Abuse at Vancouver College and St. Thomas More Collegiate

On March 8, 2023, a class action was certified by the Supreme Court of British Columbia regarding abuse of students at Vancouver College between 1976-2013 and at St. Thomas More Collegiate between 1976-1989. Darren Liptrot is approved as the representative Plaintiff.

Camp Fiorante Matthews Mogerman LLP (“CFM”) has been approved as class counsel. CFM issued a Court-approved notice that will provide information regarding the lawsuit, including how class members can opt out of the class action if they wish to do so, as well as the deadline for making that decision. The notice can be found here.

The opt-out period has not started yet and will be set by the Court.

Although class members will have until the opt-out deadline to decide whether they want to participate in the class action, it is important to know that all survivors of abuse are automatically included in the class as Plaintiffs unless they decide to opt out.

In other words, unless you have decided that you want to bring forward your sexual or physical abuse claim as a part of the class action, you should take steps to preserve your rights.

Consider Your Options

It is important to understand your rights and your options so that you can decide which route is best for you.

Depending on your circumstances, there are benefits to being a part of a class action. However, certain compromises may also need to be made in litigating as part of a group (i.e., a “class”).  For example:

• Although every case is different, in our experience, the amount of compensation available to survivors through a class action can be significantly less than the amount of compensation that, in our view, can be reasonably expected to be paid through the mediation of an individual claim or through successful claims in an individual action.
• Survivors who do not opt out from class actions are barred from bringing individual claims for compensation later. This is significant because sexual assault survivors who opt out have no limitation period and can bring their claims forward whenever they feel ready to do so.
• If a survivor does not opt out of the class action, then they are not entitled to pursue their own lawsuit, even if the class action does not result in the availability of individual compensation that they believe is fair or even if they do not know the class action exists.
• Individual class members have less control over decisions about the lawsuit than they would if they pursued a claim on their own because they are not their lawyer’s only client and because the lawyers for the class are primarily instructed by the representative Plaintiff.
• Class action lawsuits can take years before a resolution is reached, whereas civil claims may be resolved on a much faster timeline.
• Class members cannot appeal class action settlements, even if they oppose a settlement that they view as unfair to them.
• Class members who do not opt out and do not come forward in time to participate in the class action’s distribution of compensation may end up getting nothing at all.  This is true even if they did not know that the class action exists until it is too late.

If you attended Vancouver College and St. Thomas More Collegiate and suffered abuse as a student, you may have another option. You may be able to hire a law firm to pursue an individual claim on your behalf.

Preszler Injury Lawyers litigate individual actions, including claims relating to abuse perpetrated against minors. We offer these services through contingency-fee agreements at no up-front cost to our clients.

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Tell Us About Your Case

For more than 60 years, Preszler Injury Lawyers has been helping people across British Columbia pursue the compensation they deserve for their institutional abuse claims. As one of the country’s longest-standing personal injury law firms, our practice is devoted entirely to injury law and helping accident victims–it’s all we do.

Schedule a free consultation today to speak with our award-winning personal injury lawyers and find out if you have a case. Our legal team is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to take your call.

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Book Your Free Initial Consultation with Preszler Injury Lawyers

Preszler Injury Lawyers offer a free, no-commitment consultation to people who are considering making claims for personal injuries they have suffered.

Although the court has appointed CFM as counsel for the class in the class action regarding Vancouver College and St. Thomas More College, we would be happy to provide you with information regarding our services to help you decide which path is best for you.

Class members always have a right to obtain independent legal advice about their options. If you are considering opting out of the class action to pursue your own claim, you are welcome to contact us for a confidential, no-commitment initial call.

Preszler Injury Lawyers take on sexual assault claims through a contingency model. There are no upfront costs to clients, and no fees unless we win your case.

Our firm is already pursuing claims on behalf of survivors of sexual assault who will be opting out of the Liptrot class action. We are willing to be retained by other class members who prefer to start their own claims instead of being a class member. Contact Preszler Injury Lawyers today for a free initial consultation.

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