s mother failed to provide proper care and support for them while they were in their early teenage years in Omak, Washington. DSHS/DCYF received several reports that the Plaintiffs had been abandoned and were living in a motel room with no adult supervision. DSHS/DCYF became aware that the younger Plaintiff was engaging in sexual intercourse with her boyfriend, who was an adult male, but failed to take steps to stop this sexual abuse. Because DSHS/DCYF failed to intervene to protect the Plaintiffs, they were taken advantage of and sexually abused by a number of adult men for several years as teenagers. Ressler & Tesh obtained a settlement of $4,999,000 for the Plaintiffs.
$4,600,000
Stokes v. State of Washington -Two children were starved and abused by their stepmother, Rebecca Long, over a three year period. The State ignored ample warnings provided by teachers at the children’s schools. Ressler & Tesh obtained a settlement of $4,600,000 for the two minors.
$4,500,000
H.M., H.C., and T.C. v. State of Washington – The Plaintiffs were three siblings who were abused by the teenaged son of their foster parents. DSHS/DCYF failed to conduct regular health and safety visits with the children and should not have approved living arrangements which placed two young boys in the same bedroom with a teenager. Ressler & Tesh obtained a settlement of $4,500,000 for the Plaintiffs.
$4,250,000
K.N. and R.N. v. State of Washington – The Plaintiffs were placed with foster parents who also subsequently adopted them. The Plaintiffs suffered severe physical and sexual abuse at the hands of the foster parents. DSHS/DCYF ignored red flags regarding the foster parents when they were licensed to be foster parents, in addition to negligently investigating reports of abuse while the Plaintiffs were in the foster home. Ressler & Tesh obtained a settlement of $4,250,000 for the Plaintiffs.
$4,200,000
ER, TJR and EJ v. State of Washington – The Plaintiffs and their two siblings were taken from their mother’s care by DSHS/DCYF and placed in the home of their grandfather and his wife. DSHS/DCYF failed to investigate the backgrounds of the three children already living in the home or inspect the living arrangements in the home before placing the Plaintiffs and their siblings there. All eight children were forced to share a single bedroom. The grandfather and his wife were abusive alcoholics who were unfit to care for young children. One of the three children already living in the home was a boy who had recently been arrested for stabbing strangers with a dirty syringe. The boy regularly sexually abused the Plaintiffs during the 10 months they were forced to share a bedroom with him. Ressler & Tesh obtained a settlement of $4,200,000 for the Plaintiffs.
$4,000,000
D.G. v. State of Washington – The Plaintiff, a young child, was placed into a foster home and forced to share a room with another foster child who was twice his age. The Plaintiff was repeatedly sexually abused by the older foster child. DCYF knew of behavioral concerns, including sexually acting out, that the older foster child exhibited, yet DCYF did nothing to protect the Plaintiff. Ressler & Tesh obtained a recovery of $4,000,000 on behalf of the Plaintiff.
$3,500,000
M.R.J. and L.E.W. v. State of Washington – Two young children were sexually abused and neglected in their biological home. DSHS/DCYF received dozens of reports, yet repeatedly failed to properly investigate these reports. Finally, law enforcement rescued these children. Ressler & Tesh obtained a recovery of $3,500,000 on behalf of these children.
$3,100,000
C.J.A.B. v. State of Washington – The Plaintiff was sexually abused by his foster brothers while he resided in a foster home. DSHS/DCYF and a private agency both failed to warn the foster parents of a known history of sexualize behavior and failed to remove Plaintiff from the home once sexual abuse was discovered. Ressler & Tesh obtained a combined settlement of $3,100,000 for the Plaintiff.
$2,700,000
IUT v. State of Washington – Plaintiff was sexually abused in a foster home and in a residential care facility. DSHS/DCYF failed to respond to prior reports of abuse regarding the foster home and failed to properly oversee the licensing of the residential care facility. Ressler & Tesh obtained a settlement of $2,700,000 for the Plaintiff.
$2,600,000
A.H. v. State of Washington – DSHS/DCYF received dozens of reports over 10 years regarding abuse and neglect of A.H., yet completely failed to properly investigate or timely file for a dependency. When DSHS/DCYF did remove A.H. from the mother’s home, it first placed A.H. into a foster home with a known history of sexual abuse. DSHS/DCYF then placed A.H. with the biological father who had not being involved in the child’s life for over 10 years. The father had a conviction for child rape, which DSHS/DCYF had failed to uncover, in addition to numerous other violent criminal convictions. A.H. endured sexual and physical abuse in both homes. Ressler & Tesh obtained a recovery of $2,600,000 on behalf of A.H.
$2,500,000
E.B. v. State of Washington – The Plaintiff was placed into the foster home where the Plaintiff suffered sexual abuse at the hands of his foster father. DSHS/DCYF improperly licensed the foster home and failed to regularly visit the foster home to check-in on the Plaintiff. Ressler & Tesh obtained a settlement of $2,500,000 for the Plaintiff.
$2,500,000
R.B. v. State of Washington – Plaintiff was sexually abused by two older foster brothers for years. DSHS/DCYF knew that the older foster brothers had a history of sexual abuse and were sexually aggressive. In addition, DSHS/DCYF ignored reports of abuse of the Plaintiff while he was in the foster home. Ressler & Tesh obtained a settlement of $2,500,000 for the Plaintiff.
$2,500,000
T.D. v. State of Washington – The Plaintiff was placed with a relative who sexually abused her. DSHS/DCYF negligently placed the Plaintiff with the relative and then improperly investigated reports of abuse while the Plaintiff was living with the relative. Ressler & Tesh obtained a settlement of $2,500,000 for the Plaintiff.
$2,500,000
VKD and CLD v. State of Washington – The Plaintiffs were siblings who were sexually abused by their older foster brother. One of the Plaintiffs reported her abuse and the siblings remained in the abusive home for several months. Ressler & Tesh obtained a settlement of $2,500,000 for Plaintiffs.
$2,500,000
DSHS/DCYF issued a foster care license to a convicted sex offender Jason Boothby. Subsequently, DSHS/DCYF placed the Plaintiff with Boothby. DSHS/DCYF failed to investigate Boothby’s background and failed to review its own juvenile records regarding Boothby. The Plaintiff was sexually abused by Boothby while in she was placed in his home. Ressler & Tesh obtained a settlement of $2,500,000 for the Plaintiff.
$2,360,000
The Plaintiff suffered physical and sexual abuse due to negligent investigation by the State of Washington. Ressler & Tesh obtained a recovery of $2,360,000 on behalf of the Plaintiff.
$2,250,000
A.A.H. v. State of Washington – The Plaintiff was sexually abused by her adopted brother after he was released from juvenile detention for a sex crime. Though the brother was a convicted sex offender, DCYF forced the adoptive parents to take the brother back into their home, even though he was a known risk to the Plaintiff. Ressler & Tesh obtained a recovery of $2,250,000 on behalf of the Plaintiff.
$2,170,000
R.K. v. State of Washington – The Plaintiff was placed into a foster home where he suffered sexual abuse at the hands of his foster father. DSHS/DCYF improperly licensed the foster home and failed to regularly visit the foster home to check-in on the Plaintiff. Ressler & Tesh obtained a settlement of $2,170,000 for the Plaintiff.
$2,000,000
D.C. v. State of Washington – The Plaintiff was placed with his biological father, even though the father had never been part of the Plaintiff’s life and who had an extensive violent criminal record. After being placed into his father’s care, the father physically abused the Plaintiff. In addition, after the Plaintiff was placed into the father’s home, a relative, who DSHS/DCYF knew had allegations of sexual abuse against him, moved into the home with the permission of DSHS/DCYF. This relative sexually abused the Plaintiff. Ressler & Tesh obtained a settlement of $2,000,000 for the Plaintiff.
$2,000,000
JB and EB v. State of Washington – The Plaintiffs were placed by DSHS/DCYF in the care of their father’s dependency attorney, even though the attorney had a criminal history which included an arrest for lewd conduct. The attorney later adopted the Plaintiffs. The Plaintiffs endured several years of sexual abuse in the care of their adoptive father before he was arrested after chatting with a stranger online and inviting the man to come to the Plaintiff’s home to molest the Plaintiffs. Ressler & Tesh obtained a settlement of $2,000,000 for the Plaintiffs.
$1,915,000
Combined settlement for two minors who were sexually abused in both in their biological home and in a foster home.
$1,860,000
KD v. State of Washington – The Plaintiff, a young girl, was removed from her mother’s care by DSHS/DCYF after the mother’s boyfriend shoved the Plaintiff down the stairs, causing a skull fracture. The Plaintiff was placed with her father, who sexually abused her. Ressler & Tesh obtained a settlement of $1,860,000 for the Plaintiff.
$1,825,000
J.L. and L.L. v. DSHS – Two young children were sexually abused in their biological home and then placed by DSHS/DCYF in the home of Nancy and Richard Wheeler where they were sexually abused by another minor. The children obtained a settlement of $1,825,000 which was used to purchase annuities which will provide support and counseling for the children over their lifetimes.
$1,800,000
A.B. v. State of Washington – The Plaintiff was placed into a foster home in the 1980s where the Plaintiff was subjected to sexual abuse at the hands of his foster father. DSHS/DCYF failed to conduct required visits to the foster home while the Plaintiff lived there. Ressler & Tesh obtained a settlement of $1,800,000 for the Plaintiff.
$1,800,000
V.W. v. State of Washington – The Plaintiff was placed into a foster home where a known sexual predator resided, who then abused the Plaintiff. DSHS/DCYF failed to conduct the proper background checks of all the adults in the foster home and negligently investigated several reports of abuse about the foster home while the Plaintiff lived there. Ressler & Tesh obtained a settlement of $1,800,000 for the Plaintiff.
$1,750,000
J.W. v. State of Washington – DSHS/DCYF issued a foster care license to a convicted sex offender Jason Boothby. Subsequently, DSHS/DCYF placed foster child J.W. with Boothby. DSHS/DCYF failed to investigate Boothby’s background and failed to review its own juvenile records regarding Boothby. J.W. was sexually abused for over a year. Ressler & Tesh was able to obtain a $1,750,000 recovery for J.W.
$1,650,000
GS v. State of Washington – The Plaintiff was placed in the foster care system as a young child due to parental neglect. She was later returned to her mother’s care by DSHS/DCYF, even though the mother had a long history of abusing and neglecting her children. DSHS/DCYF then failed to competently investigate a number of reports of child abuse and neglect concerning Plaintiff after she was returned home. The Plaintiff was sexually abused by her mother and a teenage babysitter after being returned home. Ressler & Tesh obtained a settlement of $1,650,000 for the Plaintiff.
$1,630,000
J.H. v. State of Washington, et al – The Plaintiff was placed by DSHS/DCYF in the Seattle Children’s Home, a group home for children needing inpatient psychiatric care. The home was understaffed and failed to properly supervise the children, many of whom were sexually aggressive. The Plaintiff was sexually abused by another child in the home on several occasions. Ressler & Tesh obtained a combined settlement of $1,630,000 for the Plaintiff from DSHS/DCYF and the company that merged with Seattle Children’s Home after Plaintiff was placed there.
$1,600,000
FM v. State of Washington, et al – The Plaintiff was placed by DSHS/DCYF in the Seattle Children’s Home, a group home for children needing inpatient psychiatric care. The home was understaffed and failed to properly supervise the children, many of whom were sexually aggressive. The Plaintiff was sexually abused by another child in the home on several occasions. Ressler & Tesh obtained a combined settlement of $1,600,000 for the Plaintiff from DSHS/DCYF and the company that merged with Seattle Children’s Home after Plaintiff was placed there.
$1,500,000
Murray v. State of Washington – Having previously terminated the parental rights of James and Tracy Wright, the State nonetheless allowed them to care for four Oak Harbor children where they suffered horrific physical and sexual abuse. Ressler & Tesh obtained $1,500,000 to provide future care and counseling for the children.
$1,466,000
The Plaintiff suffered sexual abuse in his biological home and in a subsequent foster home. DSHS/DCYF ignored reports that the Plaintiff was being abused while in his biological home and then placed him in a foster home with older sexually aggressive foster children. Ressler & Tesh obtained a recovery of $1,466,000 for the Plaintiff.
$1,450,000
The Plaintiff’s infant daughter was placed in foster care by DSHS/DCYF. After the foster parents allowed the baby to sleep in a rocker chair overnight, she was found deceased in the morning. DSHS/DCYF had failed to properly educate the foster parents regarding safe sleep for infants. Ressler & Tesh obtained a combined settlement of $1,450,000 for the Plaintiff.
$1,400,000
As.L.A. and Am.L.A. v. State of WA – The Plaintiffs were two sisters who were abused by an emotionally disturbed older foster brother. DSHS/DCYF failed to warn the foster parents of the older boy’s alarming history and should not have put young girls into the same home as the older boy. Ressler & Tesh obtained a settlement of $1,400,000 for the Plaintiffs.
$1,400,000
TR v. State of Washington – The Plaintiff and her four siblings were taken from their mother’s care by DSHS/DCYF and placed in the home of their grandfather and his wife. DSHS/DCYF failed to investigate the backgrounds of the three children already living in the home or inspect the living arrangements before placing the Plaintiff and her siblings there. All eight children were forced to share a single bedroom. One of the children was a sexual predator who sexually abused the Plaintiff for 10 months. After the Plaintiff was moved by DSHS/DCYF to a foster home, she was sexually abused there for over a year by the adult son of the foster parents. Ressler & Tesh obtained a settlement of $1,400,000 for the Plaintiff.
$1,385,000
B.S. and R.S. v. State of Washington – The Plaintiffs were sexually abused by their stepfather. After he was arrested, DSHS/DCYF failed to investigate their mother prior to placing them back in her care where she promptly abandoned them back to their abuser. Ressler & Tesh obtained a settlement of $1,385,000 for the Plaintiffs.
$1,180,000
B.L. v. State of Washington – The Plaintiff was placed in multiple foster homes in the 1990s where the Plaintiff suffered sexual abuse at the hands of foster siblings and foster parents. DSHS/DCYF failed to conduct required visits to the foster homes while the Plaintiff lived there. Ressler & Tesh obtained a settlement of $1,180,000 for the Plaintiff.
$1,120,000
Settlement with DSHS/DCYF for placing two children into a Thurston County home where known previous sexual abuse occurred and the adults sexually abused two children, 4 and 6 years old.
$1,100,000
P.H. v. Kiwanis International et al & State of Washington – The Plaintiff was placed by DSHS/DCYF at the Kiwanis Vocational Home (KVH) in Centralia, Washington. KVH was a notorious group home utilized by DSHS/DCYF in the 1980s as a dumping ground for boys who frequently ran away from other foster homes. Physical and sexual abuse of the boys placed there by other boys and by the adult staff of KVH was routine. The Plaintiff spent an entire school year at KVH during the 1980s and was sexually abused by several older boys over the course of the year. Ressler & Tesh obtained a combined settlement of $1,100,000 for the Plaintiff.
$1,050,000
Settlement with a religious institution for two brothers sexually abused at a private high school in the 1970s.
$1,000,000
C.O-H., J.C., J.E., J.R., and J.H. v. State of Washington – The Plaintiffs were residents of the Greenhill School were sexually abused by staff of Greenhill. Several criminal convictions followed. Ressler & Tesh obtained a recovery of $1,000,000 on behalf of the Plaintiffs.
$925,000
E.L. v. State of Washington – The Plaintiff was a young boy whose family, at the request of DSHS/DCYF, agreed to care for a relative who was in foster care. DSHS/DCYF knew that the relative had a history of sexual abuse and was sexually aggressive, yet failed to warn Plaintiff’s family. Ressler & Tesh obtained a settlement of $925,000 for the Plaintiff.
$500,000
J.K. v. Bellevue School District – Verdict in jury trial against the Bellevue School District in case involving sexual abuse at elementary school between two young children. Ressler & Tesh obtained a recovery of $500,000.