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Survivors Achieve More Than $1 Billion in Settlements Over Dr. Larry Nassar Abuse in Gymnastics

When Women Speak Up, They Have Power.

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Gymnastics Sexual Abuse Lawsuit

If you are a survivor of sexual abuse in gymnastics (past or present), please reach out to us for help and make your voice heard, even anonymously.

Settlements Reached in Dr. Nassar Litigation Gymnastics Lawsuit Top $1 Billion So Far.

Former sports doctor Larry Nassar was a marked man in 2018 when Olympic gymnasts, including Rachael Denhollander (first public accuser) + gold medalists Simone Biles, Aly Raisman, McKayla Marony, Gabby Douglas + Jordan Wieber (the Olympic “Fierce Five”) testified against the monster in court for “excruciating and exceptional abuse” passed off as medical therapy.1

Since helping survivors of Nassar sexual abuse, we have been able to help others who suffered sexual abuse at the hands of their coaches. Contact us here if you are an abuse survivor.

Beyond Nassar, we have helped other survivors, including Kim Bergman. She is now using her platform to speak out publicly against the systemic failures that protected her coach and has made it her mission to stop sports sexual assault from toppling other girls.2

We also worked with gymnastics champion/ survivor/ activist Marcia Fredrick, the first US woman gymnast to win gold at the World Gymnastics Championship in France/ 1978. Her coach, Richard Carlson, routinely abused her before and after she competed on the uneven bars. Her uphill legal battle against him + ferocious advocacy since then, have helped many survivors find their way back.3

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What Does This Mean for Gymnastics Sexual Assault?

Following the Nassar lawsuit, the nonprofit US Center for SafeSport was created in March 2017 to clamp down on abuse in Olympic sports. SS’s mission was sound, but it has earned detractors who feel it takes too long to investigate complaints and delays sanctions.4

In December 2024, legislation was introduced in Congress that would reboot SafeSport with a $10 million federal grant for education and training programs. It would require SS to resolve complaints within 180 days of notification and impose temporary sanctions on offenders until cases are decided.5

Critics ask if SafeSport is doing what it’s supposed to, when it’s supposed to. Sean Gardner, the once-omniscient coach at Chow’s Gymnastics & Dance Institute for U.S. Olympics in Des Moines, Iowa, was a known predator years before he was arrested and banned. Abuse complaints followed him from previous coaching positions in Mississippi and Louisiana, but Chow’s hired him anyway.6

The idea of a protective agency is key, but no safety organization is enough unless hurt women come forward and speak their truth. That’s why we encourage you to come forward if you have been abused by your gymnastics coach.

An army of courageous gymnasts brought Nassar to his knees before SafeSport was established, and it’s still important for women to speak up and pursue a lawsuit even if they have already reported to SafeSport.

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Thank you, Kim Bergman and Marcia Frederick, for your voices.

Why Does Filing a Sports Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Matter?

Former Dr. Lawrence Nassar (MSU/ USAG), former coach Sean Gardner (Chow’s), former Dr. Robert Anderson (University of Michigan), former Dr. Richard Strauss (Ohio State University) – are just the tippety-tip of the iceberg, because sexual abuse in women’s sports has been shadowed for years. That’s why we are helping slowly shine a light on the issue – to help make sports safer for girls and women.

This should not be the norm. Going forward, it is our hope that crushing financial penalties, imposed by your lawsuits, along with institutional reforms + evolving government legislation, will deter future sports assault scandals.

Overview of the Nassar lawsuit: $1 billion+ in total settlements for survivors, negotiated with USAG/ USOPC ($380M),7 MSU ($500M),8 and FBI/ DOJ ($138.7M).9 These institutions prized reputation over athletes’ well-being. After Nassar’s conviction, what happened to their cultures?

“We are truly sorry to all the survivors and their families for what they have been through, and we admire the courage it has taken to tell their stories.”

Brian BreslinFormer MSU chairman of the board10

“We are sorry for the pain caused by this terrible man, and sorry that you weren’t afforded a safe opportunity to pursue your sports dreams. The Olympic family is among those that have failed you.”

Scott BlackmunFormer USOPC CEO11

“I’m sorry that so many different people let you down, over and over again. And I’m especially sorry that there were people at the FBI who had their own chance to stop this monster back in 2015 and failed.”

Christopher WrayFormer FBI Director12

What Happens Now?

“Little girls don't stay little forever. They grow into strong women that return to destroy your world. We are here, we have our voices, and we’re not going anywhere. And now, Larry, it’s your turn to listen to me [sic].”

Aly Raismanaddressing Nassar at his sentencing13,14

Nassar + his cohorts are unable to defend themselves anymore. It’s your turn to talk now. Please tell us your story and help us shut down sexual predators in the sports world. It’s time.

Why Should You Contact A Case for Women?

No deterrent can make a lasting difference without your voices. If you’ve been sexually abused by a team doctor or coach – or any authority in the sports world – you can come to us. Believe us – if there were an easier way to help you get back up and shout to the sky, “I’M BACK!” we’d help you do that instead. This is the only way.

We’ve helped dozens of athletes join lawsuits against the institutions that harbored predatos ever since Lawrence Nassar was exposed + we’ve helped survivors unravel the web of secrecy surrounding sexual abuse in gymnastics.

Besides Nassar, we’ve gone after other predator doctors, one monster after another. Here are some of them (in alphabetical order):

Sources

  1. Ann Emmerich, “Money Doesn’t Heal: Larry Nassar’s Survivors speak out after legal settlements, ”CBS News, January 24, 2025.

  2. Noah Taborda, “Survivors of child sex abuse call for elimination of Kansas statute of limitations,” Kansas Reflector, March 18, 2022.

  3. Peter Hayes, “Aspiring Gymnast’s Sex Abuse Suit Dismissed, For Now,” Bloomberg Law, September 21, 2022.

  4. Ari Shapiro, “Years after the Larry Nassar scandal, are Olympic athletes safe from abuse?” NPR, July 20, 2024.

  5. Rich Perelman, “U.S. CENTER FOR SAFESPORT: Added funding of $10 million and faster decisions proposed in reform bill introduced in U.S. House,” The Sports Examiner, December 8, 2024.

  6. Ryan J. Foley, Eddie Pells, “AP lands scoop on a long investigation and recent arrest of a gymnastics coach accused of sexually abusing three young athletes,” AP/ Associated Press, August 29, 2025.

  7. Juliet Macur, “Nassar Abuse Survivors Reach $380 Million Settlement,” New York Times, December 3, 2021.

  8. Mitch Smith, Anemona Hartocollis, “Michigan State’s $500 Million for Nassar Victims Dwarfs Other Settlements,” New York Times, May 16, 2018.

  9. Ed White, “US government agrees to $138.7M settlement over FBI’s botching of Larry Nassar assault allegations,” AP News/ Associated Press, April 23, 2024.

  10. Unnamed, “USOC calls for USAG resignations, launches independent investigation,” ABC News, January 24, 2018.

  11. Mitch Smith, Anemona Hartocollis, “Michigan State’s $500 Million.”

  12. Ed White, “US government agrees to $318.7M settlement over FBI’s botching of Larry Nassar assault allegations,” AP News/ Associated Press, April 23, 2024.

  13. Associated Press Writer, “Gymnasts Share Stories of Abuse at Doctor’s Sentencing Hearing,” AP/ Associated Press via New York Times, January 6, 2018.

  14. Eric Levenson, “Olympian Aly Raisman Tells Nassar in Court: ‘The Tables Have Turned, Larry,’” CNN, January 19, 2018.