Medical & Healthcare Sexual Abuse Cases
Justice for Patients Abused by Doctors, Therapists & Healthcare Providers
Larry Nassar: 500+ Victims, $500M Settlement - USC: 700+ Victims, $1.1B
Healthcare professionals who abuse their position of trust face accountability. You are not alone.
A National Crisis of Medical Sexual Abuse
Major Cases & Settlements
Larry Nassar (MSU / USA Gymnastics): $500+ million settlement with 500+ victims - team doctor sexually abused elite gymnasts under the guise of "treatment" for decades while institutions ignored complaints
Dr. George Tyndall (USC): $1.1 billion settlement with 700+ former patients - campus gynecologist sexually abused students for 30 years while university failed to act on numerous complaints
Dr. James Heaps (UCLA): $700 million settlement with hundreds of former patients - UCLA gynecologist abused patients during exams despite multiple complaints to the university
Dr. Robert Anderson (University of Michigan): $490 million settlement with over 1,000 victims - university sports doctor abused student-athletes for decades
Dr. Richard Strauss (Ohio State): $60+ million settlements with 300+ victims - team doctor abused athletes across multiple sports programs while university ignored red flags
Columbia University / Dr. Robert Hadden: $236 million settlement - OB/GYN abused patients at university-affiliated hospitals for over 20 years
Systemic Patterns in Healthcare Institutions
Investigations reveal similar failures across healthcare systems: complaints dismissed as "misunderstandings," institutions protecting doctors' credentials, lack of chaperone policies, failure to report to medical boards, and prioritizing reputation over patient safety.
Legal Grounds for Medical Sexual Abuse Cases
Sexual abuse by healthcare providers constitutes medical malpractice (breach of standard of care) and battery (unwanted, harmful touching).
Lack of Informed Consent: Medical procedures require informed consent. When a provider performs unnecessary intimate exams or touches patients sexually, there is no valid consent - this is battery.
Breach of Standard of Care: Professional medical standards prohibit sexual contact with patients, unnecessary intimate exams, and conducting exams without chaperones. Violating these standards is malpractice.
Evidence: Medical records, chaperone policies (or lack thereof), expert testimony about standard practices, other victim complaints.
The doctor-patient relationship is a fiduciary relationship - one of trust and confidence where the physician has special obligations to act in the patient's best interests.
Exploitation of Trust: Patients are in vulnerable positions - often undressed, in pain, sedated, or seeking help for intimate health issues. Abusing this vulnerability breaches fiduciary duty.
Power Imbalance: Doctors hold positions of authority and specialized knowledge. Using this power to sexually abuse patients is a profound breach of trust.
Hospitals, universities, and medical practices are liable when they knew or should have known about abuse and failed to protect patients.
Negligent Credentialing: Failing to properly verify physician credentials, check disciplinary history, or investigate prior abuse allegations.
Negligent Supervision: Failing to monitor physicians with complaints, not enforcing chaperone policies, allowing unsupervised access to vulnerable patients.
Failure to Report: Not reporting substantiated complaints to state medical boards as required by law.
Retention After Knowledge: Allowing a physician to continue practicing after receiving complaints of sexual misconduct.
When healthcare institutions actively conceal abuse to protect their reputations, they face additional liability and punitive damages.
Confidential Settlements: Settling with victims under NDAs while allowing the abuser to continue practicing creates ongoing danger and liability.
Destroying Evidence: Deleting complaints from personnel files, failing to document reports, or shredding records of misconduct.
Retaliating Against Reporters: Punishing staff or patients who raise concerns about physician misconduct.
Protecting Credentials: Refusing to report to medical boards to protect the physician's (and institution's) reputation.
Reporting to State Medical Boards
Separate from Lawsuits - Can Do Both
Filing a medical board complaint is separate from (and in addition to) filing a lawsuit. You can and should do both:
Medical Board Complaint:
- Focuses on license discipline - can result in license suspension or revocation
- Protects future patients by stopping the abuser from practicing
- No financial compensation, but creates public disciplinary record
- Free process, no attorney needed (though one can help)
Civil Lawsuit:
- Focuses on financial compensation for damages suffered
- Holds both the abuser AND the institution financially accountable
- Can include punitive damages for institutional cover-ups
- No upfront cost - attorneys work on contingency (no fees unless you win)
Find Your State Medical Board: Visit the Federation of State Medical Boards directory to file a complaint. Many states allow online complaint submissions.
Compensation in Medical Sexual Abuse Cases
Settlements vary based on severity, duration, institutional knowledge, and evidence of cover-up
Medical Malpractice Damages
Medical expenses, therapy costs, psychiatric treatment, medication, future counseling needs
Pain & Suffering
Trauma, PTSD, anxiety, depression, loss of trust in medical system, relationship impacts
Punitive Damages
When institutions concealed complaints or showed reckless disregard for patient safety
Settlement Examples:
USC / Dr. Tyndall: $1.1 billion for 700+ victims (avg $1.5 million each)
UCLA / Dr. Heaps: $700 million settlement fund
Larry Nassar: Individual settlements ranged $500,000 to $4 million+
Michigan / Dr. Anderson: $490 million for 1,000+ victims
Columbia / Dr. Hadden: $236 million settlement
Actual compensation depends on specific case facts, jurisdiction, and severity of abuse
Factors Affecting Compensation
- Type and severity of abuse (invasive procedures, frequency)
- Duration of abuse (single incident vs. years of appointments)
- Documented psychological and physical impact
- Evidence that institution knew about prior complaints
- Number of other victims (pattern of abuse)
- Institutional cover-up or retaliation against reporters
- Financial resources of institution and insurance coverage
Who Can File a Medical Abuse Claim?
- Recent or past abuse: State laws vary, but many have extended statutes of limitations for sexual abuse, including in medical settings
- Any type of patient: Adult patients, minors, college students, elderly patients, psychiatric patients - all are protected
- Doesn't matter if you reported: Many victims never reported due to shame, fear of not being believed, or not realizing it was abuse
- No criminal conviction required: Civil cases have lower burden of proof than criminal - you can win compensation even without criminal charges
- Provider can be deceased: You can still hold the institution accountable even if the abuser has died
- Multiple victims can join: Many medical abuse cases involve coordinated filings from dozens or hundreds of victims
- Facility can be closed: Insurance policies, successor organizations, and asset transfers may still provide recovery options
Your Voice Matters
Every major medical abuse case began with one survivor having the courage to come forward. Your report may be the one that finally stops a serial abuser and protects future patients.
You trusted your doctor. They violated that trust. It wasn't your fault. You deserve accountability and healing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Statutes of Limitations May Apply
While some states have extended deadlines for medical malpractice involving sexual abuse, time limits still exist. Additionally, evidence can be lost, witnesses' memories fade, and institutions may destroy records after certain periods.
Don't wait: A free consultation with an attorney can help you understand your state's specific deadlines and preserve your legal rights. Even if you're not ready to file immediately, knowing your options and timeline is crucial.
No obligation. Completely confidential. No fees unless you win.
Sources & References
The information on this page is based on court filings, settlements, government investigations, medical board records, and reputable news sources.
USC / Dr. George Tyndall $1.1 Billion Settlement
Record-breaking settlement with 700+ former patients of USC campus gynecologist who sexually abused students for three decades.
New York Times: USC Reaches $1.1 Billion SettlementUCLA / Dr. James Heaps $700 Million Settlement
UCLA gynecologist settlement with hundreds of patients after decades of sexual abuse at university health centers.
LA Times: UCLA Settlement CoverageLarry Nassar / MSU / USA Gymnastics Settlements
$500+ million settlements with 500+ survivors of sports medicine doctor who abused elite gymnasts under guise of treatment.
NPR Coverage of Nassar SettlementsUniversity of Michigan / Dr. Robert Anderson $490M Settlement
Settlement with over 1,000 victims of university sports doctor who abused student-athletes for decades.
MLive Report on SettlementColumbia University / Dr. Robert Hadden $236M Settlement
OB/GYN sexually abused patients at Columbia-affiliated hospitals for over 20 years while institution ignored complaints.
New York Times CoverageFederation of State Medical Boards
Official directory of state medical boards where you can file complaints against licensed physicians.
Contact Your State Medical BoardAssociation of American Medical Colleges: Patient Chaperone Guidelines
Medical professional standards for chaperone use during intimate examinations to protect patients.
AAMC ResourcesDisclaimer: This page provides educational information about medical sexual abuse litigation and patients' legal rights. Individual case outcomes vary based on specific facts, jurisdiction, and applicable laws. Settlement amounts mentioned are examples from actual cases but not guarantees of future results. Statutes of limitations vary by state and type of claim. Consult with a qualified attorney for legal advice specific to your situation.
You Trusted Your Doctor. They Violated That Trust.
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