Boy Scouts sending notices that abuse survivors have until Nov. 16 to file claims

In an email to families connected to Boy Scouts of America, the national organization said Friday that it will be sending about 10 million notifications to let abuse survivors know they have until Nov. 16 to file a claim.

"This notification process," the email said, "is part of an effort to ensure that the BSA reaches as many potential claimants, survivors of abuse, as possible so they may file a claim."

If you were a scout, parent of a scout, alumni or volunteer you should expect to receive an email or letter -- and likely will see an advertisement -- informing you of the upcoming deadline.

At the same time, the organization is hoping to head off confusion by those who get letters that the notices do not indicate that "you have a claim or that your child was harmed."

In late May, the organization reached an agreement with the courts that there will be a cut-off date for claims to be eligible for compensation through the bankruptcy proceedings.

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After the deadline, survivors are barred from filing suits against Boy Scouts.

Survivors must file a proof-of-claim form including details they can recall about the abuse, such as when and where it occurred.

Boy Scouts filed for bankruptcy in February amid declining membership and an increasing number of child sexual abuse allegations that financially threatened the organization.

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Initially, the Boy Scouts had proposed 80 days for survivors to come forward, but the agreed-upon date provided more than twice that much time, almost six months, and the Boy Scouts is running a multimillion dollar awareness campaign.

Boy Scouts, which is now also open to girls, added it has developed and is using "expert-informed youth protection policies" to assure participants that "our volunteers and employees take youth protection extremely seriously."

Contact Frank Witsil: 313-222-5022 or fwitsil@freepress.com. USA Today contributed.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Boy Scouts sending notices that abuse survivors have until Nov. 16 to file claims

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