Brian S. Kabateck was quoted in the Daily Journal in an article examining the $828 million LA County sex abuse settlement — and the fraud controversy surrounding the separate $4 billion case involving DTLA Law Group.
The article explores how attorneys who chose to independently vet and litigate a smaller, defined group of claims achieved significantly higher individual recoveries, while thousands of plaintiffs in the larger settlement face years of delays amid ongoing investigations by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office and the State Bar.
“These cases are incredibly important, and the law has rightly given survivors more opportunity to seek justice,” Brian said. “But with that comes a responsibility to ensure that claims are thoroughly vetted.”
He cautioned that even limited allegations of fraud can damage legitimate claims. “These allegations are hurting the good cases along with the non-meritorious ones. There are a lot of valid claims in that settlement, and those plaintiffs need to be protected.”
Brian also called on the plaintiffs’ bar to take accountability seriously. “There needs to be some mechanism where lawyers can raise concerns if they see something questionable. We, the plaintiffs’ bar, need to police our own.”
“At the end of the day, these cases are about justice for survivors,” he added. “The system has to get it right — both in recognizing valid claims and in maintaining public trust.”
To read the full article, visit the Daily Journal (subscription required).