Jury Awards $3.5 Million to Survivor Four Decades After Reporting Sexual Abuse to Harrisville Central School District

NEW YORK, Aug. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Herman Law, the nation's leading law firm exclusively representing survivors of child sexual abuse, announced today that it has secured a $3.5 million jury verdict after a jury in Lewis County, New York, found Harrisville Central School District and Harrisville Elementary School negligent for failing to protect a child who reported being sexually abused by his third-grade teacher.

According to the lawsuit, the survivor was just 9 years old when the abuse by his third-grade teacher, Bette Shampine, began. After he disclosed the abuse to his parents, they reported it to school officials, but the lawsuit alleges the school failed to investigate and no action was taken. Ultimately, he was held back in third grade and remained in Shampine's classroom, where the abuse continued.

The jury verdict represents accountability not only for the abuse that occurred, but for the institutional failures that allowed it to continue. Herman Law argued Harrisville Central School District and Harrisville Elementary School ultimately failed to investigate reports of abuse and implement policies designed to prevent child sexual abuse, failing to exercise reasonable care to protect students from foreseeable harm.

"This case was never just about one teacher; it was about what happens when the adults and institutions responsible for protecting children fail to act after a child comes forward," said Craig Bernhardt, a lead trial attorney at Herman Law. "More than four decades after the abuse, this verdict demonstrates that time does not erase accountability. We hope this case gives survivors the courage to know that they can still be heard and that institutions that failed to protect them can still be held responsible."

The verdict followed a state Supreme Court trial led by Herman Law, one of the nation's most recognized law firms representing survivors of child sexual abuse. The case was brought under New York's Child Victims Act, landmark legislation that gave survivors of childhood sexual abuse the opportunity to pursue civil claims that had previously been barred by the statute of limitations.

More than four decades after the abuse alleged in the lawsuit first occurred, the outcome underscores the lasting impact of the Child Victims Act and its role in allowing survivors to seek accountability from institutions that fail to protect children. The verdict serves as a reminder that the passage of time does not erase an institution's responsibility to protect children or a survivor's right to pursue justice.

For more than three decades, Herman Law has represented thousands of survivors in substantial child sexual abuse litigation across the country. The firm's work has helped expose institutional failures and hold schools, religious institutions, youth organizations and other organizations entrusted with the care of children accountable. This verdict marks another significant victory in the firm's ongoing mission to secure justice for survivors and drive institutional accountability nationwide.

For more information, visit HermanLaw.com.

About Herman Law 

Since its founding in 1997, Herman Law has exclusively represented victims of sexual abuse and has won over one billion dollars in verdicts and settlements for survivors. Herman Law's experienced team is committed to pursuing justice, holding institutions accountable and helping survivors heal by giving them a voice through civil litigation. The firm's practice areas include sexual abuse within religious institutions, foster care systems, schools, healthcare facilities, camps, daycare centers and other organizations. Herman Law has represented thousands of survivors, securing significant verdicts and settlements to support their journey toward justice and healing. To learn more, visit HermanLaw.com. 

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SOURCE Herman Law