Hi Crawdad2:
If you do have suffered molestation as a child and the statute of limitations has not run you may have a case. Obviously, you cannot just walk into a lawyers office and say I was molested years earlier and I heard I could get a pile of money for that. No, it doesnt work that way. You must have proof of molestation, which can be substantiated by hospital reports, doctors reports, psychiatric reports, therapists reports, police reports, as well as individuals that you may have told of this abuse. Therefore, consider the following:
Did you advise your parents of the abuse?
Did you advise anyone in the congregation of the abuse?
Was the abuse reported to the elders?
Did the elders in the congregation confront the molester?
If a confrontation took place, did the molester admit the abuse?
If a confrontation took place, did the molester deny the allegation against him?
What did the elders recommend that you do as a result of the molestation?
Were you advised that you could report this abuse to the authorities?
Were you advised not to report this abuse to the authorities?
If you were advised not to report the abuse, what was the reason given?
Did you report the abuse to the police or other municipal authority?
Did you see a physician as a result of the abuse?
Did you see a psychiatrist as a result of the abuse?
Did you see a therapist as a result of the abuse?
Were you seen by a mental health specialist as a result of the abuse?
If you can answer all of most the questions above in the affirmative, and you have written documentation from professionals as listed above, then you may be able to file a summons and complaint in a court of law and seek recovery of damages.
Suggesting a monetary amount can be misleading because states differ, circumstances differ, juries differ.