LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- The 243 people who will share a $25.7 million settlement from the Catholic Archdiocese of Louisville represent only a fraction of outstanding sexual-abuse claims facing U.S. dioceses, The Associated Press reported.

In the last year, about 1,000 people have brought new allegations against dioceses across the country. More than 500 cases are pending in Boston and hundreds of new claims are expected in California, where state lawmakers have abolished the time limit on abuse lawsuits for this year only.

The Archdiocese of Louisville may not have seen the last of sexual-abuse claims, the news service reported. Since the June 11 settlement was not part of a class action, which would have set a time limit for plaintiffs to join the suit, others may follow.

The Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests said in a statement that, "we are certain there are still dozens of wounded victims in the Louisville diocese who remain trapped in silence," and encouraged them to come forward.

Bills that would extend the time limits for civil lawsuits are awaiting governors' signatures in Illinois and Missouri, AP reported.

Since September, four multimillion-dollar lawsuits settled by U.S. dioceses have cost the Church more than $55 million. In the last two decades, dioceses have paid as much as $1 billion to abuse victims, according to AP.

"If the Archdiocese of Boston breaks the bank to pay for whatever cases are pending now, tomorrow another lawyer could file another 50 cases," said Patrick Schiltz, dean of the University of St. Thomas School of Law in Minneapolis.

"And when you settle any case, every plaintiffs' lawyer in the country treats that as a floor at which they can negotiate the next one," Schiltz said. "You don't know how much you can afford."