FAQs

The Claims Administrator is John T. Broderick, Jr. The Administrator is an attorney and a retired judge. His role is to assist in providing a process for filing and settling claims through the Fund that is fair, efficient, trauma-informed and victim-centered. He serves as a neutral participant in the claims process and does not provide legal advice or legal advocacy for anyone in the claims process.  
 
The Administrator makes sure that a person who filed a claim (called a claimant) uses and completes the required forms. His staff sends the information to the New Hampshire Department of Justice (to the Attorney General Designee, or AG Designee) to evaluate the claim.
  
The Administrator also conducts resolution proceedings. The resolution proceeding can involve a hearing before the Administrator, or the resolution proceeding can go forward solely on written materials submitted by the parties.
 
After the resolution proceeding is concluded and the Administrator issues a final decision, the claimant has the choice to either accept the decision or withdraw their claim.

Yes. Claims or Notice of Claims must be submitted by midnight on June 30, 2025. If you choose to first file a Notice of Claim, the completed claim must then be filed within 60 days from the date the Notice of Claim was filed.

Our YDC Claims Administration website will have all the information you’re looking for.  This includes and not limited to an overview of our claims process, resources, forms, statute updates, reports, and contact information. Please visit our website at https://www.ydcclaims.nh.gov.

For additional contact information, please review our Contact Us tab on our website, which provides the best ways to reach the YDC Claims Administration.
 

Any living former YDC Resident who was personally subjected to sexual or other abuse may file a claim for that abuse. “YDC” under the Settlement Fund statute means Youth Detention Center facilities performing the function of housing or providing services to children who are the subject of delinquency proceedings, children in need of services proceedings, whether pre- or post-adjudication.   

Please review the YDC Settlement Fund statute and Claims Process for Administration of the YDC Settlement Fund for the definition of eligible claimants and qualifying facilities.  These resources are available on our website.

Yes, a claimant needs to be living at the time a claim is filed to be eligible for recovery under the YDC Settlement Fund. If an eligible claimant dies after a claim is filed, then his or her executor or Administrator may continue to pursue the claim in the YDC claims process.

Completing the claim forms and gathering documents can be distressing and emotionally difficult. There is a list of emotional and mental health support resources in the Resources for Emotional Support.

If you are a Department of Corrections resident, staff at the Department of Corrections should make sure that help is available through your case manager, victim witness advocate and mental health counselor.  If these staff are not on site, nursing should be able to assist you.

No. There is no fee to file and submit a claim with the YDC Claims Administration.

No, legal representation is not required.

When deciding whether to retain an attorney, you may want to consider whether you would benefit from having legal assistance in putting your claim together and assisting you in gathering your resident file and other documents, reports, records and information that may support your claim.

An attorney can advocate on your behalf with the Attorney General’s Office in order to settle your claim, and may also assist you at a resolution proceeding with the Administrator, if you choose that path.

An attorney would review legal fees with you in advance, as part of your decision whether you wish to have legal representation for your claim.

Yes. Your YDC resident file and records are important documentations to support your claim and assist in establishing eligibility. You are encouraged to provide as much information as possible to support your claim for independent evaluation of your claim by the Administrator.

See How to Access Resident Facility Files which explains who to reach out to for requesting a copy of your resident files from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).

Some documents and information are required for your claim file to be complete and ready for processing.  

• Claim Form (notarized)
• Written Narrative
• Resident file or records to support eligibility
• Information for Resolution Proceeding form
• Identification document (photo ID)
• Statement of Eligibility
• Statement of Completion
• Notice of Stay (if you have a lawsuit pending)

Section 1 of the Claims Process for Administration of the YDC Settlement Fund gives the list.  

Some documents and information is optional and encouraged to assist the Administrator’s evaluation of a claim

• Claim worksheet
• Medical records / Doctor’s reports
• Mental health records / Therapy notes
• Diaries, notebooks, or journals
• Photographs
• Statements from witnesses
• Written impact statement
• Statement of valuations (or memo)

Time can vary. You can contact the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) at (844) 275-3447 to find out the average time it takes to receive your resident files.

For any other records you may seek to access, you can reach out directly to the facility which has the records to find out how to make a request to receive records.

If you are represented, please consult your attorney to provide you for a status update on your claim. If you are unrepresented, please email the YDC Claims Administration at claims@ydcclaims.nh.gov and we will provide you with an update as soon as possible.  Our response time can vary.

No. A claimant does not waive any legal rights against the State of New Hampshire by filing a claim.  If you have a lawsuit in court, you will need to agree to temporarily pause (or “stay”) that lawsuit in order to file and process a claim with the YDC Claims Administration and Settlement Fund.
 
You are free to withdraw from the claims process at any time and pursue any earlier filed lawsuit, or to file a first-time lawsuit. However, if after you accept a settlement offer from the Attorney General’s Office on your claim or accept the Administrator’s final decision on your claim, then you are required to waive your rights against the State of New Hampshire. 

You remain free to pursue legal rights, outside of this claims process, for any claims you may have against individual perpetrators even if they were state employees at the time you were abused. 

The YDC Settlement Fund statute does not allow a person to pursue a lawsuit against the State of New Hampshire and, at the same time, have a claim processed with the YDC Claims Administration for recovery from the YDC Settlement Fund.

If you choose to file a claim with the YDC Claims Administration, you will need to complete and sign a form called a Notice of Filing of Claim and Partial Stay (available on our website).

If you are represented by an attorney, please contact your attorney for assistance with filing a claim. If you are not represented by an attorney, please first review the YDC Claims Administration website for helpful information.

If you would like to make an inquiry about our claims process, we encourage you to contact the YDC Claims Administration via email at claims@ydcclaims.nh.gov or via phone at 833-423-2136.  Please leave a voice mail message and we will reach out to you.

Please be patient for receiving a response, as we receive a large amount of correspondence and have limited staff. Our response time for all inquiries depends on volume of inquiries and claims processing.

Any notary can attest your signature and New Hampshire state law will allow remote notarization (N.H. RSA 456-B). A list is linked here: Notaries Public and Justices of the Peace.

Those residing at a New Hampshire State Prison facility can call (603) 415-2136 to be directly connected to the toll-free YDC Claims Administration phone line.

If you are located at a NH house of correction, you can call (833) 423-2136 toll-free and leave a voice message or talk to a staff person if one is available. The YDC Claims Administration staff are routinely working with the Department of Corrections (DOC) to make phone access as efficient as possible.

You may also mail a letter to the YDC Claims Administration at the following address:

P.O. Box 1930
Concord, NH 03302-1930

Yes. A state-issued prison ID is an acceptable form of identification.

The state prisons and all the houses of correction in New Hampshire can provide this service.  All New Hampshire facilities should have at least one notary on site.

Yes.  All claims (and all documents and information created in connection with claims) are treated as confidential by the Administrator and by the AG Designee to the greatest extent permitted by law, with limited exceptions. All medical records and counseling records also remain confidential if you use them in the claims process.
 
The YDC Settlement Fund statute expressly protects your privacy. You may also choose to waive confidentiality.

Yes.  Since the Notice of Filing of Claim and Partial Stay form will be filed in court, you can use the pseudonym that was used in the lower court when completing the form.  If you do so, your attorney of record must sign his or her name and indicate that counsel is signing on behalf of the claimant as client.

If you are not represented by a lawyer, please reach out to the YDC Claims Administration staff for assistance.

Yes. After your claim is resolved, you can request a meeting with the Administrator in person or by video. Your discussion with the Administrator will be confidential to the greatest extent possible under the law.

Most claims are resolved in seven months.  The time period for processing will depend on some possible pathways for a claim and also depending on volume.
 
The YDC Settlement Fund statute has different deadlines for the Administrator, the AG Designee, and the claimant to follow. The best way to ensure the most efficient processing of your claim is to submit all information and documents as fully as possible at the time the claim is filed.

Your claim needs to be independently evaluated to determine whether there will be a claim award under the YDC Settlement Fund.

Also, the legislature established certain dollar amount caps on the amount you can recover for certain types of abuse with limits for both sexual abuse and other abuse for claims eligible under the YDC Settlement Fund.

The Guidelines for Valuing Claims for Settlement Purposes gives step-by-step guidance for valuing a claim, including how to consider the presence of aggravating factors.  There is also an optional claim worksheet to fill out and include with your claim submission that can assist with calculating awards.

Yes, if you accept the Administrator’s final decision, you will need to complete the written waiver and release forms. Both you and the State of New Hampshire will be bound by that decision.  There is no appeal.

A structured settlement pays you your guaranteed award in installments on a regular basis (monthly, quarterly, or annually) over a series of years.  It can be set up to include periodic lump sum payments as well. There can be tax advantages to structured settlements. A structured settlement may be a safe and useful way to protect your funds. 

If you are interested in learning more, see Structured Settlement Specialists list on the website for more information.