GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Attorneys representing plaintiffs in ongoing litigation with Michigan State University want their clients to be treated as new cases.
The $500 million settlement with those who suffered Larry Nassar's sexual abuse included $75 million for future claims. Court documents show that portion can also go towards up to eight percent of the university's legal fees. Reports out last month said those now total close to $20 million.
The $425 million portion of the settlement went to a fund accessible to 333 plaintiffs.
Over the summer Lansing lawmakers approved legislation that allowed more time for victims to pursue civil suits. More than 150 new lawsuits were filed by the Sept. 10 deadline.
"So the additional girls and survivors who took advantage of that [legislation] now are kind of being treated like second-class citizens," Melissa Fry Hague, Esq. told 24 Hour News 8 over the phone. "If MSU wants to do the right thing here and really wants to change the way it treats survivors, all survivors should be treated equally the same."
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