Proposed is not the same as final
This distinction is the most important thing on this page. The Buffalo settlement ($326 million, covering roughly 900 survivors, funded by the diocese, related Catholic entities
and insurers) has been proposed and is awaiting court confirmation.
It is not final. Until a plan is confirmed, its terms can change. Anyone describing the
Buffalo settlement as done is describing Rockville Centre, which is a different diocese in a
different position.
Why a live case changes what matters
- Deadlines inside a bankruptcy are set by the court, not by ordinary limitation rules.
- Terms are still being litigated, so how claims are treated is not yet fixed.
- Timing is genuinely consequential in a way it is not for a concluded case.
If your claim relates to Buffalo, this is a reason to ask sooner rather than later, not
because of pressure, but because an open case has live dates attached to it. See also
sexual abuse claims in Buffalo.
Time limits in New York depend on how old you were, who was responsible and the particular facts. There is no single deadline that applies to everyone. Ask rather than assume. It is a free call.
If the settlement is not confirmed, can the amount change?
Yes. Until a plan is confirmed by the court its terms are not fixed, which is precisely why the distinction between proposed and final matters here.
Is there still time to be part of it?
Deadlines in an open bankruptcy are set by the court rather than by ordinary limitation rules, and they are live. That is a reason to ask promptly.
What happens if the plan is rejected?
The case continues and terms are renegotiated. It is one of several reasons the Buffalo position cannot be described using the language of a concluded case.